Jessica Plate, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Orlando CBT Therapist
Specializing in CBT for Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma
If you have a scheduled video session with Jessica Plate, click the button below to access her virtual waiting room from your device.
You’re probably here because you heard from a friend that Jessica is an amazing therapist. You heard right and we’re humbled to have her as a part of our team. Jessica Plate has helped numerous clients overcome their anxiety, find their way out of depression, and build healthier self-esteem. We know this because they’ve moved on with their lives and often send their friends and family our way, to work with Jessica.
Jessica Plate, LCSW joined our team in early 2020, right before the pandemic and let me just say that during some turbulent times, she brought an air of calm, not only to our clients, but also to our team. Jessica is a cognitive behavioral therapist, with years of experience, who specializes in working with adults struggling with anxiety and depression. She began her journey as a therapist working in an outpatient mental health center for adults. There, she ran weekly cognitive behavioral therapy groups for adults recovering from addiction, women’s issues, and adults looking to improve overall wellness.
As she continued her path as a therapist, Jessica was drawn to the growing body of research surrounding the mental health benefits of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness in healing both anxiety and trauma. In 2017, in addition to her therapy work, she decided to pursue certification as a yoga instructor. She continues to incorporate the skills of mindfulness and leaning into discomfort into her work with clients today.
Jessica relocated to Florida in 2018 and continued her growth as a therapist in community mental health, working with adults with severe and persistent mental illness (such as schizophrenia) before finding her way to us. We’re so lucky to have her!
Getting to Know Jessica Plate
What do you love most about being a therapist?
The best part about being a therapist is watching people make progress! I love witnessing my clients experience the fruits of their labor. The work can be difficult, so to see my clients experiencing peace and happiness is incredibly rewarding.
In what ways has being a therapist helped you to grow as a person in your own life?
Being a therapist has forced me to practice what I preach! Because I emphasize the importance of doing so for my clients, I have allowed myself to prioritize self-care and emotional exploration on a regular basis.
What are the core skills that you believe all people deserve to learn, that you see as necessary for living a mentally healthy and fulfilling life?
I believe the most important skills are self-care skills and boundary setting skills. Basic self-care is more difficult than you would think, so spending time building a self-care routine is something everyone should work on. Knowing how to tune in to your physical and emotional needs and tend to them ensures you can feel your best as often as possible. Boundary setting skills are incredibly important as well because it is critical to our self-care. Whether we are dealing with difficult relationships, poor work-life balance, or pushing ourselves too hard, knowing our limits is an important skill to have.
What do you believe helps people to get better?
So many things can help people get better, but the thing that comes up most often as a critical element to change is self-compassion. The belief that you are worthy and deserving of change, peace, love, and/or happiness is a major factor in whether or not someone can truly get better.
Do you believe a person can change and if so, how?
I believe people are capable of deep, powerful change with energy, belief, and patience. Change is always possible if you believe you are capable of it!
What are some of the hardest symptoms you’ve seen clients recover from over the course of your career?
I started my journey as a therapist in community mental health outside of Philadelphia, PA working with people living with severe and persistent mental illness. I saw clients recover from daily hallucinations, manic and depressive episodes, and suicidal ideations. Some of my clients were able to reduce their reliance on medications and significantly reduce their frequency of hospitalizations. I also saw some of my clients return to the workforce and independent living after being disabled by their symptoms for many years.
Education & Credentials
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of Florida, #15903
Jessica Plate graduated with her Master of Social Work from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
Completed Trainings
Cognitive Processing Therapy for Trauma from the Medical University of South Carolina
Crisis Prevention and Protocols for Teletherapy Counseling
