About Me

My name is Jennifer Patterson, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California dedicated to providing affirming and inclusive care. At the core of my practice is a commitment to destigmatizing and decolonizing mental health, as I believe mental well-being is a fundamental right for all. Recognizing the importance of marginalized identities, I actively engage in acknowledging and owning my own identity and privilege.

My therapeutic approach is rooted in compassion, equity, and empowerment, shaped by an intersectional feminist lens. Drawing from Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), I offer integrative and affirming support, particularly for the LGBTQIA+ community and neurodivergent individuals. Whether working with adults or adolescents in individual therapy, relationship counseling, or family therapy, my goal is to foster authentic human connection and provide the support needed to ensure no one feels alone in their journey.

I identify as queer and neurodivergent and am deeply passionate about serving the ND and LGBTQ+ communities. Outside of the therapy room, I find joy in the company of my four dogs (and I admit, I might be a little obsessed). I hold a Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy from Alliant International University and am currently pursuing my PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy. My training includes AEDP, EMDR, IFS, the Gottman Method, and EFT, with a focus on Gender Affirming Care, and Neurodiverse Affirming Care. Let’s embark on this journey together—you are not alone.

My View of Therapy

I believe therapy is not about fixing what’s broken—it’s about reconnecting with what is already whole.

Therapy is a space to slow down, get curious, and understand the parts of you shaped by survival, identity, relationships, and lived experience. It’s a collaborative process grounded in trust, care, and respect for your autonomy.

I don’t believe in pathologizing who you are. Instead, I see therapy as an opportunity to explore your inner world with compassion, uncover the deeper stories that guide your life, and move toward greater self-understanding, healing, and connection.

Healing looks different for everyone. It’s not always linear and often requires being present with discomfort, but with the right support, it can be profoundly transformative.

Therapy can be a place to grieve, grow, laugh, feel, question, and return to yourself—at your own pace, in your own way.

Land Acknowledgement

I acknowledge with respect that I live and work on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, also known as the Payómkawichum. The Pechanga people have stewarded this land since time immemorial, and I honor their enduring connection to it.

I recognize the ongoing presence and contributions of the Pechanga people and express my commitment to understanding and respecting their history, culture, and sovereignty. May we strive for collaboration, understanding, and the promotion of justice in all our interactions on this sacred land.