Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate, NC

About Jackie

Jackie is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate at Balanced Wellness, providing in-person services in the Wilmington, North Carolina office and virtual therapy to clients across the state of North Carolina. She approaches therapy with care, intention, and a strong emphasis on building trust, rapport, and a sense of safety within the counseling relationship.

Ideal Client

Jackie enjoys working with clients in the perinatal stages, young adults navigating life transitions, and individuals seeking support through mindfulness and somatic-based approaches. Her ideal clients may be experiencing anxiety, depression, or emotional overwhelm and are interested in developing greater mind-body awareness as part of their healing process.

Many of the clients Jackie supports struggle with some form of anxiety or depression. Those experiencing anxiety may feel constantly on edge, disconnected from their bodies, or unsure how to calm their nervous system. Clients experiencing depression may feel low motivation, reduced pleasure, or a loss of confidence. Clients in the perinatal stages may also be navigating hormonal shifts, role changes, and emotional uncertainty, and benefit from both therapeutic support and access to appropriate resources and psychoeducation around perinatal mood disorders.

Therapeutic Approach

Jackie utilizes an eclectic, client-centered approach to therapy, with an emphasis on mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) strategies are naturally integrated through the combination of cognitive techniques and mindfulness skills. She also incorporates elements of Internal Family Systems (IFS) or “parts” work, helping clients develop a more compassionate and less intimidating relationship with their emotions.

Her work focuses on increasing mind-body awareness and matching coping strategies to each client’s symptoms and goals. For clients experiencing anxiety, therapy often centers on learning to recognize bodily cues and applying mindful coping tools. For clients experiencing depression, Jackie may help identify sources of pleasure and meaning while setting small, attainable goals to increase engagement in activities such as creative hobbies, movement, or mindfulness practices.

Jackie integrates a variety of mindfulness and somatic techniques, including guided imagery, meditation, grounding exercises, somatic tapping, and gentle seated yoga. Clients are encouraged to practice these skills both in and outside of session, using a SMART goals framework and a “marathon, not a sprint” mindset to support sustainable growth. Across all work, Jackie emphasizes unconditional positive regard, collaboration, and honoring each client’s individual needs.

Call to Action

Therapy can be a supportive step toward greater balance, awareness, and emotional well-being. If you are navigating anxiety, depression, perinatal changes, or life transitions and are interested in a mindful, compassionate approach to therapy, Jackie welcomes the opportunity to work with you. She invites you to reach out to schedule a consultation and explore whether therapy at Balanced Wellness may be a good fit for your needs.