Meet Jessi
Jessi is a Licensed Certified Social Worker–licensed in Maryland, Michigan, and Washington D.C. Her passion for mental health began during her undergraduate studies in Psychology and Spanish at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, where she became fascinated by how people connect, grow, and heal. She went on to earn her Master of Social Work from the same university, specializing in interpersonal practice in mental health.
Throughout her graduate training and professional work, Jessi has supported neurodiverse children, teens, adults, and parents across outpatient settings. She has extensive experience treating anxiety, depression, trauma, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and behavioral challenges such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). In addition to individual therapy, she brings advanced expertise in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), offering hands-on coaching that helps parents strengthen their bond with their children while confidently managing challenging behaviors. As a PCIT Within-Agency Trainer, she also provides training and mentorship to therapists in this evidence-based practice. Jessi's therapeutic work is rooted in the belief that every person has an innate capacity for healing—and therapy is a pathway to uncovering that strength.
Our Story
A message from Jessi
Everyone has issues. Families are difficult. Life doesn’t come with a manual, yet we are all social creatures—wired for connection, understanding, and belonging. Too often, people seeking help encounter judgment, rigid rules, or the expectation of giving something in return just to receive care. I believe that mental health support should be different: people need direction without judgment, patience without expectation, and practical skills without pressure. Every human being has inherent worth and dignity, and therapy should honor that. I started this practice because in my past roles, I realized something crucial: I cared deeply for my clients and my work, yet I felt unfulfilled. I needed the freedom to offer care in a way that honored my values and my clients’ needs. Policies were cold, procedures impersonal. I wanted to create a space where therapy could be compassionate and action-oriented, a place where progress isn’t just a checkbox but a lived experience. Nordic Hearts Therapy was born from that desire: to bring warmth, skill, and accountability together—without sacrificing human connection. In my work, I’ve seen how patterns and wounds from the past don’t disappear—they show up in our families, our relationships, and even within ourselves as adults. At Nordic Hearts Therapy, we believe that every person has the capacity to heal, grow, and change these patterns. Our calling is to help individuals break cycles that no longer serve them, empower parents to learn from their own histories to support their children, and guide families in creating lasting foundations of warmth, positivity, connection, and stability. Healing cannot happen with blame. That’s why I’ve made it our mission at NHT to recognize inner worth and strength and to build real-life skills that can transform not just one life, but generations.
The name Nordic Hearts reflects the values at the heart of our work. “Nordic” reflects the broader Nordic spirit—resilience in the face of challenges, clarity of mind, and the quiet strength that comes from community. “Hearts” represents connection, empathy, and the courage to face life’s challenges. Guided by sisu, the Finnish concept of grit and perseverance, and the Mannaz rune, a symbol of human potential and cooperation, our approach reflects a core belief: people grow strongest when supported by compassion, human connection, and practical tools. Here, the closer we get with clients, the more we see their strengths and possibilities. Therapy is not just a process—it’s a partnership in building skills, coping mechanisms, and understanding. It’s about equipping people to thrive, not just survive. This is more than a business to me; it’s a calling to honor human dignity, support connection, and give people the tools to create meaningful change in their lives.