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Your Next Step, LLC

Helping you step into a better future

Your Next Step, LLC

Helping you step into a better future

Who We Are

Dr. Jenny PreffeR LMHC, ACS, NCC, RN

Dr. Jenny Preffer has been helping hurting people for over 20 years as a Registered Nurse and Licensed Mental Health Counselor. As a young wife and mother, Jenny was widowed and raised her children as a single parent while earning a Masters Degree in Counseling. Licensed as an LMHC for more than 15 years, she also holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Preffer teaches in a graduate counseling program, preparing new counselors to work with clients.

Using her training, skill, and experiences Jenny walks with each client through every step of their journey forward. She loves working with clients who want to step out of the past and into a better future. Her specialty areas include trauma - past and present, relationship issues, grief, anxiety and depression, and career/work problems.

Dr. Preffer uses Telehealth to provide a blend of talk therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) to help eliminate triggers from the past that threaten the present and prevent clients from moving forward.

our brain's response to trauma

Everyone experiences trauma. Some experience "big-T" Traumas including physical or sexual abuse, severe neglect, violence, natural disasters, war, and other life-altering traumatic events. Others experience "little-t" traumas that are often associated with relationships, such as attachment injuries, loss of relationship, interpersonal conflicts, prolonged stress, and other events that exceed our ability to cope. When we experience big-T or little-t trauma, our body reacts in a similar way. Our brains use the limbic system and it's hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, and dopamine to choose the best defense: fight, flight, or freeze.

When the traumatic event is over, the brain is wired to move all parts of the event - the memories, thoughts, emotions, and elements tied to our five senses - from the right (emotional) side over to the left (logical) side for memory storage. When this happens, we can remain in the present and look back at the event as our past.

Sometimes, however, the brain becomes overwhelmed by the trauma response and all of the event elements get stuck in the right (emotional) side of the brain. This leaves the traumatic material constantly available to be subconsciously triggered by sights, smells, sounds, touch, circumstances, or interactions that are even slightly reminiscent of the trauma. The "file folder" for that event stays "open" and every trigger causes our brain to reenact that fight, flight, or freeze sequence again, leaving us afraid, angry, depressed, and in pain.

EMDR - A simpler solution

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing or EMDR is a well-researched and proven therapy that uses the brain's natural processes to heal itself. When we sleep deeply, we cycle in and out of deep sleep (REM sleep) that is characterized by rapid eye movements and increased brain activity, which stimulates areas of the brain involved in learning.

EMDR uses guided rapid eye movements to stimulate those areas of the brain while simultaneously having the individual focus on an image in the past while staying grounded in the present. Together, these help the brain shift the trauma material from the right (emotional) side of the brain over to the left (logical) side, where it can be accessed as a past memory but without the emotional triggers.

Benefits of EMDR include faster processing of traumatic content with a decrease in the triggers that cause negative emotions and behaviors. Unlike other trauma treatment models (prolonged exposure, CBT/CPT, and talk therapy), the client does not need to tell their trauma story or attempt to relive it. Instead, we will use representative images, the client's present emotions, and where these are felt in the body to target traumatic material and allow the brain to create the shift from present to past.

Our Client Promise

We promise to be there for you every step of your journey. We provide online counseling sessions so that we can be flexible to meet your needs. Our goal is to help you grow from your struggles, heal from your hurts, and move forward to where you want to be in your life.

How We Help

Relationships

Relationship counseling can be beneficial when you are looking to strengthen your emotional connections with others. Therapy is a supportive place to heal old traumas, learn new coping skills, and take your next steps.

Grief & Loss

Losing a loved one, a relationship, a job, or how you think life "should be" is painful. Grief can cause you to feel sad, anxious, fearful, and hopeless. You may believe nobody else will understand. We can help you overcome these feelings and we will walk with you every step of the way.

Depression & Anxiety

Depression, fear, and anxiety are some of the most common and uncomfortable emotions. But you are not alone. We will create a safe place, develop new skills, install helpful resources, and use proven counseling methods such as EMDR and family mapping. We will work together to help you find the relationships, freedom, perspective, and joy that you want in your life.

