Dr. Jillian Graves, LMSW

Dr. Jillian Graves is a Michigan-licensed clinical social worker (LMSW) with 21 years of professional experience supporting adults, adolescents, and families in both individual and group settings. She earned her Master of Social Work at Smith College and completed a Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College, where her dissertation examined emerging adult siblings of people with schizophrenia. Her academic background informs a thoughtful, research-aware approach to clinical practice.

Dr. Graves works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, family and parenting challenges, trauma and abuse, anger, addictions, grief, self-esteem, career issues, bipolar disorder, and depression. She often draws on psychodynamic concepts including attachment theory to explore how personal history shapes relationships and behavior, and she incorporates Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, solution-focused techniques, and narrative methods to help clients find practical change and renewed perspective.

Clinically eclectic and relationship-focused, Dr. Graves emphasizes collaboration, clear communication, and goal-setting throughout the therapeutic process. She aims to help clients make meaning of their experiences, improve communication, and build skills for managing mood and interpersonal challenges. Dr. Graves accepts international clients and provides care through multiple remote formats to increase accessibility for those seeking support.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Flexible Online Care

Dr. Jillian Graves integrates psychodynamic approaches with attachment theory to explore how early relationships and personal history influence current emotions and interactions - this work can be helpful for people grappling with relationship patterns, grief, or long-standing mood concerns. She also uses Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy to identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns, which can support relief from anxiety, anger, and stress. Solution-focused techniques provide practical, goal-oriented strategies for immediate challenges and for clients seeking targeted change.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Dr. Graves works with each client to assess needs, set goals, and try methods that fit their preferences and life circumstances. Together they refine the plan as work progresses to ensure therapy remains meaningful and effective.

Online therapy with Dr. Graves is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for busy schedules and varied comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care across distances and time zones while supporting consistent access to licensed professionals and therapists who can tailor treatment to each client.