LONG STORY SHORT | ABOUT ME (THE MILLENNIAL THERAPIST PART)
All these damn letters behind my name - what do they even mean?!
Jess Clodfelter, she/they
MS, LCMHC, LPC, NCC, CCTP-II
(What's a Pronoun & Why Do They Matter?) | PLEASE click here ⬅️ if you don't know🙏🏻
That’s a shit ton of letters, right? Here’s what they mean: I graduated with my Master’s in Counseling & Human Development, with a focus on Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Radford University in 2014. I’m a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in NC & a Licensed Professional Counselor in SC. I’m also a Level II Certified Clinical Trauma Professional; basically, I’ve done a shit ton of school & training to make sure that I'm a fucking awesome trauma therapist who specializes in complex trauma, is super knowledgeable in LGBTQIA+ & gender issues, & helps clients identify their triggers & heal their attachment wounds.
I’m also a member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), & I provide gender-affirming letters for medical care - including HRT & gender-affirming surgeries - using an informed, collaborative, & non-gatekeeping approach.
Oh, & I’m also a Nationally Certified Counselor, which means I’ve passed the big-deal national exam, meet annoyingly strict training standards yearly, & keep up with my continuing ed (where I usually pick to do fun trainings around queer issues, gender & sexuality, sex therapy, attachment, new therapy techniques, & other fun things I'm interested in). I do it all to make sure you’re never left figuring it out all alone.
So, sure, I’ve got the trainings, the credentials, & the fancy letters after my name, but who truly gives a shit if we don't vibe? Looking good on paper doesn't mean a damn thing to me. I believe the real magic in therapy happens when you trust me, we feel connected, & you feel genuinely seen. Our relationship? That’s the change-maker. The rest is just extra sparkle. ✨💁🏼♀️
THERAPY THAT'S BUILT FOR YOU | BUT A TOUCH UNHINGED
“They’re burning all the witches even if you aren’t one, SO LIGHT ME UP.”
Taylor Swift, I Did Something Bad 🔥
Therapy isn’t a cookie-cutter process & I’m not a cookie-cutter therapist. You’re not a worksheet. You’re not a diagnosis. You’re a fucking human. So, yeah, I’m gonna treat you like one.
I lead with a person-centered approach & use whatever treatment styles fit your needs best. Some days that means putting my trauma therapist hat on & doing some IFS or parts work, other days we're leaning into some attachment-focused work, the next sesh we might be having a FIERCE boundary pep talk, & the next? Dismantling internalized bullshit through feminist therapy. And some days you may just need someone to sit & listen while you rant about that roommate that pissed you off or to co-work with you so you can get shit done. I’m here for all of it.
I work primarily with queer clients & provide gender-affirming therapy for trans, nonbinary, & enby folx (but cishet (read: cisgender heterosexual) folks who know how to act are always welcome here, too.) My clients are navigating dysphoria, unpacking big feelings, healing deep trauma, exploring their identity, trying to live whole & unapologetic lives, but also just trying to exist in this crazy, fucked up world. If you’re looking for therapy that’s honest, affirming, fluff-free, & truthfully a little bit unhinged - congrats, babes. You found it. 💁🏼♀️
LONG STORY SHORT | ABOUT ME (THE HUMAN PART)
Millennial therapist, chaos monster, huge Swiftie & also just a regular normal fucking human
Here’s your peek behind the curtain. (Spoiler alert: I’m a HUGE Swiftie with a bit of a sports problem!)
When I’m not helping people untangle their inner chaos I’m hanging out with my wife Emily (truly my favorite human), trying to wrangle our four (‼️) fur babes, staying on top of (for better or worse) what's going on in this ever-changing political climate, & feeling deeply emotionally compromised by football, baseball, & college basketball. Panthers fan always, again, for better or worse. I love the Braves (Matt Olson has my heart) & LOATHE THE PHILLIES (especially the Bryce Harper of it all). I'm a Tar Heel till I die 🐏 (I did part of my undergrad there), but am not loving this Belichick era.
