Grief counselors and therapists in Plymouth, MA

I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with 14 years of experience in Private Practice. I provide a calm, safe and supportive space for my clients to process their thoughts and feelings. I will support you on your journey as well as gently challenge your belief systems. The world is everchanging and I will help you navigate your world.

Healing Across the Lifespan: A Partnership in Mental Wellness

Choosing a mental health provider is a deeply personal decision. You aren’t just looking for a prescriber; you are looking for a witness to your story, an expert in the biological complexities of the brain, and a partner in your recovery.

My name is Jessica Stanley, and I am a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC). My journey to this practice has been defined by a unique duality: the macro view of a healthcare executive and the micro focus of a dedicated clinician. Before opening the doors to this practice, I served as the Clinical Director for a large-scale healthcare organization. In that role, I was responsible for the oversight of complex systems, the mentorship of large clinical teams, and the implementation of evidence-based protocols across diverse populations.

While my time in leadership allowed me to impact mental health at a systemic level, my true passion has always remained in the quiet, transformative moments of the exam room. I have returned to full-time clinical practice to bring that high-level expertise back to where it matters most: the individual human experience.

Mental health does not exist in a vacuum, nor does it look the same at age seven as it does at seventy. I specialize in treating patients across the entire lifespan. Whether I am working with a child struggling to navigate their first years of school, an adolescent facing the pressures of identity formation, or an adult managing the heavy mantle of career and family, my approach remains the same: comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence based.

Areas of Specialization

I am trained to treat a broad spectrum of psychiatric conditions including:

ADHD & Neurodivergence

Anxiety Disorders

Depression

PTSD & Trauma Recovery

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, educator, and artist. I am skilled and experienced in supporting people working on issues of self-esteem/worth, traditional and non-traditional relationship issues, sexual wellness, body-positivity, grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, recovery, life transitions, family issues, and more.

The work we do will be directed by the Person-Centered, Rogerian principles of unconditional positive regard, empathy, and belief in authentic human connection.

As a mental health counselor and art therapist, I believe that healing begins with connection to ourselves, our stories, and our body’s innate wisdom. My approach is collaborative and empowering: you are in the driver’s seat of your own growth, and I’m here to support and guide you on that journey. As a Latina woman, I bring a culturally attuned and inclusive lens to my work. I understand that our identities, and cultural contexts profoundly shape our experiences. My goal is to create a welcoming space where all parts of you are seen, valued, and supported. A space that invites genuine transformation while honoring your story.

Drawing from over three decades of experience in mental health, addiction counseling, and psychiatric rehabilitation, I offer specialized, personalized approaches for both individuals and couples. In couples counseling, our focus is on enhancing communication and fostering skills to reignite connections and reopen hearts. I approach our work with utmost respect, collaboration, and a deep appreciation for your unique journey. You are the expert in your own experience, I provide unwavering support, strategies and realistic optimism.

Counseling since 1987; (Masters, 1997). I understand on a deep level what it can be like to live with and overcome mental health challenges and to be impacted by and overcome an addiction; this experience enriches my empathy and informs my clinical practice and ability to connect and understand more fully with you. We are human beings, not a diagnosis.

Currently an Adjunct Instructor at Tufts University School of Medicine. As Senior Instructor at Cambridge College, I taught & supervised masters level mental health counselors. As an Instructor at UMass Boston, I taught future drug and alcohol counselors. We are full of potential. Let's remove the barriers to your good health, happiness and success together! (Physical office setting 226 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 1B, Arlington, MA as well as Telehealth through Professional Zoom account that is HIPPA Compliant and Secure available if preferred.)

Hi, I’m Jessica, psychotherapist and founder of A Wholehearted Way Counseling. I work with individuals and couples who are moving through periods of anxiety or depression that often show up during life transitions, including perinatal and postpartum experiences, grief and loss, identity shifts, and relationship challenges whether in monogamous or non-monogamous partnerships.

I know that reaching out for support can feel vulnerable, and I aim to offer a warm, grounded space where you don’t have to navigate these experiences alone and can begin to feel more supported, understood, and connected to yourself.