Meet Jenny Garlick, CSW at Gold Counseling in Kaysville, UT

Jenny’s first human development class in high school sparked a passion for learning all she could about the human experience. She was motivated by wisdom from Maya Angelou who said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” This inspired an undergraduate degree in family studies from Weber State University and a Master’s Degree from Boise State University in Social Work. Her education has opened doors and empowered her to engage with the people and communities that inspire her. She continues to learn so that she can continue to do better.

Jenny has a combination of volunteer and work experiences that have allowed her to engage with diverse populations. She volunteered at The Christmas Box House and later became a foster parent, working with children 18 and under who had experienced trauma. She also worked as a Peer Parent at Hill Airforce Base to educate and support families. Most recently, she spent a year volunteering at Encircle House as a weekly group facilitator for the adolescent Friendship Circle. She learned so much from the extraordinary LGBTQ+ youth there.

As a mother of three adult children, a previous foster parent, and a volunteer working with adolescents, Jenny has years of experience working with youth with diverse backgrounds and needs. She loves supporting adolescents and young adults with things like identity development, academic success, career exploration, and mental health and well-being.

Jenny is particularly interested in supporting women in all stages of life to feel empowered as they move through life transitions (expected/unexpected) and connect more intimately to who they are and what they are creating.

Jenny has significant experience navigating life and faith transitions that have nurtured a keen sense of cultural sensitivity and curiosity for those whose lives and perspectives are different from hers.

Jenny has focused her training on trauma-informed care to support her work with women, adolescents, young adults, religious/faith transitions, and the queer community. Jenny believes that affirming care is essential to support the LGBTQ+ community. She has training in queer trauma, queer joy, and affirming mental health care. She is certified in the Prevention & Relationship Education Program (PREP 8) aimed at supporting healthy relationships. Jenny has training in a variety of other evidence-based modalities and interventions.

I support my positive mental health with some of the same strategies that I offer to clients. Things like eating well, getting regular sleep, exercising, and spending time out in nature. I often use music, journaling, and mindfulness to process difficult emotions. Being silly and laughing is my favorite way to improve my mental health.

Some of my favorite things to do for fun are playing pickleball, reading, baking (aspiring “star baker”), playing the ukulele, weight training, playing with my dog, laughing, and doing anything fun with my family. I love exploring the outdoors with family/friends and have peaked Mount Timpanogos three times, once with each of my three kids.

I believe therapy is a collaborative process between the client and the clinician that requires skilled listening, compassion, and effective interventions to help relieve suffering, promote empowerment, and enable growth. I prioritize creating safety and connection. I approach that process with the belief that each client has a unique foundation of strengths to build upon, that all people are capable of change and growth, and that everyone deserves to find peace and joy in their life.

Contact us today for Jenny Garlick’s current availability.

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