Career Changes

Changing jobs and need a new resume? Moving up the career ladder? Pursuing a new career field? Trying to find better work-life balance?

Dr. Jenny Preffer is a former career services director and worked with the FDIC providing career counseling and planning services to employees in federal service. We can help you explore, plan, propose, and negotiate the next steps in your career.

Supervision & Consultation

When you are preparing for the licensure exam or completing your post-graduate clinical hours, supervision is a must. Using the teacher, counselor, consultant roles, we offer exceptional supervision that highlights ethics, diagnosis, conceptualization, and treatment planning. We also provide individual or group peer consultation for licensed colleagues.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Can I expect from Counseling?

Counseling is the process of resolving problems by talking with someone who is professionally trained to help people achieve a more fulfilling life. The process of change will be unique to your particular situation but we begin by getting to know each other. We will likely discuss your feelings and thoughts, what has worked and not worked for you, and what it is that you would really like to have happen differently in your life. Once we understand where you want to go, we will plan your next steps for reaching those goals. During our sessions, we will focus on you, how things are going, what steps we need to continue or change, and work together to reach your goals. Counseling provides a safe place and a safe person to work with so that you can focus on the steps that you want to take to get where you want to be.

How Much Does Counseling Cost?

Costs depend on what services clients want or need. We provide a variety of services based on our education, training, and experience. Regular counseling sessions begin at $125 for a 45-minute session via teletherapy, using HIPAA compliant virtual software. EMDR does not require a longer session and can be incorporated into a traditional 45-50 minute session so there is no cost difference when using EMDR. Some clients may wish to incorporate longer sessions to move through EMDR targets more quickly. We are happy to adapt services to clients' requests but be assured that a standard 45-minute session is still beneficial and longer sessions are not needed. For those that want intensive sessions, we offer a 90 minute session for $245.

We also offer other services with fees beginning at $75 for Intern Supervision (Mental Health Counseling and Marriage & Family interns), $80 for licensed mental health providers working on their own personal issues, and $200 per hour for consultation with other mental health providers. In addition, we provide clinical assessment (testing) and resume preparation. Costs for these services vary.

What is teletherapy?

Everyone is talking about teletherapy of late because of COVID-19. However, teletherapy has been around much longer than that. Teletherapy using virtual means provides us with the ability to meet and work together from wherever you choose and at the time that is most convenient for you. Rather than leaving work, driving through traffic to an office, or having to find someone to watch the kids, teletherapy allows us to use technology to see and hear each other while we focus on what steps will help you get where you want to be. Teletherapy also allows counselors to eliminate expensive office expenses and pass that savings on to our clients.

Teletherapy requires a few things. First and foremost is protection of your privacy. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that clinicians provide security and data privacy in order to protect your medical information. Our office uses a HIPAA compliant software system that keeps all of your information - and our actual sessions - inside a HIPAA compliant environment. When you make an appointment, you'll get a link to our private and secure virtual meeting, which nobody else can access. When we connect through that link, we will be able to hear and see each other while we work, much like we would do in an in-office setting.

Teletherapy also requires a counselor with experience. Health professionals are usually trained to meet with patients and clients only in person. It takes skill and experience to build those same relationships in a virtual environment, but it happens...every day. Dr. Preffer has been working in the counseling profession through online, virtual technology since 2004, providing counseling, intern supervision, and training new counselors to help others. While the world is just beginning to focus on Telehealth and Teletherapy we've been there all along.

Teletherapy may feel a bit different from stopping your day and driving to your counselor's office...but maybe that's a good thing.

How available are you for appointments?

Flexibility is a hallmark of our practice. We know that people are busy with work, with family and friends, or just trying to get through difficult circumstances. For that reason, we are an exclusive practice. We accept a limited number of clients at any one time so that we are able to provide our clients with the time and attention they need. This allows us to frequently offer same-day appointments.

