Jennifer Pearlstein, PhD

I’m Dr. Jennifer Pearlstein, a licensed clinical psychologist based in Missouri. I work with adults living with chronic illness, pain, complex medical conditions, and a range of mental health concerns. My work is collaborative and grounded in evidence-based approaches, with an emphasis on what is actually workable in a person’s daily life. I draw from treatments that support both symptom relief and psychological flexibility, and I adapt care to each person rather than applying a standard model. MORE BACKGROUND I earned my undergraduate degrees from Truman State University and my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. I completed my APA-accredited predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington, with specialized training in rehabilitation medicine. Most recently, I served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in Washington University in St. Louis’s Pain Management Center, where I worked with individuals living with chronic pain and complex medical conditions. I continue to provide clinical supervision and training to clinical psychology PhD students within the Washington University system. My clinical work focuses on adults navigating chronic illness, pain, and other complex or ongoing health conditions, along with a range of mental health concerns. Across settings, I have over a decade of experience providing individual and group psychotherapy across the lifespan, from adolescence through older adulthood. My approach is collaborative and individualized, grounded in evidence-based practices including CBT, ACT, DBT, mindfulness-based strategies, and supportive psychotherapy. Rather than relying on a single model, I integrate these approaches in a flexible way that responds to each person’s goals, context, and lived experience. MY APPROACH Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure how to move forward. My role is to offer a space that is supportive, thoughtful, and grounded in both care and evidence. I specialize in working with individuals and families navigating chronic illness, chronic pain, and disability. These experiences shape many parts of life, including identity, relationships, work, parenting, and one’s sense of the future, and yet they are frequently misunderstood or minimized. In my work, I focus on helping people make sense of these realities, develop sustainable coping strategies, and build lives that feel more aligned with what matters to them. I approach therapy as a collaborative process grounded in cultural humility and respect for each person’s lived experience. I strive to create a space where clients feel heard, respected, and supported as we work together to clarify what is important, understand patterns of coping and distress, and identify changes that feel realistic and meaningful. My practice affirms diverse identities, including LGBTQ and disabled communities, and is informed by an ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion. Whether you are coping with illness or disability, grieving a loss, feeling emotionally stuck, or moving through a difficult season in life, we will work together to slow things down, understand what is happening, and identify what feels most important to you. My aim is to support you in building a life that feels more intentional and workable—strengthening self-trust, resilience, and a sense of possibility along the way.