Jennifer Fitkin, LCSW, CSW

Jennifer Fitkin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW, and she brings 20 years of clinical experience to her work. She was first licensed in Iowa and has practiced in several states and internationally. She blends practical skills with real-world experience to help people manage stress, anxiety, parenting challenges, grief, and trauma and abuse concerns.

Jennifer uses straightforward methods that focus on what changes will help most. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and solution-focused strategies to set clear, manageable goals. Sessions often emphasize small steps people can try between meetings to notice progress.

Her background includes work in residential treatment, foster care programs, juvenile justice settings, and a men’s medium-security prison, plus roles as clinical supervisor and clinical director. That range informs a flexible, problem-solving style that fits many kinds of life challenges. Jennifer also has experience addressing addictions, attachment issues, and family of origin concerns.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Social Work from the University of Northern Iowa. Jennifer sees the links between physical health and mental health and encourages good sleep, movement, and balanced nutrition as part of recovery and wellbeing.

Outside therapy, she enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, backpacking, and camping. She is a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer and often talks about the benefits of regular activity. Her dog Boomer has appeared in telehealth sessions and sometimes joins in person when schedules allow.

Approaches that translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice what matters to them and take committed steps toward those values. It can be useful for anxiety, stress, and making life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like depression or anxiety. Motivational Interviewing is a conversational style that helps people find their own reasons to change, often used with addictions and readiness challenges.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences and adapt methods over time. That collaborative process helps figure out which tools fit best for the problem at hand.

Confirm the current online session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life by removing travel time and allowing shorter check-ins when needed. It can also let people attend from a familiar location, reduce time away from work or caregiving, and make it simpler to keep regular appointments while balancing daily responsibilities.