Author
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
10 articles
From Psychologist to “Whose Father is This?”
One of the main components of my job as a psychotherapist is helping my clients navigate transitions in their lives, such as relocating, marriage, death, and starting new jobs. Whether expected or not, life transitions are often seen as opportunities for mental and emotional stress as worry, insecurities, and fear can develop in that empty […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
August 18, 2018
The Genealogy of My Guilt Towards Self-Care and Saying “No”
At times, I can be really bad at asking for help. This trait, for better or worse, is most likely a byproduct of a variety of factors in my life, most notably playing sports, my history of asthma, and my identity as a young Black professional. As athletes, we are conditioned from an early age to persevere and ignore thoughts of quitting or “taking a break” in order […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
December 30, 2017
The Pugilist and the Psychologist
As a psychologist, I encourage my clients to step outside of their perceived limits or comfort zones for the betterment of their mental and emotional health. In graduate school, my professors stressed the importance of collaborating with clients in cultivating their ability to imagine themselves living holistic and healthier lives—useful for encouraging both optimism in […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
August 6, 2017
Think Before You Tweet
The proliferation of different social media platforms provides the global community the opportunity to transmit information and opinions at lightening quick speed via countless unique venues. As we have seen in recent history, social media has not only offered an avenue for social engagement, but it has also led to cultivating tangible changes in our […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
July 9, 2017
The Birds and the Bees (and Autism)
As clinicians, we are morally and ethically charged to be available to speak to a variety of topics related to our clients’ developmental and psychological growth. This duty often feels more akin to a privilege, as we are able to bear witness to the emerging consciousness and identity development of our clients in this co-created […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
April 4, 2017
Cross-Training Your Therapeutic Ear Through Hip Hop
Clinical Notes with Dr. J …Initially rap was America’s informal CNN because when Rap records came out somebody from far away could listen to a Rap record because it uses so many descriptive words and get a visual picture from what was being said…Rap is now a worldwide phenomenon. Rap is the CNN for young […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
January 25, 2017
The Politics of Mental Health
On January 20, 2017, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States due to his overwhelming Electoral College victory over Hilary Clinton in November 2016. Throughout this long and seemingly never-ending election cycle, the ferocity of the primary battles and the eventual bedlam between the two major party candidates left […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
December 31, 2016
#Blacklivesmatter in Psychotherapy
Clinical Notes with Dr. J Psychotherapy and the therapeutic space are intended to be sanctuaries overseen by an ever-present, always-supportive clinician, but they not immune to societal pressures and challenges, such as racism and prejudice. Given my previous experience in psychotherapy as a young child and my recent experiences as a clinician, I truly value […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
November 25, 2016
Steal This Metaphor!
Child therapy presents the unique opportunity for creativity amongst therapists and psychiatrists due to the limited knowledge children possess about the therapeutic process, emotions, medications, and a variety of other aspects of psychotherapy. It is a tremendous responsibility for a child’s therapist to utilize age-appropriate communication to educate a child regarding his or her diagnosis, […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
October 3, 2016
That Day in the Empty Play Therapy Room
As the family play therapy session drew to a close, my young patient, Madison*, began to begrudgingly return the dollhouse to its usual orderly state and place the simplistic wooden figures back into their bedrooms with care. I remember smiling and playfully nudging Madison to action while patiently listening to a brief, but passionate, protest […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
September 17, 2015