Dr. Preffer accepts appointment requests via telephone (904-701-8255) and by email at counseling@yournextstep.live. By contacting Dr. Preffer directly, she is best able to meet your needs and work out a time to meet that is convenient for you.

WHat insurances do you accept?

We welcome all clients with insurance, although we are out of network with all insurance companies. Our clients pay at the time of service and we happily provide you with a "superbill" so you can submit for insurance reimbursement. We will also electronically file a claim with your insurance company for your reimbursement, however, some insurances do not work as seamlessly with out of network providers and you may receive your reimbursement more quickly by submitting your receipts and superbill.

What Benefit do I get from an Out-of Network provider?

Cost savings. If you have good out-of-network benefits, your insurance company may reimburse you as much as 80% of each session fee, depending on your plan and the therapist’s rate. This means that in some situations, using your out-of-network benefits can actually be more affordable or comparable to your standard copay to see an in-network therapist. We encourage you to check with your insurance company for their out-of-network reimbursement rates.

You want highly personalized services. If a therapist isn’t constrained by only providing services they can bill to an insurance company, they are often able to spend more time and creativity crafting the perfect treatment plan for you. Out-of-network therapy opens doors for out-of-the-box treatment. Out-of-network therapists can offer longer or more frequent sessions than insurance might cover, and also explore out-of-the-box solutions. For example, if you are struggling with eating challenges, an out-of-network therapist might go with you the grocery store — services an insurance-accepting therapist would not be able to bill for and likely wouldn’t offer.

Privacy. When filing an insurance claim for therapy, counselors are REQUIRED to assign clients a diagnosis and submit a corresponding diagnostic code in order to receive payment. This means that no matter what you come to counseling for - if you file insurance, a diagnosis MUST be assigned. Some diagnoses can cause insurance companies to quote or charge you higher premiums because you chose to get help when you needed it and ended up with a diagnosis. Out-of-network therapists utilize diagnoses to craft individualized treatment plans for their clients, but unless a client wants to file insurance, that diagnosis is kept privately and not shared with your insurance company. These diagnoses stay on your insurance record forever.

Less Finger Pointing. When working with couples and families for insurance reimbursement, counselors must assign a diagnosis to one member of the couple or family. That person is now the "identified client" or person with the problem. That person becomes the "identified client" and is assigned a diagnosis, which is then placed in their permanent record. When working through relationship problems, we work with clients to acknowledge our individual power and choices related to the health of the relationship. Permanently labeling one individual as the problem may create an environment that breeds resentment, rather than restoration.

Finding the Right Therapist is Critical to Successful Counseling. At the end of the day, research has shown over and over that the relationship between you and your counselor is one of the most important aspects of the healing process. If you only consider the therapists who are in-network, you might miss out on the therapist who would be a really good fit for you and the issues you are working through. Choosing an in-network therapist who doesn’t make you feel comfortable or specialize in the areas you’re struggling with solely because they’re in-network is a waste of your time and your money. Prioritize the personality fit and you’ll find a great match. A great match leads to you meeting your therapy goals faster and increases your ability to make real changes, which is why you started this process in the first place.

Do you offer free consultations?

Yes! We offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation for new clients. You can schedule this by calling our office at (904) 701-8255 or emailing Dr. Preffer at Counselor@YourNextStep.live

Your Next Step, LLC

Your Next Step, LLC

Who We Are

Dr. Jenny PreffeR LMHC, ACS, NCC, RN

our brain's response to trauma

EMDR - A simpler solution

Our Client Promise

Newsletter

How We Help

Relationships

Grief & Loss

Depression & Anxiety

Career Changes

Supervision & Consultation

Social

Contact Us

We're Here for You

Your Next Step: Counseling, Coaching & Supervision

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What Can I expect from Counseling?

How Much Does Counseling Cost?

What is teletherapy?

How available are you for appointments?

WHat insurances do you accept?

What Benefit do I get from an Out-of Network provider?

Do you offer free consultations?