Jennifer Huerta, LCSW, LCAC

LCSW, LMSW-C, LCAC

As a youth I was in therapy for working through my parent's divorce and resulting issues with my sister. I struggled with periods of depression, low self-esteem, and overwhelm. I saw family members struggle with depression, anxiety, and addiction. I wondered why people smoked cigarettes, slept a lot, drank, and got divorced. I was excited to learn about self-esteem and communication in school and followed my curiosity taking classes like sociology and psychology. I committed to this career path after learning about Child and Family Development degrees at Purdue University and eventually decided to get my master's degree so I could provide individual counseling and help guide treatment outcomes. In this process I learned that my struggles with perfectionism and self-esteem were related to ADHD shame, that nervous system activation impacted my sleep, digestion, food allergies, and medical symptoms, and that prioritizing sleep, mindfulness, self-compassion, and nutrition can improve my well-being.

I believe self-care is the foundation of mental health and this carries from my personal life to my professional work. I value quality sleep, hydration, nutrition, physical movement, and mindfulness as the core from which mental health is maintained or improved. I utilize the spoon theory of energy management in my personal life as a neurodivergent person with chronic pain and love to share with others how to recognize and prevent burnout with lifestyle changes and self-compassion.