Education & Experience
I have post-graduate training in Psychodynamic Theoretical Practice, Trauma, Emotion-Focused Family Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Play Therapy. As a certified Mindfulness Educator through Mindful Schools, I integrate these techniques with narrative therapy and family systems to foster growth and resilience.
With 12 years of experience as a school counselor and a decade of work in adoption, foster care, and community-based mental health, I specialize in child development, attachment, and social-emotional learning. I help clients navigate anxiety, depression, and relational challenges by providing practical tools for lasting change through therapy, social skills groups, and parenting support.
In addition to my private practice, I teach in Simmons University's MSW program and lead workshops on parenting, mental health, and emotional development. I am honored to serve on the Board of Out Youth in Austin.
I earned my MSW from Smith College School for Social Work and hold an Infant-Parent Mental Health Post-Graduate Clinical Fellowship Certificate.
Special Areas of Focus
Managing & Reducing Anxiety
Parenting
Grief & Loss
Family Communication
Depression
Relational Issues
ADHD
Neuro Divergent Learners
School Problems
Social Awareness & Problem Solving
Divorce & Co-Parenting after Divorce
Life Changes in Roles, Job, or Health
Perfectionism
Issues with Low Self Worth
״Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.״
- Brené Brown
Meet
Jennifer Dugan, LCSW
Therapist / Coach / Facilitator
As a mother of two and more than three decades worth of clinical work as an LCSW, I blend the wisdom of lived experience with evidence-based thinking in parenting and brain development to offer support in practical, creative ways. I support children, teens, and families, and I am now expanding my practice to work with adults in individual and support groups. My background includes infant and early childhood mental health, community mental health, school-based work, and directing foster care and adoption programs. I opened my private practice in 2023 to provide a safe, welcoming space for growth, self-compassion, and optimism.
I use an integrative approach blending Psychodynamic Therapy, CBT, Mindfulness Certification, Play Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Family Therapy, guided by Internal Family Systems Theory. I also incorporate tools like the Enneagram to foster self-awareness, with self-care and joy as key principles.
Fun Facts about Me:
I grew up in Massachusetts and am a Northeastener at heart. My family has loved living in Austin for 13 years. My self-care includes yoga, trail running with my dog Mazie, playing mahjong and pickleball, baking, and traveling to new places with family and friends. My music playlists grow with songs my tweens & teen clients introduce me to and I love learning about new trends!