Welcome! My name is Jennifer. I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the state of Minnesota. I graduated from the University of Notre Dame with my undergraduate degree in 2003 and I graduated from Rutgers University with my Masters in Social Work in 2007. I have 12 + years of experience working as a therapist and program director. I am originally from NJ and the bulk of my experience was in Brooklyn, NY. Three years ago I moved from Brooklyn to Minnesota and it has been a big (and very cold) change. I have worked in a variety of settings and I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. I have experience working with clients of diverse backgrounds and have both personal and professional experiences with adoption, immigration, blended families, LGBTQ+ issues, and anti-racism/anti-oppression systems. I aim to provide a safe environment for people of all walks of life.
The clinical jargon:
My approach is eclectic and client centered, utilizing a mix of strategies based on the needs of the client. I check messages frequently and get back to clients quickly. I am most experienced in narrative and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) including trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). As an overarching principle, I practice from a feminist perspective, which in the context of therapy, means that I look at therapy as a partnership (rather than a hierarchy). You are the expert in your own life and it is my job to listen and support you, not to simply tell you what to do. It is a nonjudgemental, non-victim blaming, strengths-based, and client driven approach. One thing that sets social workers apart from other disciplines is the person-in-environment theory which states that a person’s behavior can be understood by looking at their environment (including their past environments). This is why I think it’s so important to have your voice and your story heard. I also think it’s essential to know about how you identify and what is important to you (race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, differently abled, profession, family role, etc.) and to have an understanding of how those identifies exist within the larger community.
Additional areas of focus: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship issues, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and foster care, Attachment issues, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture, Blended family issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Co-morbidity, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with natural or human-caused disaster, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Divorce and separation, Domestic violence, Drug and alcohol addiction, Eating and food-related issues, Emptiness, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Fatherhood issues, Fertility issues, Forgiveness, Gender dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Immigration issues, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Intellectual disability, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Mood disorders, Multicultural concerns, Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Self-love, Sex addiction, Sexual assault and abuse, Sexual dysfunction, Sexuality, Women's issues, Young adult issues
Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Gottman Method, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
MN LICSW 25130
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Jennifer Hooyman. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
She is good in understanding my challenges and giving me options to over come them. She is also flexible. Great resource for help.
Written on Jun 06, 2022 after therapy with Jennifer for 1 year and 4 months on issues concerning depression, and grief
She’s the best, listens really well, gives the best advices, and helps in self improvement. Very respectful very kind. Been her client for very long and I don’t think of ever changing.
Written on Feb 09, 2022 after therapy with Jennifer for 1 year and 5 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, sleeping disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, coaching,
Jennifer has been instrumental in my journey to being a more confident person with better boundaries. She asked thought-provoking questions to help me understand how my trauma may have affected my personal experience, is totally nonjudgmental and understanding (even when it's about a question she asked), and shared helpful methods of healthier thought-pattwrns to practice. She guided me through using that healthier thinking as well. Her conversations were both a validating experience and an experience full of growth. She is amazing to partner with in the journey to better mental health!
Written on Jul 14, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 7 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, career difficulties, and coaching
The most incredible therapist! I am so lucky to work with Jennifer.
Written on May 31, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 9 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and family conflicts
I've been seeing Jennifer once a week for almost 2 months now, and her counseling has been instrumental in helping me advocate for & understand myself. She's compassionate, attentive, asks the tough questions, and really makes me feel heard. I always look forward to my sessions with Jennifer, because I know they will help me process & reflect, and be a source of comfort and catharsis for me. She pushes me to talk, and listens so well, I never feel like I'm being lectured or talked at. I know from the first session that she would be able to get to know me and my particular battles very easily. My mental and emotional health are definitely better right now than they would be if I wasn't seeing her!
Written on May 19, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
Jennifer is amazing! I am not new to therapy and have gone through 3 other therapists over the years. I liked who they were as people, but always felt something was missing. It felt like it was more of a place to talk or vent more than anything. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and is definitely part of a greater whole, but I was looking for someone to really challenge me and help me change my behavioral or thought patterns. Jennifer does just that. I feel like she really listens to me and I feel safe sharing things with her, but she also will go back to things I’ve said and help me question what I actually mean by saying those things. She sends me resources every session to help me remember or work through things we’ve talked about and holds me accountable, and encourages me to dig deeper. I like playing a more active role in my therapy. She’s also always on time to appointments and is personable/relatable, but still professional. I would definitely recommend her!
Written on Jan 26, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, grief, self esteem, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adhd