Jasmine Jackson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, and Licensed Professional Counselor in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Delaware. In addition she is an educator, researcher, and doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology whose work is grounded in the belief that emotional experiences deserve to be understood, validated, and explored with compassion.

Jasmine earned her Bachelor's degree in Forensic Psychology with a minor in Counseling in 2021, followed by her Master of Science in Education in Mental Health Counseling from Fordham University in 2023. She is currently a fourth-year Doctoral Candidate in Counseling Psychology, where she will eventually become a Licensed Psychologist following graduation and continue to deepen her understanding of human behavior, interpersonal relationships, emotional wellness, and the healing process.

Throughout her clinical training and professional career, Jasmine has had the privilege of working with individuals, couples, and families across a variety of settings, including private practice, educational environments, and hospital-based settings. Her clinical experience includes supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship concerns, life transitions, severe mental illness, and challenges related to self-worth and emotional expression.

Alongside her clinical work, Jasmine serves as an Adjunct Professor at the City University of New York where she teaches undergraduate students about counseling, psychology, and human relationships. She is also actively runs a research lab aiding undergraduate students in exploring relational science topics, including attachment, love, and emotional well-being. Her interest in understanding how relationships shape emotional experiences extends beyond the classroom and informs her clinical philosophy.

Jasmine also is completing one of her final clinical rotations in Behavioral Medicine, providing inpatient psychotherapy to medically hospitalized patients. In this setting, she collaborates with interdisciplinary medical teams to support individuals experiencing psychological distress, trauma, and adjustment difficulties associated with chronic illness, medical conditions, and pain. Working alongside patients during some of life's most vulnerable moments has further strengthened her belief that healing begins when people feel genuinely seen, heard, and understood.

Her professional interests also extend to the therapeutic benefits of the human-animal connection. Jasmine completed a certificate in Animal Assisted Therapy, Activities, and Learning in Animals and Human Health at the University of Denver and is currently pursuing certification as a Canine Intervention Specialist (CAIS). These experiences reflect her interest in exploring alternative pathways to emotional regulation, connection, and healing within clinical settings.

In addition to her academic, research, and clinical experiences, Jasmine spent over two years designing curriculum and providing training for early career clinicians at a mental health startup company. Through this role, she developed practical, insight-driven resources to support the professional growth and development of emerging therapists. This experience further strengthened her passion for clinical education, mentorship, and creating thoughtful, structured, and supportive supervision environments for developing clinicians.

The Story Behind Feelings First Counseling

Long before becoming a therapist, professor, researcher, and doctoral student, Jasmine was a young girl who was often described as "too emotional," "too sensitive," or "too nice." Like many individuals who grow up navigating a world that does not always make room for emotional vulnerability, she learned early on to question whether her emotional depth was something to be managed, minimized, or hidden.

Over time, however, her understanding of emotions began to change. What she once viewed as a weakness, she came to recognize as one of her greatest strengths. She began to understand that emotions are not flaws or inconveniences, but meaningful signals that connect individuals to themselves, their relationships, and the world around them.

That realization became the foundation of Feelings First Counseling.

As the founder of Feelings First Counseling, Jasmine envisioned a practice where individuals would not feel the need to apologize for their emotions, minimize their experiences, or question whether they were simply "too much." She wanted to create a space where people could explore their feelings openly, develop a deeper understanding of themselves, and experience the kind of therapeutic connection that fosters meaningful growth.

At the heart of her clinical philosophy is the belief that behind every diagnosis, behavior, relationship struggle, and life challenge is a human being trying to make sense of their emotional experience. Sometimes emotions are easy to identify, while other times they may feel overwhelming, complicated, or difficult to put into words. Regardless of where someone begins, Jasmine believes those experiences deserve to be approached with curiosity, compassion, and without judgment.

Through her work at Feelings First Counseling, she strives to create an affirming and supportive therapeutic environment for individuals and couples navigating anxiety, trauma, grief, relational and generational wounds, life transitions, and challenges related to emotional well-being. Her approach emphasizes the importance of understanding the whole person, honoring individual experiences, and recognizing that healing is not a linear process.

Ultimately, Jasmine's work is guided by the belief that therapy is not about fixing what is broken, but about helping individuals understand themselves more deeply, honor their experiences, and create space for healing and growth.

“Therapy is not about fixing what is broken. It is about understanding yourself more deeply, honoring your experiences, and creating space for healing and growth.”

At Feelings First Counseling, feelings are not an afterthought. They are where the work begins.