Connect. Grow. Heal.

Jessica Rotem, LCSW-C

(she/her)

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C), I have been honored to work with families, young children, and adults for over ten years and have over seventeen years of experience working with child and family-serving agencies.

In my therapy practice I lean on the tenets of trauma-informed practices, the neuroscience of connection, and attachment research. You will experience my approach as grounded in anti-oppressive trauma-informed strengths-based therapy. It is a priority for me to consider the intersectionality of clients' identities and address the ways in which various forms of oppression may impact their mental health and well-being. All therapy spaces are welcoming and inclusive, affirming diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and actively challenge racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and other forms of oppression.

My training comes through personal exploration and from my time studying at Smith College School for Social Work and The University of Maryland, time within DC Public Schools Office of Youth Engagement, Safe Shores Child Advocacy Center, and with The Lourie Center for Children’s Social Emotional Wellness. These experiences have enabled me to provide a comprehensive and personalized treatment experience that addresses the complex interplay of past experiences, relational patterns, and psychological functioning. I am trained in psychodynamic treatment approaches, trauma-informed early childhood intervention, play therapy, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, art therapy techniques, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and mindfulness-based interventions, as well as being a Circle of Security Parent Training facilitator.

In my life’s journey, I have navigated coming out as a queer teen in the South, and have critically examined my white privilege and my experiences of living in an able fat body. I hold Jewish cultural identity and have sought community and education that helps me to maintain a lens of anti-racism and anti-oppression in every element of my work and life. I am continuously engaged in training that supports and improves my understanding of human healing.

Therapy involves a commitment of time, money, and energy. The relationship with your therapist is an important and deeply personal choice. In our first meeting, we will get to know one another and explore if we are a good fit.