Jordan Lacuola, LCSW

Just by clicking on my profile, you’ve started on a difficult, but beneficial journey. You’ve beginning the process of self-exploration.

You might be asking yourself:

• “Who am I?”

• “Why do I feel like this?”

• “Where do I want to be in my life?”

• “What can I do to get out of this funk?”

I want to assure you, these questions are what make us human and looking for answers is normal and understandable.

My Approach to Counseling & Mental Health Training

My approach to these questions and others is informed by evidence-based practice and lifelong learning. As a clinician and graduate student over the last 10 years, I've used Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as my main approach and philosophy. This also includes membership in its parent organization, the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.

ACT champions itself on being "transdiagnostic," meaning that despite what you're struggling with, ACT has been shown in science to help. Other evidence-based practices that I am trained in include Prolonged Exposure (PE) to address trauma, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and some elements of play therapy through the lens of Tabletop Role-playing Games (TTRPG) like Dungeons and Dragons. I use all of these approaches eclectically within both individual and group therapy.

Counseling Specialties: Who I Work With

I see individuals age 14 and older and specialize in treating trauma, anxiety, depression, and various life transition phases. I strive to be queer and neuro-affirming in all practices inside and outside the office.

Primary Areas of Focus:

• Trauma and PTSD

• Anxiety disorders

• Depression

• Life transitions and major changes

Therapeutic Approaches:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Prolonged Exposure (PE) for trauma

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills

• Creative approaches including Tabletop Role-playing Games (TTRPG)

Who I Serve:

• Individuals ages 14 and older

• LGBTQ+ affirming therapy

• Neurodivergent-affirming practice

• Both individual and group therapy options

Why ACT Works for Me (And My Clients)

As a whole, ACT just gets me both as a person and clinician. Navigating my own thoughts, feelings, and experiences through this approach in my own therapy, as well as delivering it to others from the opposite side of the therapy office has been life-changing.

A philosophy important to ACT, that I also hold, expresses that every human has a mountain to climb. They all look different and have various crags and difficulties. While climbing, we utilize various tools that we've learned how to use that continue to propel us up our own mountains. This process includes me. As a clinician, I lean into the fact that I am also not at the peak of my mountain, but through my own life experience and training, we can use our tools collaboratively and most effectively.

My Core Values in Counseling

I'm guided by three core values: honesty, vulnerability, and exploration. This means I'm not afraid to go deep and explore the emotional components of what we're discussing. I love working with deep thinkers and feelers, but I also really enjoy working with folks who are ambivalent or unsure about diving deep – it's engaging to help people discover those strengths in themselves.

My ideal clients are people who are willing and able to do really hard work. When someone is genuinely ready for healing and brings their critical thinking to the process, amazing things can happen.

What I Love About This Work

I adore this work. I have found over the last 10 years that what I most look forward to is pointing out change to those I work with. Seeing and really feeling how people heal through their process of therapy is such an emotional, feel-good moment that I strive to experience with those that work with me.

Ready to Begin Counseling?

A quote that has always held importance to me comes from Clarissa Pinkola Estes: "When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what great ships are built for."

Let's explore what you're built for.Now what?

You have read about me so now we’re back to you. Hopefully, I convinced you to contact our office to set up a free consultation appointment for you or your child. It is not easy to talk to strangers; however, I would be honored to hear your story.