Jessica Tallent's ePortfolio

Welcome to my counseling journey! I’m so glad that you are here. My name is Jessica Tallent, and I have a strong passion for walking alongside individuals and families as they navigate life’s challenges. This site is a space where I share my professional journey as Clinical Mental Health Counseling intern in Washington state. As part of my graduate training, I am building this ePortfolio to highlight my education, practical experience, and areas of focus. My goal is to give you a clear sense of who I am as a counselor-in-training and the values that guide my work.

So who am I? Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting people facing trauma, substance use, family conflict, and life transitions. These experiences have taught me that every person has a story worth honoring, and the capacity for resilience and growth. My counseling approach is person-centered, trauma-informed, and adaptable to each client’s unique needs. I believe clients are the experts of their own lives, and my role is to provide a safe, compassionate, and collaborative space where healing and growth can take place place. When I’m not working or studying, I enjoy spending time outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, or traveling with my husband. I prioritize self-care and balance so that I can show up fully for myself, and for the clients I serve.


So why does counseling matter to me? I have had the privilege of working with individuals and families navigating challenges such as trauma, substance abuse, adverse childhood experiences, identity, life transitions, neurodiversity, among others. These experiences have reinforced my belief that every person has strengths, resilience, and the ability to grow, even in the face of difficulty. Counseling provides a safe space for healing and discovery, and I am committed to fostering that environment with compassion and respect.


Through this site, you’ll be able to explore my coursework and school projects. This includes reflections, case studies, and assignments that demonstrate my clinical learning. You’ll be able to explore my professional experience, which highlights my work with diverse populations. You’ll be able to explore my counseling approach, with insights into the trauma-informed, person-centered, and multi-modal perspectives that shape my practice as a counselor. And just for fun, you’ll be able to explore my ongoing blog posts about what I’m learning, how I’m growing as a counselor, and resources that may be helpful to others.


As I continue my internship and progress toward becoming a licensed counselor, I hope this site serves not only as a record of my development, but also as an introduction for prospective clients and colleagues. My vision is to create a counseling practice rooted in empathy, curiosity, and collaboration, where clients are honored as the experts of their own lives.
Thank you for visiting. I invite you to check back for updates, reflections, and resources as my journey unfolds.

You can find my current counselor in training page at https://www.healinggardenscounseling.us/our-therapists/jessie-tallent

You can connect with me at jessietallent@gmail.com

Professional Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, (class of 2026) – College of Humanities & Social Services, Grand Canyon University

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, (2005) – Berry College

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Counselor in Training (Practicum and Internship); Healing Gardens Counseling (2025-present; Bremerton, WA) https://www.healinggardenscounseling.us/our-therapists/jessie-tallent

WORK EXPERIENCE

Family Assessment Stabilization Team (FAST Clinician), Wraparound Intensive Services (WISe Clinician) and Crisis Clinician; Catholic Community Services/ Family Behavioral Health (2023-2025; Tacoma, WA)

Outreach Advocate; Scarlet Road (2020-2023; Bremerton, WA)

Residential Case Manager; Agape’ Unlimited (2017-2021, Bremerton, WA)

Developmental Disabilities Professional and Program Manager; People Making Progress (2007-2017; Tucker, GA)

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Rotary International-Gig Harbor North (2020 –2023) 

Rotary International- Rotary Club of Pacific Northwest Ending Sex Trafficking (2021 – present)

Humane Society Foster (2019-present)

• Kitsap Humane Society Cat and Small Animal Foster (2019-present). Mason County Humane Society Cat Foster (2020-present). Provide housing, medical support, and socialization support to unhoused cats and kittens for adoption.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS / AFFILIATIONS

Alpha Chi Honors Society Member (2023-present)

Psy Chi Honors Society Member (2023-present)

Chi Epsilon GCU Honors Society Member (2024-present)

American Counseling Association Member (2025-present)

Letters of Recommendation

“I give the highest recommendation possible connected to Jessie Tallent. My work with Jessie has spanned many years. Jessie’s level of trauma informed advocacy shined bright in comparison to her peers. Her capacity to connect to people from any walk of life, with a wide diversity of lived experience was something incredible to behold. In areas where learning was needed, Jessie always came teachable and adapted well to environments of service to clients, which included state jails and prisons, middle and high schools, homeless encampments, shelters, and as a crisis hotline operator. Jessie has a particularly beautiful ease in her ways of building rapport with male survivors in ways that led to many life changing shifts in the male survivors of exploitation or trafficking that she was able to support. Jessie’s past experience spans work with survivors of sexual exploitation, those in active addiction, those with high level developmental disabilities, unhoused populations, as well as those victimized from communities expected to be thriving with privilege. Because of this, I fully endorse her as individual of high value as a counselor.” -Victoria Hudson, Founder at Restorative Resilience Counseling

“Jessica met me when I was at my lowest in life. She was my case manager when I was recovering from addiction and working to gain custody of my daughter. Living in a small house with several other mothers and their children, while trying to stay sober and figure out how to be an adult and a functioning mom, was very challenging. Jessica never once made me, or any of us, feel judged, or shamed. She encouraged me to be vulnerable and honest, even when it was really scary. She wasn’t afraid to challenge any of us when we were being petty or immature, but she also never made any of us feel bad for struggling. I am a strong, sober mother today in large part because of her influence. She will be a terrific counselor.” -Former client

“I met Jessie when I was in jail. I was struggling with addiction and severe mental health, and I’m honestly surprised I didn’t scare her away with how I acted or the stories I told. I don’t know how she saw more in me, but she visited me regularly and made me feel listened to and heard, even when I was saying some pretty crazy things. I don’t think I realized it when she would challenge me on things. She would say things like, “let’s look at all the angles” and I just thought we were collaborating on what my different options were. I didn’t realize until much later that she was helping me look at different perspectives. I had a few bumps along the way, but she never made me feel ashamed, instead she helped me look at what I could learn and how I could move forward. “What do you think you’re going to do about that?” is a phrase of hers I still hear in my head. I think if I had a counselor like her earlier on in my life, things might have been different for me. I’m glad that there are people like her who can see people like me for our humanity, and help draw that out.” -Former client

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