Jennifer Forbes

Jennifer Forbes is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Illinois with 14 years of clinical experience. She founded Seed of Hope Counseling Services and has spent much of her career building programs and working with community agencies. Jennifer brings a practical, hopeful approach to counseling and often helps people facing anger, stress, relationship strain, loss, and major life shifts.

She has worked in both nonprofit and private settings since 2009. That work included counseling, consulting, supervision, and leadership roles. Jennifer has also helped design and evaluate community programs for crisis and trauma care and served on clinical committees in Illinois.

Jennifer uses straightforward, person-focused methods in sessions. She draws on client-centered work and solution-focused techniques to help people set goals and try small changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools and narrative strategies are also part of her approach when they fit a person's needs.

Her background includes a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Applied Family and Child Studies with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northern Illinois University. She is an Illinois LMFT and a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

People come to Jennifer for many concerns including anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, parenting challenges, intimacy and relationship questions, and anger. She frames therapy as a collaborative process and aims to make each session practical and grounded in the issues a person brings.

To begin, people typically complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.

How Jennifer’s Methods Translate to Online Work

Jennifer commonly uses Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Solution-Focused Therapy in her practice. Client-centered work means the therapist listens closely and follows the person’s lead to build trust and clarity. CBT provides concrete tools to notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, which can help with anxiety, anger, and sleep problems. Solution-focused work centers on small, achievable steps and practical goals to move forward from a difficult moment.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Jennifer will work with clients to match methods to their goals, needs, and personal style rather than assuming one method fits everyone. Over the first few sessions she will check in and adjust the plan based on what proves useful.

Confirm the current session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when schedules demand, and remove travel time so sessions can be scheduled around work or family commitments. If someone prefers specific session logistics, they should confirm available formats and scheduling details when they begin the intake process.