Contact Jennie Denney | Denney Family Therapy
Trauma-Informed Therapist in San Clemente
Supporting Adults, Couples, Parents & Teens
Jennie Denney M.A., AMFT #153029
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Supervised by Rachel Daggett, M.S., LMFT #107858
If you’re here, something in your life—or your family’s life—has become too heavy to carry alone.
Maybe you’re worried about your teen and don’t know how to reach them. Maybe you’re navigating the exhaustion of trauma or the confusion of a faith shift. Maybe your relationship feels disconnected. Whatever brought you here, you’re looking for support that feels steady, grounded, and real—and that’s where I come in.
A Therapy Space That Meets You Where You Are
I’m a therapist in San Clemente who helps teens, adults, couples, and families move through some of life’s most overwhelming moments. My approach is warm, collaborative, and rooted in both lived experience and clinical training.
Therapy with me isn’t clinical or cold—it’s grounded, human, and shaped by curiosity rather than judgment. When you feel safe, understood, and not alone, real healing becomes possible.
Why This Work Matters to Me
I’m not separate from the kinds of struggles my clients bring in. I know what it’s like to fear for a child’s safety. I’ve walked through the grief and confusion of faith deconstruction. I understand the weight of trauma and the loneliness that can come with holding everything together.
These experiences allow me to sit with clients with a deeper empathy and clarity, and they inform how I show up—with steadiness, compassion, and respect for where you’ve been and where you’re trying to go.
My Background & Clinical Training
I hold a Master’s in Pastoral Studies from Azusa Pacific University and a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Hope International University. I’m currently pursuing my doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy, where my research focuses on the stages of faith deconstruction and reconstruction.
I have advanced training in EMDR, a trauma-focused therapy that helps calm the nervous system, integrate painful memories, and restore a sense of choice. In our work together, I draw from attachment theory, parts work, EFT, narrative therapy, and experiential approaches—always tailored to your pace and your goals.
Who I Work With
My practice focuses on supporting:
Parents of teens navigating mental health challenges, including self-harm
Individuals in faith transition or recovering from religious trauma
Trauma survivors, including those with complex trauma histories
Couples and families wanting reconnection, better communication, and emotional repair
Whether you’re seeking family therapy in San Clemente, support for your teen, deeper healing from trauma, or guidance through a significant transition, I bring a steady, compassionate presence into every session.
Life Outside the Therapy Room
I’ve been married to my partner, Ryan, for over 21 years, and together we’re raising four kids, two dogs, and two cats. Southern California has been home for the past seven years, and the San Clemente community has become a meaningful part of our family’s story.
My experiences as a parent, partner, and seeker continually shape how I show up—with warmth, humility, and a deep respect for the complexity of real life.
If You’re Ready for Support
You don’t have to move through this alone. If you’re looking for a therapist in San Clemente who understands both the clinical and the human side of healing, I’d love to connect.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if working together feels like the right next step.
While I have experience supporting a wide range of mental health challenges, my heart and training have led me to lean toward working in a few key areas.
That said—if what you’re going through doesn’t perfectly align with one of these areas, please still reach out. You don’t have to fit a category to deserve support, and I’d be honored to walk alongside you or help you find the right fit.
Working With Clients Who…
Faith Deconstruction/Reconstruction & Religious Trauma
Losing your faith—or rebuilding it—can feel like losing your foundation, your community, or even your sense of self. I work with individuals who are deconstructing harmful religious beliefs, healing from spiritual abuse, or trying to piece together what they believe now. Whether your journey involves grief, anger, fear, or freedom, you deserve a space to explore it honestly and safely. My approach is rooted in trauma awareness, identity work, and a deep respect for the complexity of faith and belonging. You don’t have to sort it all out at once—and you don’t have to do it alone.
