Jamie Siegel, LCSW

My name is Jamie Siegel and I am a licensed clinical social worker in the states of California and Virginia. I specialize in working with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and life transitions and see the world through a fat positive, Health at Every Size-aligned, queer-affirming lens. I adopt a safety first approach with trust-building at the core of everything we'll do together, which includes self-trust as well as the trust built between us over time.

I generally describe my work as relational in nature in that the relationship formed during our time together is a main focus. The way we act and react in relationship with others can be very telling, and I prioritize cultivating a warm and non-judgmental space where clients can be authentically themselves, knowing that it is safe to practice open communication and exploration together. This is a space where all your "messiness" is welcomed; no need to come as anything other than who you are!

My passion is working with clients who, because of the impossible standards set by the society we live in, believe that they are not "enough" or are "too much." This may translate over into how they view not only themselves but also the kind of support they deserve to receive. Yes, you are "sick enough" and you deserve kind, compassionate care even if you don't fit the inaccurate stereotype perpetuated by the media of what an eating disorder "should" look like. Eating disorders don't have a look, and you are deserving of care no matter what your weight, shape, size, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability status, or income. 

As a born and bred New Yorker, I have no problem being direct, but I always try to do so from a place of compassion and understanding. I will never judge you for using the behaviors you knew to do to cope even as we work together on changing the ones that are no longer serving you. You are in the driver's seat here, and I'm your trusty copilot on this journey through understanding why you do what you do and where you want to go from here.

I strongly believe in healing incrementally, which means that my goal is to nudge you outside your comfort zone without overwhelming you with a long list of goals to start. Let's get a lay of the land and plot out where you are now, where you want to get to, and what feels like a solid baby step to get you on your way. 

I recognize that first sessions can be awkward and stressful; meeting a new person isn't always easy and I do my best to break the ice and start getting to know you without pressure (but maybe some humor if it fits!). Share what you're comfortable with and we can get to the rest as we go. I'm not here to pressure anyone for answers and while I hope to earn it over time, I never expect trust on day one.

Therapy is something I came to appreciate first as a client and later as a helper myself. I have lived experience of healing my relationship to food and body, and as a human in a bigger body, I understand the fears many of my clients have about living in a world where body size is stigmatized. I have always wanted to do my part to create safe spaces in a world that has never been safe for everyone, and to help clients have a corrective experience in therapy when so many people have been traumatized by the systems that were supposed to help.