About Therapy With Jill
My name is Jill Pesavento, and I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in San Luis Obispo, CA. I specialize in serving people who suffer from Anxiety, Depression, and/or the painful effects of Low Self-Esteem (including relationship difficulties and food/body image issues).
Many people who come to my practice are deeply compassionate, and tend to be the biggest cheerleaders for everyone except themselves. If this sounds like you, together we’ll work to quiet the pesky Inner Critic and strengthen the voice of the “Inner Wise Self”, so that you can be free to enjoy your life fully.
Therapy may include the following tasks:
Slowing down to notice what your mind is saying to you
Examining the thoughts that are causing you pain
Practicing ways to reshape those painful thoughts, so that you learn to regard yourself with the same kindness you show others
What I Value as Your Therapist
Starting with a new therapist and sharing your story with someone new can feel risky and vulnerable. With that in mind, it can be helpful to know how I approach therapy to see if we might be a good match. While our work together will be as unique as your own personality, there are a few foundational qualities that inform my approach:
Action
I’m the kind of therapist that actively engages in your session, and not one that sits silently and nods. I understand that my clients seek practical solutions as much as they seek understanding. We begin our work together by identifying 2-3 goals for therapy, and I regularly share tools to take with you between sessions to help you stay focused on what you want to change.
Fierce Compassion
Standing up to your hurtful Inner Critic takes as much fire as it does love and positivity. I am my clients’ fierce advocate and cheerleader, until they can learn to be those things for themselves.
Humor
I take suffering and healing seriously, but that doesn’t mean that therapy must always feel heavy. We make room for necessary moments of lightness, laughter, and informality.
Intuition
You have an Inner Wise Self that knows what you want and need. You may have learned to hide that voice, and to put others’ needs first. As we turn the volume down on your Inner Critic, we’ll also learn to turn the volume up on your intuition.
Education & Licenses
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, License #: MFC 50471
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Antioch University Santa Barbara, 2006
Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, CSU Northridge, 1996
Clinical Experience
I’ve been in private practice for 11 years. Earlier in my career, worked with families with kids with developmental disorders including Autism and ADD/ADHD. I worked in several school settings in the Paso Robles and San Miguel Schools. The focus of my clinical training involved helping people work through the traumas of sexual abuse and domestic violence at RISE in San Luis Obispo County.
How Can I Support You?
Please call me to discuss your needs and to see if we would work well together.
I look forward to meeting with you.
(805) 440-2103
*A note on confidentiality: I take your privacy seriously. Our call and your information is confidential and handled with care.
