Jennifer Buttrick, CMHC
I'm a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Utah. I am certified in EMDR and have done most of my work in residential non-profit behavior modification/substance abuse treatment. In the past three years, I've worked with trauma, PTSD, and personality disorders firsthand, in addition to anxiety, depression, family dynamics, and motivating individuals to change. My clients have come from varied backgrounds including homelessness, incarceration, foster care/adoption, and all socioeconomic levels. My clients have described me as "easy to talk to," "approachable," and "nonjudgmental."
I have Brene Brown's three "Gifts of Imperfection" tattooed on my forearm, as a constant challenge to live my values: courage, compassion, and connection. I use a client-centered approach, where you are the expert on your life and what works best for you. I was giving homework and references to my friends long before I was ever professionally licensed and I'm creative about finding resources to support and educate my clients now. I've experienced my own struggles and have benefitted from therapy immensely over the course of my adult life. I firmly believe this informs my ability to empathize with clients and offer a realistic therapeutic relationship, based on trust, dignity, and honesty, especially when the topics are difficult.
I grew up in New Hampshire, came to Utah for college, and moved to Helper in 2021. I identify as bisexual and have been married since 2016. In short, I have many skills (DBT, CBT, EMDR, to name a few). I am not afraid of difficult clients or trauma stories. I love the work I do and I take the responsibility of therapy very seriously. I would be honored to help you on your personal journey, wherever it takes us.
Certifications and Experience
Level 2 Gottman Method: Assessment, Intervention, & Co-Morbidities
Utah Trauma Academy: 5-Day Intensive
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Utah Zero Suicide Summit
ASAM Integration: Six Dimensional Assessment
Trauma-Informed Approach in Behavioral Health Settings
Level 1 Gottman Method: Bridging the Couple Chasm
Gottman Method: Couples and Addiction Recovery
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Mind-Body Bridging
Why did I choose to name my practice Canary Counseling?
First of all, I love alliteration and puns. Wordplay is fun and I love a good metaphor. When we started house-hunting in Carbon County, we visited the Mining Museum here in Helper, which is excellent (and allegedly haunted, if that’s your vibe). The connection between the miners and their canaries struck a chord in me. Canaries were used as an alert system for deadly gasses in the mines and their presence was so important that the miners would care for them themselves, often naming and feeding them from their lunchpails. This level of care and concern from men facing deep, dark, terrifying work in the bowels of the earth for tiny, fragile, songbirds was a beautiful paradox, because it was the men who depended on the birds, who were at their mercy.
Then, I started researching the canary as a symbol, and everything really came together. In general, canaries represent happiness, positivity, playfulness, and hope. If you get a visitation from this bird in a crisis, the storm will soon pass. You might also encounter a canary when your life is out of balance, when it asks you to create time for both the things you enjoy doing and things you must do. Canaries urge you to release yourself from the pain and sorrow of the past and to start building the future you desire, which may include forgiveness or helping others find their path. Canary symbolism encourages you to utilize the power of your voice. If this chatty bird regularly visits you, it is a sign that you could change countless lives in the world by speaking up. The canary also teaches you to be vigilant and to listen to your instincts. These are all elements of what counseling can offer and the values I bring to my practice.
If this resonates with you, call me for a FREE consultation at 435-557-0435.