Dr. Jennifer TownsJennifer Towns is a Licensed Master’s level Social Worker who has over 15 years working in the social work field, providing clinical treatment in a variety of settings, including hospitals, community mental health departments, and private practice. Her clinical work is founded upon a holistic approach and person-centered principles. She practices from a strengths-based perspective, and incorporated in her therapeutic framework are EMDR, mind-body/neurobiology components, Dialectical Behavioral components, and solution-focused therapy – all primarily to treat complex trauma.
Dr. Towns has been teaching in higher education for 8 years, for several social work programs (BSW and MSW levels) as well as in-person, synchronous on-line, and asynchronous on-line formats. She earned her PhD in Social Work from Walden University in 2018 and her doctoral dissertation focused on the LGB mental health help-seeking experiences in rural Northern Michigan, specifically, furthering understanding, clinical competency, and service acquisition for members of the rural LGBTQ+ community. Dr. Towns’ primary areas of research interest are traumatology and trauma-informed care, specifically the neurobiology of trauma, and integrating this into her clinical treatment and though her work in higher education. Towns has presented at several conferences, including the Rural Area Practitioner’s Conference and the Michigan Association of Community Health Boards. She is also a member of many workgroups that focus on advancing equality and social justice through education, ally development, and social policy action. In addition, she continues to promote education and clinical work by serving as a field instructor and/or supervisor for individuals who are seeking full licensure as an LMSW in Michigan. |