Jennifer Henderson, DBH, LPC
Jennifer has over 15 years of experience in Specialty Mental Health and 20 years working with children and families. She uses practical, evidence-based methods that are suitable for her patients' developmental stages. Jennifer focuses on how biological and developmental factors affect family relationships and helps families build healthy attachments. She has extra training in integrating physical health issues (like picky eating, obesity, diabetes, and sleep problems), working with those who have been in the justice system (facing re-entry and trauma), and guiding families through systems like Child Welfare and Education. In the last 8 years, Jennifer has begun working with couples and adults, applying her knowledge of development and attachment to improve healthy relationships. She also provides clinical supervision and is a managing partner at Family Behavioral Health Network, a collaborative mental health practice.
Learning
Early in my career, I focused on helping kids develop skills for navigating challenges. It became evident that the influence of the adults in their lives played a significant role in their development. Despite not always verbalizing their emotions during therapy sessions, children often revealed glimpses of their feelings through play activities. I observed that adults, particularly in everyday scenarios like bedtime routines, were instrumental in aiding children in managing their emotions. Although adults may experience apprehension in being the agent of change for the child during therapy, their unwavering support and involvement were vital components in the healing process.
Lessons Along the Way.
As I delved deeper into therapeutic models, I discovered approaches centered on skill-building for parents, which yielded remarkable transformations when implemented. However, my journey also exposed me to the profound impact of parent-child separation on attachment, whether due to interventions by child protective services or contentious divorces. I observed that the narratives justifying a lack of parental involvement were often flawed and could be addressed through targeted skill-building interventions.
Grow it.
As my understanding deepened, I recognized the critical importance of addressing the emotional wounds and attachment challenges experienced by caregivers, particularly parents, in order for them to effectively serve as agents of change for their children. Consequently, I delved into the study of couples therapy models and interventions tailored for high-conflict divorces, seeing them as potential avenues for fostering positive transformation.
