MEET JANE SLOMSKI, MSW, LCSW, LICSW
ANXIETY THERAPIST IN WASHINGTON, DC & NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Unravel the chaos, find your balance, and feel like yourself again.
Your mind is a whirlwind. Racing thoughts, relentless worries – it's like your mind's on overdrive, and the spin won't stop. You want support and clarity: Someone who can unravel the chaos, demystify the disorder, and help you regain your center.
It's time to find that balance again.
I work with veterinarians, professionals, and young adults who are looking for more than just someone who nods and listens. I offer emotional support, perspective, concrete strategies to manage compassion fatigue, burnout, anxiety and stress, and provide a sense of calm. My goal is that you first and foremost feel accepted and supported by someone who ‘gets it’ while you unpack and explore the hard stuff. I can help you navigate difficult life events with confidence and conviction, and reconnect with yourself and your purpose.
Working with Me
You’ve sought guidance from friends, family, teachers, and co-workers, but that has only caused competing voices in your head, creating more anxiety and self–doubt. It’s a vicious cycle.
Together we can “cut through the weeds,” deepen your understanding of yourself and your struggles, release feelings of shame and self doubt, regain your sense of self, and empower you to create solutions that are uniquely yours.
In my previous life, I worked with family in the field of veterinary medicine. I still maintain a connection to this community. I have a great deal of respect for the field and I understand how difficult and unrecognized the work is. I have merged my passion for mental health with my experience working with and caring about people in the veterinary field to support the mental health needs of veterinarians and staff.
I have lived experience with chronic anxiety, panic, and disability since childhood. While other therapists might have a clinical textbook understanding of these issues, I get it. I’ve been there. I know how heavy and overwhelming it can feel.
Because I’ve been there and have come through to the other side, I also know that it is possible to thrive and create a full and fulfilling life with these challenges. That’s my hope for you too, and I want to help you get there.
Clients describe me as someone with whom it feels safe to share the hard things they may not have shared with anyone before. No matter what you are going through, you deserve a safe place to unpack these things without worrying about judgment or criticism. Life is often complicated, messy, and chaotic. I am honored to sit with you in the mess and help you make sense of the chaos.
SPECIALTIES
THERAPY FOR
Anxiety
THERAPY FOR
Young Adults
THERAPY FOR
Veterinary Professionals
Licensure & Education
Virginia Licensed Clinical Social Worker #0904010917 (LCSW)
District of Columbia Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker #LC200004436 (LICSW)
South Carolina Independent Social Worker Telehealth Provider TLS #761 CP
Master of Social Work (MSW) Clinical Concentration
The Catholic University of America National Catholic School of Social Service
Veterinary Social Work Post-Graduate Program
University of Tennessee Knoxville Center for Veterinary Social Work
Courses:
Compassion Fatigue and Conflict Resolution
The Link Between Human and Animal Violence
Animal Related Grief and Bereavement
Animal Assisted Interventions
Veterinary Social Work Intensive (Additional 5-day intensive training)
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Minor in Family Studies
James Madison University
My Guiding Principles
Authenticity
I bring my authentic self to every session. The most important predictor of success in therapy is the therapeutic relationship. Stuffy, awkward, formal relationships don’t connect people to change.
Vulnerability
I will offer insight from my own experiences when appropriate and helpful, and will honor your experiences when you are vulnerable as well.
Compassion
Shame and guilt have no place in therapy. Compassion, connection, and empathy are what help people to feel heard and understood. Once you experience compassion from another human being, it is easier to move towards change.
Acceptance
Everyone is welcome here. I value diversity and everyone has a place. I honor the unique intersection of everyone’s identities, backgrounds, and experiences, that makes them who they are..
Validation
Your feelings and experiences are valid. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to feel. You are allowed to feel the way you do right now. You may not have the same feelings or experiences as others in the same situation and that’s ok. You are uniquely you.
Change
You are capable of amazing growth and change.Therapy is a tool that helps you identify your strengths, call them out, and develop new strengths you may not have been aware of, but the process is all yours.
Get to Know Me
I was born and raised in Fairfax, Virginia. I returned to the area after my time at JMU to be close to family and friends and to attend graduate school in DC. I love the culture and diversity of DC and Northern Virginia. I live in Manassas with my husband, our daughter, and our animals, including a retired Greyhound named Cash and several cats. In my free time, I like to read, do anything with animals, drink loose leaf tea, go to farmer’s markets and festivals, and listen to 90s and early 00s rock and punk music.
About Pathos Counseling
Pathos is the Greek word for empathy and compassion. In philosophy, pathos is the powerful art of appealing to one’s emotions with an argument. It is with pathos that emotional healing can occur.