Jessica Shaffer

Jessica Shaffer is a licensed Certified Social Worker in Private Independent Practice (CSW-PIP) based in South Dakota who helps people manage anger, stress, anxiety, grief, and other intense emotions. She greets each person with a calm, direct approach and focuses on building trust as the foundation of therapy. She aims to make asking for help feel easier and to find practical ways forward.

She draws on more than a decade of clinical practice, with therapy work beginning in 2011 and broader mental health experience since 2003. Jessica uses short-term, goal-focused methods alongside trauma-focused care when needed. Sessions may include strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Therapy depending on what fits best.

Her background includes work with youth ages 5 to 18 and occasional adult clients, often addressing trauma, depression, anxiety, and relationship struggles. Jessica has experience delivering crisis intervention and supporting people through suicidal crises and severe mental health concerns from her prior role in a locked correctional facility in Colorado.

Jessica 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 practices in South Dakota as a CSW-PIP.

Outside of clinical work she enjoys travel, family time, and the outdoors. She offers a straightforward, partnership-based style and works with each person to choose approaches that match their needs and goals.

How Jessica Uses Evidence-Based Methods Online

Jessica commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Focused Therapy as part of her approach. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which is useful for anxiety, anger, and depression. Trauma-Focused Therapy centers on safely processing traumatic experiences and building coping skills for symptoms that follow trauma.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. She will talk with the client about goals, symptoms, and preferences, then suggest methods that fit. The plan is adjusted over time based on what helps the person make progress.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit regular sessions into a busy life. It can reduce travel time and make scheduling shorter check-ins more practical. Confirm the current session options before booking to know what formats are available and to pick times that match daily routines.