Jessie Lapek, RCSWI

About Me

Welcome to Nightingale Counseling Services. My name is Jessie, and I am dedicated to fostering a therapeutic environment where clients feel safe, understood, and empowered. My passion lies in helping individuals and couples connect with their inner resilience and find paths to meaningful, lasting change. With a focus on providing personalized care, I specialize in individual therapy, couples counseling, and intensive EMDR sessions tailored to each client’s unique journey. My work is deeply rooted in the belief that a genuine, empathetic therapeutic relationship forms the foundation for transformative growth, and I strive to create a warm, authentic connection with each person I work with. My approach is shaped by a relationship-oriented philosophy, valuing the impact of supportive relationships and the importance of connection in mental wellness.

Our Approach to Therapy

At Nightingale Counseling Services, therapy is more than a method—it’s a journey that helps each individual and couple understand, explore, and heal the emotional and belief systems that shape their lives. My approach is emotion-centered, focusing on deepening self-awareness around feelings, thoughts, and relational patterns. I emphasize examining core beliefs and emotional responses that may be limiting or creating distress, allowing clients to gain insight into how past experiences shape present behaviors. Whether working with individuals or couples, I integrate a compassionate, evidence-based framework that encourages clients to explore challenging emotions, rebuild connections, and nurture a renewed sense of self.

In couples counseling, I focus on strengthening attachment and improving communication, helping partners better understand one another’s needs, repair trust, and navigate past wounds. For individual therapy, my work often addresses stress, trauma, anxiety, and the impact of significant life transitions. I recognize that these experiences can profoundly affect one’s sense of identity, and I work closely with clients to process and reframe limiting beliefs and create healthy coping mechanisms. Intensive EMDR sessions offer an opportunity to address trauma and deeply ingrained emotional patterns in a focused, supportive setting, guiding clients toward relief and resilience.

Specialties

I specialize in helping clients overcome attachment challenges, relationship struggles, trauma, and anxiety through evidence-based approaches such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). My couples counseling focuses on attachment and communication, drawing from attachment theory to address underlying dynamics and to help couples build trust and foster healthy emotional bonds. In individual therapy, I work with clients to navigate complex emotional landscapes, including stress, anxiety, and trauma, fostering growth through self-reflection and deeper understanding of belief systems.

Located in Southwest Florida, my telehealth services are accessible to clients throughout Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Sarasota, and throughout the state of Florida. Nightingale Counseling Services is built on the value of genuine connection and compassionate support, providing a safe space for clients to explore and achieve their therapeutic goals. Whether you’re seeking weekly sessions or intensive therapy, I am here to walk with you on your path to growth, healing, and renewed resilience.