Self-Harm & Emotional Regulation
When a child is self-harming, it can feel overwhelming for the whole family. I specialize in working with parents and their kids to not only understand the behavior, but also strengthen emotional regulation skills and rebuild connection. Self-harm is often a sign of deep distress, not defiance—and kids need support that goes beyond just stopping the behavior. I help families learn how to co-regulate, communicate with less fear, and create a safer emotional climate at home where healing becomes possible.
Trauma Informed EMDR
I offer EMDR therapy through a trauma-informed lens, which means I move at your pace, center your safety, and collaborate with you every step of the way. EMDR can be a powerful tool for processing past experiences that still impact your nervous system, relationships, and sense of self. Whether you're working through trauma, anxiety, or deep emotional stuck points, EMDR helps the brain reprocess painful memories so they no longer feel as intense or defining. My goal is to help you feel more grounded, whole, and empowered—without ever pushing you too fast.Jennie’s Approach
At the heart of my work is the belief that healing happens in relationship—first with ourselves, then with those around us. I think of therapy as a space to explore the me (your inner world), the we (your relationships), and the thee (whatever larger meaning, purpose, or spiritual connection matters to you). When one part is out of sync, the others usually feel it too.
My approach weaves together several modalities that allow us to work deeply and relationally: attachment theory, EMDR for trauma processing, and experiential and narraative therapies. I use these tools to help clients understand the “why” behind their patterns, repair emotional wounds, and build a more connected, authentic life.
Whether you're here to explore long-standing pain or just trying to figure out why you keep getting stuck, I’ll meet you with curiosity, compassion, and tools that support real, lasting change.
Attachment
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Attachment-based therapy looks at how our earliest relationships shape the way we relate to ourselves and others today. It helps us make sense of emotional patterns that sometimes run underneath the surface of our lives.
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I believe that connection is the foundation for real healing. Exploring your attachment style can offer insight, compassion, and a path toward creating healthier relationships—with others and with yourself.
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Understand why certain relationship patterns feel so hard to change
Build trust, connection, and emotional safety in new ways
Heal old wounds that may still impact your current relationships
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Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller — a clear, relatable guide to understanding attachment styles in adult relationships.
Parenting from the Inside Out by Dr. Dan Siegel and Mary Hartzell — a powerful resource for parents wanting to raise emotionally secure children by first understanding their own attachment stories.
Narrative & Experiential Elements
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Experiential therapy invites you to feel and engage with your healing—not just talk about it. Narrative therapy focuses on understanding and reshaping the stories you tell yourself about who you are.
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Healing isn’t just a cognitive process—it’s emotional, sensory, and deeply personal. By experiencing your emotions safely and exploring your personal narrative, you gain new agency and meaning over your story.
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Reclaim your voice and agency in your life story
Process emotions that feel stuck or overwhelming
Find new meaning after loss, trauma, or identity shifts
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The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk — a powerful exploration of how the body holds emotional memory and how experiential healing works.
Rising Strong by Brené Brown—How we make meaning out of our struggles, and how rewriting our internal stories leads to resilience.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl—Finding personal meaning in suffering and choice; building identity through narrative and resilience.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy approach that helps people heal from trauma, distressing memories, and emotional pain. It uses bilateral stimulation (like guided eye movements) to help the brain reprocess stuck or overwhelming experiences so they can be stored in a healthier way.
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Sometimes talking alone isn’t enough to fully heal old wounds—especially trauma. EMDR offers a way to work through painful memories without needing to relive them in detail. I’m pursuing EMDR training because I believe it offers a powerful, research-backed pathway to healing that honors both the mind and the body’s natural ability to recover.
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Process trauma and painful memories safely and efficiently
Reduce emotional triggers and reactivity
Build a stronger, calmer internal sense of self
Heal experiences that feel “stuck” even after traditional talk therapy
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Getting Past Your Past by Dr. Francine Shapiro — an accessible guide to how EMDR helps people move beyond painful memories and reclaim their lives.
Contact Jennie
Curious about working together? You’re welcome to book a free 15-minute consultation or fill out the form below. I’ll reach out personally as soon as I can.
“Caring for others requires caring for oneself.”