Jennifer Chain, PhD

Licensed Psychologist
President and Owner

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​You are a helper, giver, or fixer who feels depleted by the constant demand on your time and energy. You care for others and yet receive very little validation and support in return. 

Others may see you as a high functioning, high achieving go-getter who has everything together. What they do not see beneath the surface is that you are struggling. You may be grappling with loneliness, overwhelm, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or burnout. You may strive for perfection and over-deliver for others yet you rarely feel satisfied, content, or happy with the outcome, with yourself, or with your life. You may have helped others build their dreams but you are out of touch with what you want and desire. Working harder, in the same way, has not gotten you closer to feeling connected, satisfied, or joyful. 

You may feel like you are alone and adrift out in the ocean on a boat that is slowly sinking. You may feel like you are lost and aimless without a north star to guide you. You are confused about how you got here and wondering how you will find your way back on course.  

​You may long to be seen and understood deeply by those around you. You may want to find, establish, or change relationships where giving and receiving go both ways. You know that this pattern is unsustainable and you are ready to be free.

Together, We Can Overcome Your Hidden Struggles

This transformational work is challenging but the journey is worthy. If you are ready to start the journey to create long-lasting change in your life and your relationships, I can help. In my 10 years as a therapist, I have helped many people break the negative cycles and create fulfilling and meaningful lives. I have helped them let go of toxic relationships and surround themselves with people who truly see and care for them. 

​I can be a mender of hearts, a catalyst for change, a guide to your inner world, and a peacemaker for your soul.

Clinical Specialties

• Perfectionism
• Burnout
• Relationship issues
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Trauma and PTSD
• Eating disorders
• Body image concerns
• Self-esteem
• Self-sabotaging behaviors​
• Work and/or academic stress

• Family dynamics and conflicts
• Women's issues
• Grief and loss
• Life transitions
• Racial identity
• Sexual orientation and sexual identity
• Gender identity
• Spirituality
• Multicultural issues
• Impact of cultural bias and oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia)

I offer couples therapy using Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy to help distant couples re-establish a safe and secure attachment bond. I work from a Health at Every Size approach. This means that I value self-acceptance, body diversity, mindful and intuitive eating, healthy lifestyle habits, and joyful movement.

Some of my specialties in research and multicultural counseling are focused on individuals who identify as: Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latinx, American Indian and Alaska Native, African American, international students, and immigrants. 

My multicultural research and counseling specialties are informed by my intersecting identities as a female, immigrant, Chinese American, and bicultural therapist of color. ​ Some of the issues that impact these communities include:​​​​​

• Cultural adjustment
• Language barriers
• Socioeconomic status
• Immigration status
• Multicultural identity development
• Experiences of racism and oppression
• Cross cultural communication
• Code switching
• Generation gap
• Stigma against mental health care
• Access to culturally relevant care

• Interracial relationships
• Internalized oppression
• Colorism
• Intergenerational trauma
• Imposter syndrome
• Model minority myth
• Stereotype threat
• Racial trauma

• Religion
• Sexual harassment and assault​
• Sociopolitical climate in the US and around the world
  

Bio

I was born in China and grew up in both my country of origin and Sacramento, CA. My immigrant and bi-cultural backgrounds are important parts of my intersecting identities. I identify as a highly sensitive person. Growing up across cultures with an interracial family and struggling through my own mental health concerns sparked my curiosity about psychology. The word psychology comes from the word psyche and the suffix ology, which means "the study of the soul/life." I felt called to deeply understand people's souls and the meaning of life. Specifically, I wanted to understand how people overcame challenges, healed their pain, and ultimately transformed through adversity. 

Education Background

Before college, I served a year in AmeriCorps as a preschool teacher in Brockton, MA. I worked with children from diverse and immigrant backgrounds focusing on self-directed learning and literacy. I received my bachelor’s degree from Smith College, a women's liberal arts college in Northampton, MA. There, I majored in psychology and minored in studio art. Smith was where I found my passion for social justice and my voice as an advocate. I received my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2016 from the University of Oregon. My research focused on multicultural identities and resilience. I completed my APA accredited internship at the University of Oregon Counseling and Testing Center. Afterward, I completed my postdoctoral residency at Strong Integrated Behavioral Health in Eugene, Oregon. I have extensive clinical experience in residential treatment, private practice, university counseling centers, community mental health, and primary care settings. I moved to Seattle in 2017 to open my private practice.

​In my free time, I love to spend time with friends, explore nature, travel to new places, and make delicious food.

