Francester EdwardsLicensed Master Social Worker

Francester Edwards, Licensed Master Social Worker, 114513-01 is practicing under the supervision of Jaclyn Smith (New York, LCSW, 77071) at Resilience Lab.

Please, note: A clinician listed as being “clinically supervised” is completing clinical hours toward their licensure. They have one or more fully licensed clinical supervisors that often have special training to become supervisors. They consult with their supervisor(s) on all of their cases, which means that, when working with them, you are getting the time and expertise of multiple therapists in your treatment.

I became a therapist after losing the two most important men in my life—my father and my husband—in 2014. My own experience in therapy facilitated my healing journey in the wake of those losses. I ultimately made a career switch from corporate sales into social work so I could hold the same space for others experiencing grief, loss, and life transitions.

Major life transitions can be challenging. Whether it’s because of a breakup, death in the family, or the loss of a job, the life you knew no longer exists. In the aftermath, it’s normal to suddenly find yourself overwhelmed by a flood of emotions and unsure what to do next. I specialize in working with people as they navigate unexpected events so they can come out with a sense of clarity, acceptance, and hope on the other side. My approach includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, which allows you to move beyond difficult feelings associated with past experiences. My hope is that you gain a new perspective and free yourself from self-defeating thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that contribute to life’s ups and downs. Arriving here and reaching out is a big step, so pause for a moment to feel the pride of choosing therapy. Seeking support takes strength and I’m happy to provide some respite from it all.

I’m an empathic listener who can quickly put people at ease. This makes it easy for clients to discuss things they keep to themselves and get the weight they’ve been carrying off their chests. I’m patient and cooperative. We’ll work together at your own pace as we write a new chapter in your life. Having moved through grief and loss myself, I deeply understand what many clients are experiencing. This allows me to hold a space where they feel fully seen and understood.

I had a long career in corporate sales before becoming a therapist. While there are many differences between sales and mental health, there’s a significant overlap when it comes to building authentic, trusting relationships with clients and working with them to develop solutions. My true passion has always been helping people, so after my sales career, I made the leap into the world of social work and haven’t looked back. I previously worked with patients experiencing depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and cognitive impairments in acute care and senior center settings. Today, I’m now a proud member of the Resilience Lab mental health collective—the largest community of clinicians working to improve mental health access and outcomes.