Emily Jenchura, PhD (she/her)

Through my VA experience, I'm an expert in PTSD. In addition to working with Veterans, I've also treated patients who've experienced childhood traumas, medical traumas, systematic abuse, motor vehicle accidents, and more. I use Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure (CBT-oriented trauma treatments). I also incorporate mindfulness and self-compassion skills to help patients build their capacity to face their trauma(s), regulate their bodies out of fight-or-flight, and reconnect.

Many people with PTSD also experience loss. Working with caregivers at the VA, I also helped many patients navigate their grief as their loved ones declined and ultimately passed away. Loss can come in many forms, such as a death, losing a job, a breakup, loss of abilities, moving, and more. Grief is the process of adapting to a new normal without the thing that was lost. I use CBT, mindfulness self-compassion, and meaning-centered approaches to help people navigate life after loss.

In a culture that prioritizes productivity and views self-care as unproductive, so many of us face burnout. Burnout is the point where you've pushed yourself beyond your ability to cope. Caregivers and other forms of helpers experience a specific type of burnout called compassion fatigue, when you give yourself emotionally until you have nothing left to give. I use CBT and self-compassion to help you build self-care into your daily life and refill your cup.

Using CBT, I teach you to become aware of the connection between activating events, and your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I'll then guide you to identify problematic thinking patterns in how your automatically appraise different events and teach you to reframe them to be more balanced and realistic. I'll also help you identify problematic behaviors and change them. Even small changes in your thinking and behaviors can cascade to many aspects of your life.

Mindfulness is the capacity to pay attention to the present moment with an accepting and non-judgmental attitude. Self-compassion is the ability to validate, re-direct kindness and care towards yourself, and remind yourself of common humanity when you are suffering in some way. With these resources, you'll be better able to sit and heal from difficult emotions and situations, reconnect with your authentic self, and gain clarity.

Many of us try to resist, avoid, or deny feelings and situations that we don't like. Using mindfulness skills, you'll learn to withstand and even embrace uncomfortable feelings and situations, identify the silver-linings, and refocus your energies on what's important to you. I'll then guide you in discovering your core values and making concrete changes so you are living in line with your values and authentic self.

Having been trained and worked in the VA, I'm an expert on PTSD. In addition to Veterans, I've also worked with patients suffering from various traumas, including childhood trauma, medical trauma, systematic abuse, motor vehicle accidents, and more. I specialize in Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure (CBT trauma treatments). I also integrate mindfulness, self-compassion, and other mind-body approaches to help patients build their capacity to approach and heal from their traumas.

Many patients with PTSD also experience some type of loss. Working with caregivers at the VA, I've helped patients navigate the ongoing grief watching their loved ones decline and eventually pass away. Loss comes in many forms, including death, job loss, breakups, moving, and more. Grief is learning to live in a new normal without the thing that was lost. I use CBT, mindfulness self-compassion, and meaning-centered approaches to help you navigate your grief and adjust to loss.

In a culture that prioritizes productivity and views self-care as unproductive, many of us face burnout. Burnout is when our cups are empty and we are living beyond our ability to cope. Caregivers and other helpers experience a specific type of burnout called compassion fatigue, when you take on the emotional experiences of those in pain and suffering without releasing them and replenishing your cup. I use CBT and self-compassion to help you increase your self-care and refill your cup.