Jill Rountree, LMSW

Jill Rountree, LMSW, helps people who are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stuck after loss, or trying to manage mood and substance concerns. She works in a straightforward way and aims to make sessions practical and understandable for busy parents and adults in Michigan.

She brings ten years of experience from settings such as correctional facilities, outpatient care, and integrated health services. Jill grew up in southeastern Michigan and now lives in northern Michigan near Traverse City with her family, children, and animals.

In the therapy room she starts by listening to what matters most to each person. Jill uses a client-centered stance to set goals together and adjust the pace to match someone's needs. She mixes different approaches so sessions focus on what helps in daily life.

Her methods include cognitive behavioral therapy to look at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect, dialectical behavior therapy to build mindfulness and distress management skills, and EMDR for people wanting to process past traumatic events. She also uses motivational interviewing and solution-focused techniques when motivation or concrete problem solving is needed.

Jill is a Registered Yoga Instructor in addition to her social work practice, and she often integrates simple grounding and breathing tools into sessions. Her background in varied clinical settings informs a practical, down-to-earth style that aims to help people manage symptoms, rebuild routines, and move toward clearer goals.

Approaches that translate well to online work

Jill commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thought and behavior patterns. CBT sessions often include practical exercises and homework that fit well into phone or video formats.

She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy to teach mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance skills. DBT-based skills can be practiced between sessions and reviewed over chat or video to reinforce use in everyday moments.

EMDR is another tool Jill uses for processing traumatic memories; when appropriate she prepares clients with grounding and safe place techniques before any processing work occurs. Parts of EMDR can be introduced and supported through video sessions with careful planning.

Finding the best approach is collaborative. Jill will discuss goals, preferences, and the practicalities of doing certain techniques online before deciding on a plan. This helps shape whether more skills practice, cognitive work, or trauma processing is emphasized.

Online sessions offer flexibility for people with busy schedules. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when visual interaction helps. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier during short breaks. Live chat and text messaging work for brief check-ins, real-time coaching, or when writing feels easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into work, parenting, or travel demands.