Jennifer has spent over 15 years helping children, teens, and families in Maryland navigate the emotional challenges that come with growing up. As both a parent and a seasoned mental health professional, she understands how difficult it can be when a child is struggling with anxiety, OCD, or eating-related issues—and how important it is for parents to feel supported and empowered along the way.
Her professional experience includes work as a School Counselor, a High School Pupil Personnel Worker, and now as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Education and specializes in treating anxiety, OCD, Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (such as skin picking and hair pulling), and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).
Jennifer has received training in several evidence-based treatment models, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ExRP), Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT), Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), and Family-Based Treatment (FBT) for ARFID. This broad foundation allows her to tailor her approach to meet the unique needs of each child and family she works with.
In addition to working directly with children and adolescents, Jennifer offers parent-focused sessions that do not require the child to be present in the therapy room. Using the SPACE model, she helps parents support their children through anxiety, OCD, and ARFID-related challenges—especially when a child is hesitant about therapy or when parents want to play a more active role. She also works closely with parents using FBT to help children overcome restrictive eating and develop a healthier relationship with food.
Jennifer’s approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that meaningful progress is possible when families feel understood, supported, and equipped with the right tools.
Jennifer currently provides therapy services to children and families in Maryland and Wisconsin.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
Anxiety can take many forms in children and teens, including general anxiety, social anxiety, school refusal, separation anxiety, performance anxiety, and specific phobias. While occasional anxiety is normal, persistent anxiety can interfere with school, friendships, family life, sports, and socialization.
At KidWise Counseling, we take a collaborative, evidence-based approach to treating child anxiety that supports both children and parents.
In therapy, we focus on helping children:
Rather than trying to make anxiety go away, we help children learn how to tolerate discomfort, problem-solve, and trust themselves.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in children often looks very different from what parents expect. It is not about being neat, organized, or liking things “just right.” Instead, OCD is driven by anxiety and fear.
Children with OCD experience obsessions—unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that feel scary, upsetting, or uncomfortable. These thoughts don’t go away just because a child wants them to. To feel relief, children engage in compulsions—repetitive behaviors or mental rituals meant to reduce anxiety or prevent something bad from happening.
While compulsions may bring short-term relief, they actually strengthen OCD over time.
OCD can show up in many ways, including:
Thoughts (Obsessions):
Behaviors (Compulsions):
Children with OCD often feel trapped by unwanted thoughts and urges. In therapy, we help them face their fears in a safe, structured way so the anxiety loses its power.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold-standard therapy for OCD. We guide your child to gradually face feared situations or thoughts without performing compulsions, helping them build confidence and reduce anxiety over time.
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) complements ERP by working directly with parents. We teach caregivers how to respond in ways that support their child without accommodating OCD behaviors, reduce family stress, and empower the child to practice new skills.
Together, ERP and SPACE provide a dual approach: helping your child confront anxiety while giving parents tools to create a calm, supportive home environment that reinforces progress.
Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) are compulsive, habitual behaviors that involve touching, picking, pulling, or biting the body, even when a child wants to stop. These behaviors often provide temporary relief from stress, anxiety, or tension, but they can cause distress, frustration, or physical harm over time.
BFRBs are not just “bad habits.” They are a form of anxiety regulation and can affect children of all ages, including teens.
BFRBs can take many forms, including:
Hair-Related Behaviors
Skin-Related Behaviors
Nail and Mouth Behaviors
With supportive treatment, kids and teens can learn to:
At KidWise Counseling, we help children and teens manage BFRBs in a compassionate, non-judgmental way, while also supporting parents with tools to reinforce progress at home.
Fear-Based ARFID is a type of eating difficulty where children avoid or restrict foods because of fear—not just picky eating. This fear may be about choking, gagging, or vomiting. Children with ARFID often experience intense anxiety around mealtimes, which can affect growth, nutrition, and family routines.
It’s important to know: this is not a phase or defiance. Fear-Based ARFID is an anxiety-driven eating disorder, and with the right support, children can learn to eat more comfortably and confidently.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to help children:
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) complements CBT by teaching parents how to:
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is a parent-based therapy designed to help children and teens manage anxiety while empowering parents to support their child effectively. At KidWise Counseling, we guide parents in Maryland and Wisconsin through evidence-based strategies that reduce reassurance-seeking, encourage independence, and improve overall family functioning — all without requiring the child to attend sessions.
Q: Does my child need to attend sessions?
A: No. SPACE is parent-focused, so children do not attend. Parents are taught strategies to support their child effectively outside of the therapeutic environment. This way, the child receives regular exposure to SPACE treatment and not just once a week like they would in a traditional therapy model.
Q: How long does SPACE Treatment Take?
A: Most families complete SPACE in 8-12 sessions, starting with an intake session to review your child's needs. The skills parents learn during that time are life long and can be implemented as needed.
SPACE treatment was developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center and is an evidence-based, highly effective treatment for children and teens struggling with anxiety and related challenges. I have trained directly with Dr. Lebowitz and, in addition, have received supervision from other experts in the field to ensure that I provide the most effective, research-supported care.
Teleo Space Virtual Therapy makes it easier for your child to get the support they need, right from home. The secure online platform allows children to attend sessions in a familiar, comfortable environment, helping them feel more at ease and engaged. Unlike traditional in-person settings that can be limited by available resources, Teleo offers unlimited access to digital counseling tools, games, and interactive activities tailored to your child’s needs. Plus, virtual sessions save you time and offer flexible scheduling around school and family life—making expert care more accessible than ever.
A pilot randomized controlled trial conducted at Stanford University examined the engagement and clinical impact of Teleo Space in clinical settings. The study involved children aged 5 to 14 undergoing psychotherapy and compared engagement levels between Teleo Space and standard video conferencing platforms. The findings indicated that Teleo Space significantly improved client engagement and session attendance, which are critical factors in the success of therapeutic interventions.
At KidWise Counseling, we are committed to providing transparency about the cost of our services. In accordance with the No Surprises Act, we provide a Good Faith Estimate of the cost for your mental health care. The Good Faith Estimate outlines the anticipated expenses for your health care treatment, covering items and services that are reasonably expected. It does not account for any unforeseen or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. Additional charges may apply if complications or special circumstances occur. The estimate includes only the costs for planned treatment items and services, excluding ancillary services, late or no-show fees, and costs from other medical providers (e.g., external labs, pharmacies).
If you receive a bill that exceeds your Good Faith Estimate by $400 or more, you have the right to dispute it by contacting KidWise Counseling. You can also initiate a dispute resolution process with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For questions or more information about the dispute process, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises
