Jennifer Forbes
Experienced marriage and family therapist focused on growth
LMFT Illinois
- Experience
- 14 years in practice
- Focus areas
- LGBT, Relationship, Family
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Jennifer
Jennifer Forbes is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Illinois who has guided people through personal and relational challenges for 14 years.
Background and approach
As founder of Seed of Hope Counseling Services, she has combined clinical practice with program development and leadership, helping to design crisis and trauma initiatives and advising community organizations and clinical committees.
Her training includes a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in applied family and child studies with a specialization in marriage and family therapy from Northern Illinois University. Jennifer’s work blends practical strategies with a client-centered stance.
She draws from approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, and solution-focused techniques to address concerns including relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, parenting challenges, and issues around intimacy and self-esteem.
She has provided counseling, consultation, supervision, and leadership across nonprofit and personal settings, and she remains active in professional circles including the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapist.
Clients seeking help for complicated life transitions, communication and commitment struggles, chronic illness or blended family dynamics will find a practitioner experienced in both direct clinical work and community-level program design. Jennifer welcomes inquiries from residents of Illinois who are seeking a collaborative, experienced therapist.
Practical therapeutic approaches for online care
Jennifer commonly integrates cognitive behavioral therapy and client-centered approaches in her online work. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns to reduce symptoms like anxiety, depression, and sleep disruption. Client-centered therapy centers the client’s experience, offering empathy and collaboration to help people explore values, relationships, and self-worth.
Finding the right combination of methods is part of the therapeutic process. Jennifer approaches that decision collaboratively, listening to each person’s goals and preferences and then tailoring the pace and techniques used so they fit the client’s needs and comfort level.
Online sessions can take place via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexible options for different schedules and communication styles. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care during life changes, reduce travel time, and allow clients to choose the interaction style that best supports their progress.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Licensed
Illinois
Languages
English