Selected Presentations

• Chain, J., Huh, G., & Jin, J., (October 2021). "I want to be a clinician." Career taboo, stigma, and shame from the perspectives of AAPI psychologists in private practice. Difficult dialogue accepted at the Asian American Psychological Association National Convention. 
• Chain, J. (June 2020). The stress and challenges of returning to optometric practice during a pandemic. Webinar presented for the Optometric Physicians of Washington.  
• Chain, J., Wilkins., K., & Izmarian, A. (January 2017). Feminist multicultural dissertation process. Roundtable presented at the National Multicultural Conference and Summit, Portland, OR.
• Hall, G. C. N., Chain, J., Sun, S., DeGarmo, D., & Fong, M. (July 2016).  Discrimination, social connectedness, and mental health among Chinese international students. Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Division 45 Research Conference, Stanford, CA.​​

• Morse, B., Caban, A., Chain, J., Lin, M., & Rowan, S. (April 2016). Culturally informed trauma response to Title IX: The University of Oregon’s Interpersonal Violence Team model. Workshop presented at the Pacific Northwest Best Practices Conference on Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response, Portland, OR.
• Chain, J., Wang, G., Zane, N., & Okazaki, S. (August 2014). Unpacking power and privilege within the Asian American identity. Symposium presented at the Asian American Psychological Convention, Washington, D.C. ​​​

Selected Publications

• Featured in the SeattleMet article: Wong, E. (2021, February 12). How to navigate long-distance love. Retrieved from https://www.seattlemet.com/style-and-shopping/2021/02/how-to-navigate-long-distance-relationships-covid-19
• Sun, X., Hall, G.C.N., DeGarmo, D.S., Chain, J., & Fong, M.C. (2020). A longitudinal investigation of discrimination and mental health in Chinese international students: The role of social connectedness. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1-17. doi: 10.1177/0022022120979625
• Featured in The Seattle Times article:  Szczypinski, S. (2019, September 25). Why it’s so hard to stay happy at work — and what Seattle therapists say you can do about it. The Seattle Times. Retrieved from https://www.seattletimes.com/explore/careers/why-its-so-hard-to-stay-happy-at-work​
• Hewitt, A. A., Watson, L. B., DeBlaere, C., Dispenza, F., Guzmán, C. E., Cadenas, G., Tran, A. G. T. T., Chain, J., & Ferdinand, L. (2017). Leadership development in counseling psychology: Voices of leadership academy alumni. The Counseling Psychologist, 45(7), 992–1016. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000017740429
• Chain, J., Shapiro, V.B., LeBuffe, M.A., Bryson, A.M., & The American Indian and Alaska Native Advisory Committee (2017). Academic achievement of American Indian and Alaska Native students: Does social emotional competence reduce the impact of poverty? American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 24(1), 1-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.5820/aian.2401.2017.1
• Chain, J. (2016). A multilevel analysis of student, family, and school factors associated with Latino/a parental involvement in the middle school learning environment (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. ​​​
• Hall, G. C. N., Martinez, Jr., C. R. Tuan, M., McMahon, T. R., & Chain, J. (2011). Toward ethnocultural diversification of higher education. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 17(3), 243-251. doi: 10.1037/a0024036

Certifications and Trainings

• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Externship
• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Core Skills

Professional Affiliations

• American Psychological Association
• Asian American Psychological Association
  
• Washington State Psychological Association 
• ​Washington Mental Health Counselors Association ​

Fees

Phone Consultation 
Individual Intake Session 
Couples Intake Session
Individual Therapy Session (In-person or Online)
​Couples Therapy Session (In-person or Online)
​Group Session

15 minutes
60 minutes
​60 minutes
​60 minutes
​60 minutes
​60 minutes

Free
$400
$400
$350
​$350
​$100

I am not paneled with any insurance company. My clients attend therapy on an out-of-network basis or pay for sessions out of pocket. If you would like to use your out-of-network benefits, please contact your insurance company prior to our first meeting. Ask what the out-of-network reimbursement would be for outpatient in-person or online psychotherapy. The specific amount of this reimbursement depends on your plan. I will provide you with the statements your insurance requires.

Welcome to my Ballard office

Start Therapy in Seattle, Washington

Now that you've had a chance to learn more about me, I would love to get to know you. As a licensed psychologist, I provide a variety of services from my Seattle-based counseling practice. I offer online therapy throughout the state. To start your therapy journey, follow these simple steps:

1. Contact Thrive For The People to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if we are a good fit. 
2. Meet with one of our talented licensed therapist or licensed psychologists
3. Start your journey to healing and creating a life worth living