When life leaves you disoriented, I help you find your way back to yourself.

Free Consultation

Jena Fouraker

MSW, LCSW, CAGCS

My path to becoming a therapist wasn't a straight line. It was laid out through my own experiences with medical trauma and the kind of life shifts that leave you disoriented. I know what it’s like to feel like a stranger in your own life. As an LCSW and Certified Grief Counselor, I’m not here to give you platitudes or a clinical nod. I’m here to help you do the heavy lifting of rebuilding. We’ll focus on honoring your past without letting it hijack your future, creating a life where you actually like the person looking back at you in the mirror.

I’m in the trenches with you. We’re going to look at the hard stuff, laugh where we can, and get you to a place where you’re no longer just surviving.

You’ve decided to give therapy a try or returning again some time away. Then finding the right therapist feels daunting because the rapport you build is just as important as the therapy itself. Whether you're new to this process or you've been in therapy before, you likely know what resonates with you.

Beyond your specific goals, I'll encourage you to think about how you want to feel in a month, six months, and even a year from now. Our initial session is all about you determining if I'm the right fit for your needs and goals. There's no pressure; it's simply a chance for us to connect, for you to share what brings you to therapy, and for me to answer any questions. Ultimately, I'll encourage you to trust your gut feeling about whether this is the right space for you.

When we work together, I tackle things from three primary angles:

The Relationship with Self

“You have to love yourself first” sounds great, but HOW? I often explain the relationship with self as feeling lost in a maze. You’re hitting dead ends, feeling frustrated, and maybe a little panicked. My job isn't to magically melt the walls, it’s to lift you up to a bird’s-eye view. Once you see the new perspective, the maze doesn't change, but your way through becomes clear. We move from "What is wrong with me?" to "Ah, that’s why I do that."

The Grief No One Talks About

We’ve been misled about grief. We’re taught it only happens when someone dies. But grief is the shadow of any major loss. If you’re grieving a version of life that didn't happen, you're in the right place.

  • Lost expectations: When life doesn't turn out as you envisioned.

  • Relationship changes: The pain of a significant relationship ending.

  • Parental acceptance: Coming to terms with your parents not being the people you needed them to be.

  • Infertility: The unique and often silent grief of unfulfilled dreams of parenthood.

  • Identity shifts: The grief that often arises when you make significant positive changes in your own life, leading to shifts in existing relationships.

Trauma Without the Comparison

Stop wondering if your past qualifies. If it changed how you see the world, how you feel in your body, or how you trust people, it counts. We don't compare scars here, we just treat them. I’m here to help you discover the "why" behind your reactions so you can stop feeling like your past is in the driver's seat.

The Credentials

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker
    (LCSW) - Missouri, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee

  • Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker
    (LSCSW) - Kansas

  • Certified Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist (CAGCS)

  • EMDRIA Trained Therapist

  • End-of-Life Doula (EOLD) Professional Certificate

The Methodology

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

We aren't going to ignore the pain or pretend it isn't there, that’s impossible. You know I'm right, because you've tried it. Instead, we’re going to turn down the volume on that inner critic. We learn to recognize thoughts as thoughts vs facts and how to manage them. We focus on action, doing the things that make your life feel big and meaningful even when we don't want to.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Logically, you know you’re safe, or you know it wasn't your fault, but your body and your emotions are still screaming the opposite. This is the gap between "I know that" and "But I don't feel that." EMDR can be the bridge.

When we experience trauma, the memory can get stuck in a raw, emotional state. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (like guided eye movements) to help your brain process those old memories and update them with new information. It doesn't erase what happened, but it stops the past from hijacking your present. And yes, we can do this just as effectively via telehealth. You can do the deep work right from your own sofa. Bring your snacks and blanket.

The APPROACH

Beyond your specific goals, I'll encourage you to think about how you want to feel in a month, six months, and even a year from now. Our initial session is all about you determining if I'm the right fit for your needs and goals. There's no pressure; it's simply a chance for us to connect, for you to share what brings you to therapy, and for me to answer any questions. Ultimately, I'll encourage you to trust your gut feeling about whether this is the right space for you.

When we work together, I tackle things from three primary angles:

The Relationship with Self

“You have to love yourself first” sounds great, but HOW? I often explain the relationship with self as feeling lost in a maze. You’re hitting dead ends, feeling frustrated, and maybe a little panicked. My job isn't to magically melt the walls, it’s to lift you up to a bird’s-eye view. Once you see the new perspective, the maze doesn't change, but your way through becomes clear. We move from "What is wrong with me?" to "Ah, that’s why I do that."

The Grief No One Talks About

We’ve been misled about grief. We’re taught it only happens when someone dies. But grief is the shadow of any major loss. If you’re grieving a version of life that didn't happen, you're in the right place.

  • Lost expectations: When life doesn't turn out as you envisioned.

  • Relationship changes: The pain of a significant relationship ending.

  • Parental acceptance: Coming to terms with your parents not being the people you needed them to be.

  • Infertility: The unique and often silent grief of unfulfilled dreams of parenthood.

  • Identity shifts: The grief that often arises when you make significant positive changes in your own life, leading to shifts in existing relationships.

Trauma Without the Comparison

Stop wondering if your past qualifies. If it changed how you see the world, how you feel in your body, or how you trust people, it counts. We don't compare scars here, we just treat them. I’m here to help you discover the "why" behind your reactions so you can stop feeling like your past is in the driver's seat.

The behind the scenes Team

  • Kit Kat

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

    Somehow figured out how to be in charge of everything while doing absolutely nothing.

    Typical boss.

  • Lucy

    Chief Operating Officer (COO)

    Adorable but unapproachable. Given the position because her mom owns the company. Nepotism at its finest.

    Spoiled and lazy.

THE ULTIMATE TRANSITION

END-OF-LIFE DOULA

Ignoring the fact that we’re all going to die doesn't make it go away, it just makes us feel more alone when we face it. As a society, we avoid death because it’s uncomfortable, but facing it doesn't make it happen sooner. Whether you’re at peace, in total denial, or (more likely) bouncing between the two, I’m here to help navigate.

EOLD is an additional skill set I offer to support you and your loved ones to prepare for and during the dying process. Much like a birth plan, identifying where and how you want to die by creating a death plan can help you regain some sense of control.

  • The Values Deep-Dive: Exploring what you actually believe about death (no judgment, no fluff).

  • Legacy Projects: Identifying the stories, work, and wisdom you want to leave behind.

  • The Death Plan: Deciding exactly how and where you want to be, so your wishes aren't a guessing game.

We cannot stop it, but we can love ourselves through it.

THE INVESTMENT

You have enough on your plate without having to play phone tag just to see if we’re a financial match. I believe in being upfront about costs so you can decide what works for you right now.

I am currently paneled with the insurance companies below. I accept private pay, and we can discuss sliding scale options during our initial consultation.

INSURANCE

  • Aetna

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Missouri & Indiana

  • Ascension (Smart Health)

  • Carelon

  • Cigna

  • Quest Behavioral Health in Tennessee, Indiana, Kansas, and Missouri

PRIVATE PAY

INTAKE ASSESSMENTS (60-90 minutes): $175

THERAPY SESSION (55-60 minutes): $150

Contact ME

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or additional referrals.

Call, text, or email, or fill out the form below.
I will respond within 24 business hours.

jena@transitionskc.com
(816) 895-2533