Jen (Weidner) Whitehead, MSW, LCSW
Meet Jen (she/her)
I created Journey Within Therapy, LLC for deep thinkers like you—people who feel stuck and exhausted from trying to make sense of life’s hardest moments.
Many of my clients are highly self-aware and analytical, used to making sense of the world through logic and perspective. But now, they’re facing something that defies reason—grief, loss, unexpected health challenges, or relationship struggles. These experiences can shatter the frameworks we’ve always relied on, making everything feel overwhelming and unclear. And the more they try to figure it out, the more tangled it all becomes.
I know how unsettling it is to feel fragile when you’re used to feeling strong and capable—to sense your pain breaking through your carefully built armor. I also know how much courage it takes to reach out, to consider that something could help, even when the ground beneath you feels unsteady and the way forward is hard to see.
I consider myself a professional hope-holder. Not in a blindly optimistic way (let’s be real, after years of walking with people through life’s toughest moments, I lean more realist than optimist.) But at the heart of my work is an unshakable belief in our ability to heal and find our way forward—not by leaving the pain of our past behind, but by changing the way we carry it so it no longer weighs us down. No toxic positivity required.
Therapy with me isn’t just about surviving—it’s about truly living.
Pain can change everything. It can make the world feel unrecognizable, even cruel. And while many people learn to cope and continue to function in spite of their pain, my goal isn’t just to help you get by—it’s to help you reconnect with life in a way that feels meaningful again.
I can’t take away your pain, and I won’t pretend to have all the answers. But I can help you tap into your inner resources so that, no matter what life brings, you can feel sturdy and connected to your most authentic self. Our work isn’t about changing who you are—it’s about rebuilding trust in yourself and the wisdom you already carry, so you can become your own healer.
I get that "healing" is a tough concept to sell. And if the idea of “self-healing” sounds a little too abstract or out there, you're not alone—I used to feel the same way. Many of my clients come to therapy believing parts of themselves will never change. It’s not that they haven’t tried—they’ve done everything and still feel stuck. They wonder if therapy could really offer anything new.
If that’s you, I genuinely welcome your skepticism. Ask the hard questions. Challenge the process. But in the end, if what we do together helps, does it really matter what we call it?
I believe in this work because I’m on this journey too.
As a client of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy myself, I know firsthand the level of commitment this process requires. Time, resources, vulnerability, trust– it’s a lot! And I don’t take that lightly. I respect all that it takes to show up and engage in this work, and I hold your commitment to it with care.
I aim to create a space where you can show up fully as yourself—where inclusivity isn’t just a value but an ongoing responsibility. My practice strives to be queer-affirming, anti-racist, and neurodivergent-friendly, but I also recognize that affirmation alone isn’t enough. Your identities and lived experiences shape your reality in profound ways, and therapy should not only honor your unique experiences, but also the broader systems that impact you.
And just as I invite you to bring your whole self into therapy, I do the same. I know that my own identities shape how I show up in this work. I come to this space as a therapist, but also as a white, cisgender woman, mother, and wife. Therapy should be real. That means being honest about where we share common ground, where our experiences differ, and how that impacts our work together. I won’t pretend to understand what I haven’t lived, but I will always listen, learn, and hold space for the complexities of your experiences.
No blank slates here! If you ask me something personal, I’ll answer with transparency. And if you need direct, clinical insight to satisfy your analytical mind, I’ll provide that too. More than anything, I want therapy to feel like an authentic, human connection—one where you don’t have to filter yourself, mask parts of you, or navigate around unspoken truths.
Healing happens in relationships, because of connection.
Much of my work centers on the pain that arises in relationships—whether through connection, loss, or because of its absence. Since wounds often form in relationships, I believe true healing happens there, too.
We don’t heal in isolation. And it’s an honor to be able to walk alongside my clients as they embark on their journey within.
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IFS Level 1 Certified Therapist - the IFS Institute
Certification in Grief Therapy - the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Level 2 (CCTP-II) in progress
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Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Pennsylvania (CW022305)
Cohen Veterans Network Post-Graduate Fellowship - The University of Pennsylvania
Master of Social Work - The University of Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Science in Psychology - The University of Pittsburgh
Credentials and Background
