Jennifer Forbes , LMFT

Jennifer Forbes is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Illinois with 14 years of clinical experience. She founded Seed of Hope Counseling Services and has worked across nonprofit and private settings. Her practice focuses on women's issues alongside relationship, family, trauma, and a wide range of life stressors. Jennifer brings a faith-informed perspective and a practical, caring approach to sessions.

She has led and developed community programs for crisis and trauma response. That work included consulting, supervision, and designing clinical initiatives with agencies. Her background also includes serving on Illinois clinical committees and participating in professional associations for marriage and family therapy.

Jennifer trained at Northern Illinois University, earning a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Applied Family and Child Studies with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. She lists IL LMFT as her credential and draws on years of hands-on practice with diverse concerns.

In the therapy room she focuses on clear, usable strategies. Conversations often look at coping with anxiety, depression, grief, relationship patterns, parenting strain, and challenges related to intimacy or addiction. She uses goal-oriented work alongside narrative and client-centered approaches to help people make changes that fit their everyday lives.

Clients can expect direct listening, practical feedback, and collaborative planning. Jennifer also offers coaching-style support for career or life transitions. Her style aims to be warm, respectful, and solution-focused while honoring each person's story.

Approaches that translate well to online care

Client-Centered Therapy centers the person and their goals, emphasizing empathic listening and making room for each person's experience. It helps when someone wants a supportive space to talk through feelings and make sense of choices. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on practical tools to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and sleep struggles because it gives clear steps and exercises to practice between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. That might mean trying a skills-based plan for a few sessions, then blending in narrative or client-centered methods to address deeper themes. Decisions are made together and adjusted as progress is reviewed.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video calls are useful for in-depth conversations and visual cues. Phone sessions can be shorter check-ins or work when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging suit quick updates, coaching-style support, or people who prefer not to be on camera. These options help fit therapy into work, home, and busy schedules.