Jen Buchholz, PhD

Dr. Jen Buchholz is a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY34408) who provides individual and couples therapy to adults. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based treatments for anxiety, OCD, trauma-related disorders, and relationship challenges. Her approach is nonjudgmental, genuine, and flexible as she supports clients in learning new strategies that support their wellbeing. Dr. Buchholz offers therapy in both English and Spanish.

Dr. Buchholz received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where her research focused on adapting and optimizing cognitive behavioral therapy. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at VA Palo Alto followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Buchholz is dedicated to sharing psychological science and has presented at several professional conferences and offered clinical workshops in the community. She has also authored book chapters and research articles about ways to make our psychological treatments more effective, efficient, and accessible.

“I am moved and inspired by the human capacity for change. I have found that people can learn to respond differently to challenging situations and uncomfortable emotions, even after years of feeling stuck in patterns that are no longer serving them. Since we learn best by doing, I approach therapy actively and collaboratively as I encourage clients to try out new ways of relating to themselves and others. When we discover that we are capable of facing our fears and managing stress effectively, we build confidence in our own resilience.

In my work with couples, I’ve learned that when partners express nonjudgmental understanding of each other’s emotional experiences, conflict decreases, connection increases, and couples feel equipped to make positive changes in their relationships. The same principle applies to individuals—when we begin to understand our own feelings as valid, our emotional intensity comes down and we are able to see more clearly the changes we want to make in our lives.

The way we understand ourselves is shaped by our lived experiences, intersecting identities, and cultural contexts, and I invite these conversations into therapy. In fact, one of my favorite parts of being a therapist is taking science-based tools and personalizing them for individuals and couples. I also enjoy bringing humor and levity into therapy, and I take celebrating “therapy wins” just as seriously as processing painful experiences. I find that the most powerful moments in therapy (and life!) are when we let ourselves experience genuine emotion, especially when we do so in the presence of someone who accepts us with care and compassion.”