Jessica Harrison, LICSW — Therapist in East Greenwich, RI
Understanding the Patterns in Yourself and Your Relationships
Hi, I am Jessica. In therapy with me, we focus on understanding the patterns within yourself and in your relationships so that meaningful change becomes possible. I guide patients through increasing self awareness, then help translate that insight into small, realistic changes while learning to manage the emotions that come with doing something differently. Sometimes that process even includes a little humor.
How therapy works with me
MY APPROACH
Over the years, I have worked with people navigating anxiety, communication and conflict, intimacy and emotional connection, and life transitions and boundaries. My approach is collaborative and eclectic, focusing on what feels most relevant for you. I value insight, self-awareness, and practical change over rigid techniques. In therapy with me, we slow down, reflect, and make changes at a pace that feels manageable.
I use a two phase approach. Both are necessary. Skipping to change without understanding tends not to hold.
Phase One
Understanding the pattern
We identify the patterns contributing to the discomfort and explore why they exist. This often includes looking at how past experiences connect to current reactions. You may begin to notice recurring moments such as feeling disconnected from a partner, stuck in the same thoughts, or unsure of your reactions. We focus on understanding when these patterns show up and what is driving them.
Phase Two
Creating change and managing emotions
Once there is a clearer understanding, we begin making small, realistic changes. These changes often bring up emotions such as anxiety, guilt, or frustration. We work on managing those reactions while helping you respond in ways that feel more aligned with your values and goals.
I focus on helping people understand why they feel stuck in the same patterns, whether that shows up in relationships, anxiety, or major life transitions. When we understand why we do what we do, it can become easier to have empathy and compassion for ourselves instead of letting our self critic get angry with us for doing something we wish we could change. I especially value the moments when something starts to make sense in a new way. Those light bulb moments can create the shift needed to begin responding differently instead of repeating what has not been working. Therapy with me is collaborative and direct. I will support you while also challenging you when needed so the work leads to real change.
WORK EXPERIENCE
From Community Mental Health to Private Practice
Before opening my private practice, I spent years working in community mental health, family services, and behavioral health settings. These experiences shaped the way I understand both individual challenges and the larger relationships and circumstances surrounding them.
One of the most influential parts of my career was my work at Gateway Healthcare. I started as a therapist and eventually became a team leader. That work taught me how much a person's environment, relationships, and circumstances can affect their ability to function. It also gave me extensive experience with clinical decision-making, consultation, and supervision.
I initially began supervising a master's level student and discovered that I genuinely enjoyed helping other clinicians think through difficult cases and develop their own clinical judgment. As my leadership responsibilities grew, I eventually supervised an interdisciplinary team with professionals from different disciplines and perspectives. That experience gave me a great deal of confidence as a clinician and leader, and I knew supervision was something I wanted to continue when I moved into private practice.
I also worked in primary care behavioral health, where I supported individuals, couples, and families while collaborating with medical providers. Earlier in my career, much of my work involved children and families in home and community settings. That work taught me how one person’s mental health can affect their relationships so I began looking beyond the individual and considering the relationships and family dynamics surrounding them. Over time, this led me to broaden my focus to adults, parents, and relationships.
Today, I bring those experiences into my private practice, where I work with individuals and couples, conduct immigration evaluations, and provide clinical supervision and consultation to help clinicians build confidence, strengthen their clinical judgment, and develop their professional identity.
WHAT THERAPY LOOKS LIKE WITH ME
What you can expect in sessions
Starting therapy can feel overwhelming and creating lasting change often takes time. Here is what working together actually looks like.
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Room to be yourself
Therapy works best when you feel comfortable enough to be honest about what is really happening. I want you to be yourself, not perform the version of yourself you think a therapist wants. Rapport matters because without it, you may not say what you actually need help with.
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Thoughtful questions
I use reflective questions to support curiosity, build insight, and help you notice patterns you may not have considered. Sometimes a thoughtful question can help you understand something in a new way that talking alone might not. From there, we can focus on how to make the changes you want.
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Honest challenge
Therapy with me is supportive and collaborative but direct. You are already doing enough work in therapy and in your life. I do not want you spending more energy trying to figure out what I mean so I will just tell you. I will challenge you when needed so you are not staying in patterns that are not working.
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Something to carry forward
You will often leave sessions with a clearer understanding of what is happening, why a pattern keeps showing up, or what you want to approach differently. Progress does not happen through one big change, it happens through many small steps that eventually create something bigger.
While therapy can be serious work, I believe humor has a place in the process. We are here to talk about hard things but that does not mean every moment has to feel heavy. Humor can be a coping skill, a way to build comfort and rapport, and sometimes simply a reminder that you are talking to another human being, not a robot.
MEDIA & PRESS
Beyond the Therapy Room
In addition to working with patients directly, Jessica enjoys making psychological concepts easier to understand beyond the therapy room through writing, education, and media conversations.
Her perspective on relationships and communication has been featured in TIME Magazine.
LICENSURE & TRAINING
Credentials
I earned my Master of Social Work from Rhode Island College in 2018 and continue to pursue training in the areas most relevant to my clinical work and supervision.
Rhode Island, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), since 2021
Connecticut, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), since 2022
I provide in-person sessions in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and telehealth throughout Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional
LGBTQ+ Trauma-Informed Care
Chronic Anxiety
Treating Complex Trauma
Grief and Loss, including anxious grief and non-death losses
Boundaries Specialist Certificate
Immigration Evaluations
I originally went to college planning to become a math teacher because I enjoyed solving problems and figuring out how things worked. Social work won me over instead and the rest is history.
Outside of therapy, I enjoy being outdoors, playing softball, traveling, and spending time with the people important to me.
Ready to take a closer look?
A free 15-minute consultation is always an option.
No pressure, no paperwork, just a conversation to see if I might be the right fit.
If I am not, I will tell you and help you figure out what kind of support might be a better match.
JessicaHarrisonCounseling@gmail.com · (401) 541-5886