Jen Kantor LICSW

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) who has spent nearly two decades working with adolescents and adults across cultures and continents. I studied at the University of East London, licensed in Washington State since 2011, and have called nine countries home — bringing both clinical expertise and genuine lived experience to this work. My approach is person-centered at its core. I believe meaningful change happens within a safe, trusting relationship — and that you are the expert on your own life. My role is to offer a space that is warm, non-judgmental, and genuinely present. I don't hide behind a clinical mask. I show up as myself. I draw on CBT, DBT, and Motivational Interviewing — integrating these thoughtfully, guided by you and what you need, rather than applying a formula. Above all, I am committed to anti-oppressive, culturally humble practice. Identity, privilege, and lived experience are always part of the story — and all of it is welcome in our work together.

I believe it is the relationship that heals — and that relationship must be built on honesty, including honesty about power. I show up as a white, cisgender, neurotypical woman with significant privilege — and it is my responsibility, not yours, to hold that. I am part of a bicultural, biracial, and blended family. Examining my internalized biases is not only professional — it is deeply personal. Social justice lives in every session — in how I listen, how I question, and how I resist centering my comfort when things get hard. I believe Black lives matter. I believe in the dignity and full humanity of every person, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, ability, or immigration status. Ongoing learning is non-negotiable. I also believe in the resilience of the human spirit. Being trusted with someone's story — the unfinished chapters, the ones never spoken aloud — is the greatest privilege this work offers me. You are not broken. You are becoming.