Profile / United States
Jessica Shaffer, CSW-PIP
South Dakota
Jessica Shaffer, CSW-PIP - Stress and Trauma
See online therapy options- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Solution-focused work
- First responder focus
About Jessica
Jessica Shaffer, CSW-PIP, has 12 years of direct therapy practice and longer experience in the mental health field. She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, compassion fatigue, addictions, LGBT concerns, relationship and family stress, sleep problems, parenting, anger, self-esteem, career issues, and coping with life changes. She also focuses on communication problems, first responder issues, and self-harm. Jessica is based in South Dakota and provides services in English.
Her approach is practical and goal-focused. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused Therapy when those fit a person's needs. She may also use trauma-focused methods and brief crisis interventions for urgent concerns. Sessions look at unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and try different strategies to reduce distress and improve day-to-day functioning.
Jessica began working in mental health in 2003 and started providing therapy in 2011. Early work included crisis therapy in a locked correctional setting, including care for people who were acutely suicidal and those with severe and persistent mental illness. That background informs how she responds to safety concerns and short-term crises.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Black Hills State University in 2003 and a Master of Social Work from Newman University in 2010. She holds the South Dakota credential CSW-PIP, which stands for Certified Social Worker in Private Independent Practice.
Her sessions emphasize clear steps and practical tools. Clients can expect discussion of specific thoughts, patterns, and small experiments to try between sessions. The focus is on workable changes rather than long theory talks.
How Jessica Uses Practical Approaches in Online Sessions
Jessica commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT breaks problems into manageable parts, teaches straightforward coping skills, and sets small experiments to try between sessions. Motivational Interviewing is used when people need help clarifying goals and finding their own reasons to change; it focuses on building motivation rather than giving advice.Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. The therapist will review a person’s goals, symptoms, and preferences and suggest a plan. Clients and the therapist check in and adjust methods if something is not working, so the pathway can shift over time.
Confirm the current session options before booking, since formats were not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. It can also let a person choose quieter surroundings or avoid being on camera if they prefer. The therapist will discuss practical arrangements during the match and scheduling steps so sessions can fit into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
12+ years
Listed in
South Dakota
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with most often?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, compassion fatigue, addictions, LGBT concerns, relationship and family stress, sleep issues, parenting struggles, anger, self-esteem, career matters, and coping with life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is practical and goal-focused. She uses structured techniques like CBT and solution-focused methods to identify patterns and try new responses.
What experience does she bring to sessions?
She has worked in mental health since 2003 and has provided therapy since 2011, including crisis work in a locked correctional setting.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds the South Dakota credential CSW-PIP (Certified Social Worker in Private Independent Practice) and practices from South Dakota.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions billed?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.