Jennifer Swanger, LMSW

Jennifer Swanger is a licensed master social worker (LMSW) practicing in Michigan with 13 years of professional experience. She focuses on helping people manage stress and anxiety, cope with addictions, and work through the effects of trauma and abuse. She aims to make the first step toward change feel less overwhelming and more manageable.

Jennifer uses clear, direct conversation to build a trusting space for sharing thoughts and feelings. She listens without judgment and helps people name what matters most to them. Sessions move at a practical pace, with room for both emotional processing and concrete steps forward.

Her work often involves helping people notice unhelpful thinking patterns and test new ways of responding. Jennifer draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to break problems into smaller, solvable parts. She also uses client-centered methods to make sure the person’s goals guide the work.

Motivational interviewing helps when someone feels stuck or unsure about change, and solution-focused techniques support quick planning for immediate concerns. For trauma-related difficulties, she integrates trauma-focused approaches to address distress and symptoms sensitively.

Jennifer helps with a wide range of concerns beyond anxiety and addiction, including depression, chronic pain and illness, workplace stress, relationship and communication problems, guilt and shame, and issues around infidelity or separation. She emphasizes straightforward tools people can use between sessions.

People who choose her work with someone who keeps goals practical, listens carefully, and partners in finding steps that fit a person’s life.

Approach and online care that fits your life

Jennifer commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people spot and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT breaks problems into manageable parts, which can be useful for anxiety, mood concerns, and patterns that keep repeating.

She also uses client-centered therapy, which focuses on listening and following the person’s goals. This approach helps the therapist and client work together at a pace that feels right. Motivational interviewing is used when someone feels unsure about change; it helps clarify reasons to change and builds readiness.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Jennifer will collaborate with each person to decide which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences. She adjusts the plan over time so the work stays useful and relevant.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules. Video is good for in-depth conversation and visual cues, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or text-based messaging works for quick check-ins, brief skill practice, or when typing feels more comfortable. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around work, appointments, or family routines.