Therapy is about awareness- of your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, of the dynamics within your relationships, and the impacts of your environment. Increasing your present-moment awareness helps you gain clarity about your needs, what you want out of life, and what stands in your way. I can teach you to track these complex inner processes while encouraging re-alignment with your authentic self, and providing tools to manage symptoms such as fight-flight-freeze-fawn responses.

I work with those who experience confusion about their emotions and where they come from; who struggle to assert themselves; feel a pervasive sense of shame, guilt, or inadequacy; lack meaningful relationships or life activities; or who have been victimized in abusive relationships. In terms of diagnoses, this encompasses anxiety, depression, codependency, developmental trauma and C-PTSD. Our work can help you feel more solid, happier, and more at peace with who you are.

My personal history, including growing up in a strict Catholic family, struggles with depression and anxiety, and ties to queer, kinky, and sex worker communities, is what inspires me to do this work.
I am a queer clinician and I am honored to work with members of marginalized communities to acknowledge and heal the devastating impacts of transphobia, homophobia, and racism.

I am a fiery therapist who will openly express anger at those who have mistreated you, applaud your successes and uphold your strengths, and passionately defend you from your own harsh self-criticism. Nothing delights me more than to be permitted to witness the emergence of parts of you that you had previously kept hidden.

I earned my master’s degree in counseling psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, a school which combines an education in a diverse array of Western and Eastern psychological traditions with rigorous self-inquiry. I trained specifically in Gestalt therapy, an existential approach that emphasizes awareness of the present moment and freedom of choice, at Church Street Integral Counseling Center. I also completed a year-long internship with St. James Infirmary, a peer-based occupational health and safety clinic for sex workers of all genders.

A typical session starts with you describing a past or recent incident that evokes a sense of unease or curiosity. I will ask you questions: how did you feel when the incident occurred; how do you feel now describing it to me; what would be your ideal resolution; what obstacles stand in the way of this resolution; what comes up as you confront those obstacles. In the course of the session, we will likely identify incorrect or outdated beliefs about yourself, notice how your present experience is influenced by your past, and locate suffering that results from systems of oppression. We will also learn about how you handle emotion; whether it overwhelms you, whether you tend to push it away, or whether you are able to find a balance.

This way of working tends to move slowly and patiently, circling back to central issues again and again, and untangling one piece of confusion at a time. It is important for my clients to commit to consistent weekly or biweekly therapy for as long as they determine it is helpful. Most of my clients work with me for several months to several years, depending on the extent of the confusion they are attempting to untangle and the pace at which they are comfortable. Along the way, I frequently solicit feedback about what is working and what isn't, so that you can feel confident that we are headed in the right direction.

My core values have evolved to support the intimate connections I see as foundational to a healing relationship. They include: honesty—in an attempt to get to the truth of our shared experience; non-violence—respecting the right of all to create and pursue their own meaning; openness-—to hold my beliefs lightly enough to be able to learn from others; compassion—recognizing how difficult it is to be human; and courage—to hold my ground despite the difficulty.

• Young Adult: 18-25
• Adults: 26-65

• Individuals

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Gestalt Therapy
• Humanistic Therapy
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• Relational Psychotherapy
• Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy

• Credit Card

$175 Individuals 50 min

$120-$170

Yes

(510) 640-8676

Email hidden; Javascript is required.

jessgioia.com

San Rafael, CA and/or virtual only

• Monday Morning
• Monday Afternoon
• Tuesday Morning
• Tuesday Afternoon
• Wednesday Morning
• Wednesday Afternoon
• Thursday Morning
• Thursday Afternoon

Send an email to jessicacgioia@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (510) 640-8676 with a few days and times you are available for a free 15-minute phone consultation. In this call we will discuss the specifics of your situation and, if you decide we may be a good fit, schedule our first therapy session.

10/26/23