I read like it’s a sport. 87 books in 2024 & 74 in 2025 (nbd) - mostly psychological thrillers that make me question everyone & everything. If Benson & Stabler (not my cats, the real people) are on TV, I’m watching. And yes, I can - & will - recite the Miranda Rights along with them. Dun dun. I’m obsessed with One Tree Hill; I grew up with those guys. Also, I LOVE reality TV shows. Currently obsessed with Drag Race (ok that’s always), The Masked Singer (so sad it’s over for now!), & Survivor 50. Also, I LOVE DWTS.
I collect tattoos like they’re mile markers of my life; each one’s tied to a moment, an animal, or a feeling that’s shaped me. It's my therapy. (My most recent two are the coordinates to where my wife & I got engaged & “Fuck the patriarchy.” on my wrist, if you were wondering.)
And then the Swiftie energy. Ya girl is REAL delulu up in here. Like it's REALLY REAL over here. Four Eras Tour shows was a whole damn dream. Closer to the stage each time; the last one was nine rows back on the final night in Vancouver. And yes, you can see us if you look really hard in THE ERAS TOUR | THE FINAL SHOW. 🫶🏻
✨✨AND PUH-LEASE DON'T THINK I WON'T WATCH IT A MILLION TIMES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE BECAUSE YOU’D BE WRONG.✨✨
✨ I sprinkle Taylor lyrics throughout this website like little landmines of validation & catharsis cause it makes me happy & I can. (Go ahead, see how many you can catch). 🫶🏻
✨ I write blog posts about how her music heals like therapy because I truly believe it. Also, I write blog posts about therapy, helpful tips & tools, & political things too. It’s my little chaos corner of the internet.
✨ And I may or may not throw lyrics into a sesh to see if you catch them 🙃
YOU DON’T NEED TO SAVE ME | HOW I HOLD SPACE & STIR SHIT UP
Gender-affirming therapy & queer joy - the kinda clients that light me up
Let’s start here: I work with LGBTQIA+ adults because I am one, I love y’all deeply, & I know firsthand how much bullshit the world throws at you for simply existing.
So whether you’re questioning your gender identity or sexual orientation, transitioning in whatever way makes sense for you, navigating the mental toll of being misunderstood, or just trying to feel more at home in your own damn skin: I GOT YOU. I specialize in gender-affirming therapy, identity exploration, & trauma therapy that doesn’t treat your queerness like a “problem to solve.
✨✨ (Newsflash: that's because it’s not.) ✨✨
Been carrying around gender dysphoria, body dysmorphia, or internalized garbage someone else handed you? We’ll unpack that too. Safely. Gently. Probably with a few f-bombs & definitely with a LOT of compassion.
Trauma work is my jam, especially when it’s layered with identity & attachment stuff. I work with folx who’ve survived all kinds of hard things:
— single-incident trauma that still wrecks your nervous system
— complex PTSD & the emotional Tupperware tower of childhood wounds
— attachment shit that makes relationships feel…complicated at best
If you’re untangling your past, trying to stop spiraling every time someone takes too long to text back, or learning to trust that you’re not “too much", you’re my kind of person. 🩵
And beyond all that? I work with adults figuring their shit out, whether that’s navigating:
— self-worth, confidence, & not hating who looks back at you in the mirror
— big life transitions that feel like a quarter-life (or midlife) crisis
— relationships in all shapes, sizes, & flavors: monogamy, polyamory, ENM — you name it
— women’s issues, identity shifts, & the messiness of being a grown-up human in the year 20-whatever-the-fuck-it-is
If you're looking for someone who’ll affirm your identity, call you out on internalized bullshit without any fluff, & remind you to hydrate, feel your damn feelings, & kiss whoever the fuck you feel like: hi, it’s me. 💁🏼♀️
KARMA IS A CAT PURRING IN MY LAP | CAUSE IT LOVES ME
WARNING: unexpected animal cameos may appear, & frequently.
Oh, & remember how I said I’m a fur-mama to four fur-babes?
Yeah…they love being my co-therapists.
You’ll definitely meet Phoenix, my three-year-old golden retriever & full-time emotional support goofball. Benson & Boonie (neé Stabler) - my tuxedo twins - like to pop in regularly to judge us both from my lap (or shoulder) ➡️ with matching side-eyes. And if the stars align, you might get a special appearance from Smush, my elusive little shadow (aka all-black cat & part-time cryptid), who’s usually busy avoiding Phoenix like her little baby life depends on it.
They’re all very committed to the therapeutic process.
Mostly by napping through it.
