St. Petersburg Therapist Specializing in Couples Therapy, Inner Child Work & EMDR Therapy
Jessica Klein, LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor in St. Petersburg, Florida
Gottman trained couples therapist with EMDR and attachment-based training
About Jessica
Jessica Klein is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in St. Petersburg, Florida, who specializes in couples therapy, inner child work, and trauma recovery for adults. She works with couples and individuals across private practice and community mental health settings, integrating the Gottman Method, trauma-focused and EMDR-informed approaches, cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, inner child work, and attachment-based therapy. Grounded in a strength-based philosophy, Jessica creates a nonjudgmental, safe space where adult clients feel heard, respected, and empowered to grow.
Credentials & Education
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) — Florida | License #MH25177
M.S. in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from the University of South Florida
Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Level 1 Training
Trained in Inner Child Work & Attachment-Based Therapy
Trained in EMDR through EMDRIA
Who Jessica Supports
Jessica works with adults and couples, including:
Couples seeking to improve communication and connection, using Gottman Method interventions to rebuild trust, resolve conflict, and foster emotional intimacy
Adults healing childhood wounds and trauma, reconnecting with and nurturing their inner child to address unresolved emotional pain
Adults living with PTSD and the effects of past trauma, using EMDR-informed and attachment-based methods to process and recover
Adults navigating anxiety, developing practical tools to manage worry, panic, and overwhelming thoughts
People experiencing depression, addressing low mood, hopelessness, and disconnection through evidence-based approaches
Individuals processing grief and loss, honoring loss while finding meaning and moving forward
Adults working through interpersonal challenges, including relationship patterns, boundary setting, and social difficulties
Clients navigating life transitions and seeking deeper self-understanding, exploring how early experiences shape current thoughts, feelings, and relationships
St. Petersburg clients value Jessica's ability to create a nurturing, curious environment that honors both emotional safety and meaningful growth.
Jessica’s Approach to Therapy
Jessica blends evidence-based modalities with attachment-focused and narrative approaches. Her sessions are flexible and designed to help adult clients build practical skills while exploring deeper emotional patterns.
She focuses on:
Improving couples communication and trust using Gottman Method structured assessments and proven interventions
Healing childhood wounds through inner child work, allowing clients to reconnect with and nurture parts of themselves holding unresolved pain
Processing trauma and PTSD, using EMDR-informed and attachment-based work to address the root of distress
Reframing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for anxiety, depression, and relationship stress
Rewriting limiting narratives through narrative therapy that empowers clients to move beyond restrictive beliefs
Understanding attachment patterns and how early relationships shape current emotional and relational dynamics
Creating emotional safety where clients can explore experiences with curiosity, attunement, and care
What Jessica Helps Clients With
Jessica supports St. Petersburg clients experiencing:
Anxiety and panic
Depression and low mood
Trauma and PTSD
Childhood trauma and unresolved wounds
Grief and loss
Couples communication challenges
Trust and intimacy issues in relationships
Life transitions and adjustment
Interpersonal relationship difficulties
Identity exploration and self-understanding
Attachment wounds and relational patterns
Jessica’s Background & Training
Jessica's professional experience includes:
Working with adults and couples across private practice and community mental health settings
Providing couples therapy using Gottman Method interventions
Supporting adults with anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, and grief
Before becoming a therapist, Jessica worked as an elementary school teacher. That experience continues to inform her therapeutic work with adults, particularly when supporting clients in reconnecting with their inner child. It strengthens her ability to create a nurturing environment, attune to emotional needs with curiosity and care, and help clients explore early experiences that may still shape their present-day thoughts, feelings, and relationships.
Her advanced training includes:
Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Level 1 Training
EMDR training through EMDRIA
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Narrative Therapy
Inner Child Work
Attachment-Based Therapy
A Message From Jessica
“Therapy is a space where you can feel truly heard, explore what is beneath the surface, and reconnect with parts of yourself that may need nurturing. Whether you are healing old wounds, working through trauma, strengthening your relationship, or navigating one of life's transitions, I am here to support your journey with warmth, curiosity, and care.”
Ready to work with Jessica?
We invite you to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION with us to begin your healing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is inner child work and how does it help adults?
Inner child work helps you reconnect with the younger version of yourself who experienced emotional wounds, unmet needs, or difficult experiences. These early experiences often shape how you relate to yourself and others as an adult, influencing your self-worth, emotional reactions, and relationship patterns. By identifying and nurturing your inner child, you can develop self-compassion, heal old wounds, and break free from patterns that no longer serve you. This approach is particularly effective for adults who struggle with shame, people-pleasing, or feeling emotionally stuck.
How does EMDR help with trauma and PTSD?
EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a structured, research-supported approach for processing distressing memories and the symptoms of trauma and PTSD. Rather than asking you to relive every detail, EMDR-informed work helps your nervous system reprocess painful experiences so they lose their intensity and grip on the present. Combined with attachment-based therapy, this approach addresses both the memory itself and the relational patterns trauma can create, supporting lasting recovery rather than short-term symptom relief.
How does the Gottman Method help couples?
The Gottman Method is one of the most research-backed approaches to couples therapy. It uses structured assessments to identify strengths and areas for growth in your relationship, then provides proven interventions to improve communication, manage conflict, rebuild trust, and deepen emotional connection. Rather than vague advice, you receive specific tools and frameworks based on decades of research into what makes relationships succeed or struggle. It is practical, evidence-based, and focused on creating lasting change.
Can therapy help with anxiety that seems to come out of nowhere?
Yes. Anxiety that feels random often has underlying triggers rooted in past experiences, thought patterns, or nervous system responses. Through CBT and attachment-based work, therapy helps you identify what is actually driving the anxiety, whether that is unprocessed earlier experiences, unhelpful thinking patterns, or learned stress responses. You will develop practical tools to manage symptoms while addressing the root causes, leading to lasting relief rather than only symptom management.
What is the difference between narrative therapy and traditional talk therapy?
Narrative therapy focuses on the stories you tell yourself about who you are, what you are capable of, and what your life means. Many people carry limiting narratives, such as “I am broken” or “I am unlovable,” that were shaped by early experiences but do not reflect the full truth of who they are. Narrative therapy helps you examine these stories, challenge the ones that do not serve you, and rewrite them in ways that empower growth and authenticity. It is particularly effective for adults who feel stuck in self-defeating patterns.
Does Jessica offer therapy in person and online?
Yes. Jessica sees adult clients and couples in person at the It Begins Within St. Petersburg office and provides secure virtual therapy to clients throughout Florida. This makes it possible to begin working together whether you live near St. Petersburg or anywhere else in the state.