Other Specialties of Jenna’s
Complementary & Alternative Approaches
For clients who are open to it, Jenna offers optional symbolic and projective tools to support self-awareness, insight, and personal growth. These approaches are offered within a framework of affirming care that respects your identity, lived experiences, and cultural beliefs, values, and perspectives. By integrating these tools into therapy, clients can explore their thoughts and feelings in a safe, guided way, deepening self-reflection and supporting healing alongside traditional therapeutic approaches.
Examples of Complementary & Alternative Tools:
Symbolic Imagery: Using pictures, drawings, or visualizations to explore emotions, experiences, or goals.
Card-Based Reflection Tools: Drawing cards (e.g., archetype, metaphor, or self-reflection cards) to prompt insight and self-exploration.
Projective Exercises: Interactive prompts or creative exercises that help clients express thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to articulate.
Integration with Therapy: Insights from these tools can be discussed in sessions to guide understanding, decision-making, and personal growth.
PANS/PANDAS
Abrupt personality changes, sudden disruptive behaviors, or OCD symptoms in children can be alarming. EMDR therapy can be an important component of a comprehensive treatment plan for PANS/PANDAS, supporting both the child and family in navigating symptoms and trauma.
OCD Symptoms in PANS/PANDAS
OCD in children with PANS/PANDAS can present in many ways beyond the common repetitive behaviors. Examples include:
Contamination fears
Religious or sexual obsessions
Aggressive thoughts toward self or others
Ordering, counting, or alignment compulsions
Touching, tapping, or rubbing rituals
Intrusive images, words, or sounds
Urgent need to tell, ask, or confess
Significance attached to colors, numbers, or words
Ritualized eating habits
What are PANS & PANDAS
PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome)
Occurs when infections, environmental factors, or other triggers provoke a misdirected immune response, causing inflammation in the brain. Symptoms can appear suddenly and may include:
OCD behaviors
Severe anxiety or mood changes
Tics or motor disruptions
Restrictive eating or sensory activities
Rapid decline in academic skills (math, handwriting)
Personality or behavior changes
PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections)
Triggered specifically by strep infections, which cause similar sudden-onset symptoms through immune-mediated inflammation in the brain. Children may become aggressive, irritable, or withdrawn, often after illness such as the flu, ear infections, or strep throat.
Psychosis & Schizophrenia
Psychosis is a symptom of schizophrenia and other medical or psychological conditions. It involves losing touch with reality, often through disorganized thoughts, hallucinations, or delusions. EMDR therapy can help clients manage symptoms, process trauma, and improve daily functioning.
Psychosis
Psychosis is a symptom, not a condition itself. It occurs when someone loses clarity about reality, affecting thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. Psychosis can appear in many medical or psychological conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychotic depression, epilepsy, dementia, or postpartum states.
Key Features of Psychosis:
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Hearing voices, feeling sensations on the skin, or smelling odors that aren’t present
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False beliefs, including control, persecution, grandeur, or reference
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Unusual movements, catatonia, or incoherent speech
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Reduced emotional expression, lack of motivation, limited speech, social withdrawal, or decreased pleasure
Psychosis often emerges in late teens to early 30s, and early signs can overlap with anxiety, depression, or behavioral changes.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder diagnosed when psychotic symptoms persist over time. It exists on a spectrum, including schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and brief psychotic disorder, depending on symptom duration and severity.
Common Features of Schizophrenia:
Persistent hallucinations or delusions
Negative symptoms like diminished emotional expression, motivation loss, and social withdrawal
Disorganized thinking and speech
Difficulty maintaining daily routines or social connections
Causes & Contributing Factors:
Brain Chemistry: Biochemical imbalances, birth complications, or neurological differences
Genetics: Family history increases risk
Environmental & Trauma Factors: Stress, substance use, trauma, early life experiences, and cultural influences
How EMDR Can Help:
EMDR therapy can support individuals with schizophrenia by:
Processing trauma and distressing memories that influence thoughts and behaviors
Reducing anxiety and improving coping skills
Supporting nervous system regulation and emotional stability
Complementing medical and psychiatric care for a holistic approach