HAVEN
Integrative Therapy & Somatic Studio
Gentle Therapy for Brain, Body, and Beyond
About Jennifer Knowles, LPC-MHSP
My approach to therapy is rooted in deep respect for the ways our bodies carry and respond to pain—emotional, physical, and ancestral. Before becoming a therapist, I worked as an arts educator focusing on generational trauma, bearing witness to how creativity and connection can open space for healing. That foundation continues to shape my work today.
Now, I specialize in supporting people living with chronic pain and illness, complex trauma, complicated grief, and end-of-life concerns. I help clients understand how their brain, body, and nervous system work together—so they can begin to gently shift patterns of anxiety, tension, depression, and chronic stress.
There’s no one-size-fits-all path to healing. Every body holds its own story and wisdom. Together, we’ll explore what safety, connection, and resilience look like for you—so that healing feels not just possible, but deeply your own.
My hope is that you leave therapy with tools, practices, and inner resources that continue to support you long after our work together ends.
Somatic therapy is effective for many aspects of mental health.
I specialize in working with...
Chronic Pain & Illness
Individuals living with long-term, complex, or hard-to-diagnose conditions that impact both body and mind. Many clients come to me feeling misunderstood, dismissed, or exhausted by the medical system. I support clients coping with the emotional and psychological challenges associated with chronic medical conditions, such as... * Central Nervous system disorders like Multiple Sclerosis (MS) * Autonomic Nervous System Disorders like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) * Peripheral nervous system disorders like diabetic neuropathy and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) * Essential tremor and functional movement disorders * Fibromyalgia and chronic pain * Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) * Long COVID and post-viral illness * Autoimmune conditions * Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) * Gastrointestinal Issues (IBS, IBD, Chronic nausea, vomiting, or gagging) * Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) * Migraines and chronic tension headaches * Medically unexplained symptoms or pain with emotional roots I use somatic and neuro-integrative tools to help you reconnect to your body, find relief, and reclaim agency—even when the condition doesn’t “go away.”
Complex Trauma
I help clients address trauma stored in the body through insight, connection, and safety. I take a gentle approach, moving at your pace. I work with: * Complex trauma (C-PTSD) and childhood trauma * Medical trauma and anxiety around procedures * Single-incident trauma (accidents, loss, violence) * Emotional overwhelm or shutdown * Panic attacks, chronic anxiety, or freeze states * Dissociation, disconnection, or numbness * Nervous system dysregulation from chronic stress * Vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue * Burnout and nervous system collapse * Somatic symptoms of unresolved trauma Our work together helps you return to yourself—gently, gradually, and with tools that restore regulation and resilience.
Grief & End-of-Life Concerns
Grief takes many forms—loss of a loved one, loss of identity, loss of the life you imagined. I hold space for the tenderness of these transitions, including: * Grieving a death (recent or long ago) * Anticipatory grief related to illness or caregiving * Pregnancy loss, infertility, or reproductive grief * Loss of function, autonomy, or health * End-of-life transitions and spiritual/existential distress * Meaning-making, ritual, and legacy work * Emotional support for caregivers and hospice staff * Facing death with peace, intention, and dignity You are not alone. These thresholds are sacred, and support matters.
When we learn to tune in to our nervous system, we can begin to reshape our experiences—not by changing what happened, but by changing how we live with what happened.
Let's Get Science-y for a Sec...
Your brain is plastic—not like Tupperware, but in the sense of neuroplasticity, meaning it’s always changing and adapting. Your brain is part of your autonomic nervous system, which runs the behind-the-scenes stuff: heart rate, breathing, digestion, movement, and more. Depending on whether you’re feeling safe, stressed, or stuck, your brain and body respond in very different ways. The cool part is—you actually have some say in how your system responds to stress. When your nervous system has been under chronic stress—whether from a major trauma or a bunch of smaller ones—it can get stuck in survival mode. You might feel like you’re constantly on edge or barely keeping it together. That’s because your brain is hardwired to keep you alive, which is great... until the threat is long gone but your body still thinks it’s happening. In fact, your amazing, adaptive brain can get so used to being in stress mode that it feels normal. But it still takes a toll—on your health, your relationships, your work, your sense of ease. The good news? Because your brain is plastic, and because you can influence your nervous system, things can change. Honestly, the shift has already started—just by being here, reading this, maybe even naming what you’ve been feeling. Now it’s time to loop your body into the conversation. That’s where real, lasting healing begins.