Jennifer Fitkin

Jennifer Fitkin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with twenty years of practice. She trained at the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Social Work, and has worked in a variety of clinical settings across several states and abroad. Jennifer brings practical experience from residential treatment, community programs tied to foster care and juvenile justice, and correctional rehabilitation work. Her background includes supervisory and clinical leadership roles.

Her therapy style is strengths-based and straightforward. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing to help people identify small, workable changes. Jennifer also integrates Trauma-Focused Therapy and Attachment-Based ideas when those fit a person's situation. Her approach emphasizes building everyday skills around sleep, movement, and routines because she believes physical habits support emotional health.

Jennifer has worked with individuals, groups, and in some cases families in clinical settings, and she draws on that range when planning care. She has experience with issues such as stress, anxiety, parenting, anger, depression, addictions, relationship and family concerns, grief, and coping with life changes. Additional focus areas include adoption and foster care, attachment issues, communication problems, and process addictions such as gambling or exercise.

Clients can expect practical conversations that lead to concrete strategies. Jennifer favors short-term skill building alongside deeper trauma-informed work when needed. She values collaborative planning and checks in about what is helping and what needs to change.

Outside of clinical work she enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, backpacking, and camping. She is a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer and often recommends attention to sleep, movement, and nutrition as part of overall wellbeing. Her dog, Boomer, has occasionally joined telehealth sessions.

How therapeutic approaches shape online work

Jennifer commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in her practice. ACT focuses on clarifying values and taking committed action, which can help people who feel stuck or unclear about their next steps. CBT helps identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and teaches practical techniques to change them.

She also draws on Trauma-Focused Therapy and Attachment-Based ideas when trauma and relationship patterns are central. Trauma-Focused Therapy emphasizes understanding how past events affect current reactions and learning specific coping skills. Attachment-Based ideas look at how early relationships shape expectations and help people build more effective ways of relating now.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. Together they decide whether to emphasize ACT, CBT, trauma-focused work, or a mix of methods and adjust over time based on progress.

If you plan to use online therapy, confirm the available session formats before booking so you know what options exist. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and avoid travel time. It also lets people continue therapy while relocating or balancing work and family demands, while the therapist and client determine session length and focus that best suit daily routines.