Jessica Gilstrap, MA, LMHC, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Jessica Gilstrap is a life-long resident of Orlando; she has been counseling adults
and teenagers in the area for the past fourteen years. Jessica grew up attending
First Baptist Church of Orlando, and has worked in Orlando with many of its youth
through the years. She earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Palm Beach
Atlantic University, and a Master's Degree in Counseling from Reformed Theological
Seminary.
Jessica is president of Heartspoken Counseling, Inc., and in 2007 co-founded Gilstrap
& Napolitano, Counseling & Psychiatry.
In January of 2008 Jessica and her team of counselors partnered with Montverde Academy
in Clermont, a co-educational independent college preparatory boarding school.
Her Orlando office provides the mental health care counseling services for this
institution, both boarding students as well as non-boarding students. She
and her counselors provide group and individual counseling sessions while they are
on campus. For the past two years they have participated in the schools "Gold
Program" that is for the now 8th grade girls moving into High School.
In 2010 Jessica founded Gilstrap & Associates and expanded the services that
were available, adding Massage Therapy both in the Orlando office as well as out
calls.
In January of 2010 Heartspoken Counseling Inc., Gilstrap & Associates, Counseling
& Psychiatry partnered with CareHere and the City of Ocoee. Gilstrap &
Associates now provides mental health counseling sessions for all of the City of
Ocoee employees and their dependants.
Jessica has extensive counseling experience, working with teenagers and families
dealing with abuse, neglect, defiance, and conflict. Jessica worked for eight years
at the House of Hope, an Orlando residential treatment center for teenagers. She
was the director of the Counseling department for the Orlando-based program. She
also contributed to, and co-authored with Sara Trollinger the following books: Guidance
Resource Manual for Counseling, Unglued and Tattooed (LifeLine Press
2001), and Advanced Triage Counseling (HigherLife
Press 2007).
Jessica is a speaker and group leader for parents and teachers at Orlando and surrounding
area schools. Jessica founded her counseling practice on the belief that outside
of the healing power of Jesus Christ, neither counselors nor clients can find true
healing and wholeness. Recognition of the Lord and His hand in our healing governs
all counseling techniques we employ. In Jessica's own counseling, she emphasizes
coming alongside clients endeavoring to walk with them through hurt and pain. Her
passion is working with the entire family unit toward healing and change.
Jessica is a Qualified Supervisor for the State of Florida, and a National Guard
Trained Crisis Researcher (TCR). She is trained in Collaborative Family Law, and
is a member of the Collaborative Family Law Group of Central Florida. Jessica belongs
to the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). She also belongs to
the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA).