Jessalyn Saenz

Jessalyn Saenz

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

Scotts Valley Office

Medi-Cal & Insurance provider

There are so many reasons you may be seeking psychotherapy. Perhaps you wish to increase your self-understanding or improve your relationships. Maybe you feel anxious, depressed, stuck in negative patterns, or are having trouble navigating life changes. Whatever challenges you face, developing a trusting therapeutic relationship provides the foundation for change. I believe my strengths include an ability to genuinely connect with patients through my deeply curious, empathic, and caring manner. 

For many people, therapy can seem mysterious and intimidating at first. I want to assure you that, above all, I will seek to hold a safe, non-judgmental space to facilitate your journey toward healing and growth. I will remain open and curious as I listen carefully to you in our sessions. As your therapist, I will seek to understand your unique experience in the world and the significant relationships in your life, especially your relationship with yourself. We will work to build a relationship between us where you feel understood and accepted. Together, we can explore your feelings and the patterns in your life that may be causing you distress. I am especially interested in helping my patients live life to its fullest potential with meaning and purpose.

 I believe in the power of therapy to help people grow, change, and lead more satisfying lives. My work is mainly informed by the psychodynamic and existential theories of psychotherapy, as well as somatic approaches. I will tailor our approach to your unique needs and adjust as we progress on your journey. I have extensive experience in grief counseling, trauma recovery, and insight-oriented psychotherapy. I work with adults, adolescents, and couples. I have a passion for working with people in all stages of parenthood and those who may have experienced stress in childhood, including trauma, abuse, and neglect. I work with a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, self-esteem, relationships, stress, aging, family of origin issues, grief & loss, and the search for meaning.

I received my Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University. I am a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. As a lifelong learner, I am always reading and taking classes to grow my knowledge base so I can be a more effective therapist.

Request an Appointment

To Request an Appointment at Shine a Light or NPCC, please fill out this form. We respond to inquiries Monday through Friday. All inquiries we receive on the weekends or holidays will be processed the next business day. Thank you for your patience. If you need immediate services, please call 911.

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HIPAA Referral Form (for professional use)

New Office in San Francisco!

Shine a Light Counseling Center is please to merge with New Perspectives Center for Counseling. NPCC has been serving the San Francisco community for thirty years. Now NPCC is transitioning to become the San Francisco site for Shine a Light. NPCC will retain its name, character and history. For information about NPCC or counseling in San Francisco:

 

New Perspectives Center for Counseling (link)

Agency Contact Form (for Organizations seeking to contact our administration)
Emergency Contact

Shine a Light does not provide crisis services. If you have a mental health emergency, call 988 or 911. Or  click here  for more Crisis Resources

Telephone Contact

You can call Shine a Light at 831-996-1222, but we encourage you to use the email forms to the left. If you call, please leave the following:

  • Phone number
  • Preferred location
  • Best times to meet
  • Issue you want help with
  • What insurance you have (if any)

FAX us at: 831-417-0443

Good Faith Estimate

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your therapy sessions will cost. Your fee will be set according to a sliding scale, in collaboration with your therapist, prior to your first counseling session. Total costs depend upon the number of sessions you choose to utilize.

If you have private health insurance and we are not in-network with your plan, please be aware that your costs for therapy may be less by using an in-network provider. This will depend upon your plan's deductible amounts and co-payments. In some cases, counseling at Shine a Light is less costly than using private insurance.

If you hope to use "out of network" benefits through your private insurance, please be aware that many plans will not reimburse for services provided by trainees. Please request an Associate level therapists for out-of-network billing.

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Shine a Light Counseling Center

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