Jennifer Armstrong

Jennifer Armstrong, Psy.D., Disability Resource Center Liaison

 

Pronouns: She/Her

Specializes in:

• Neurodivergence, people with Autism

• Disability

• Motivation & Procrastination

• Meaning & Purpose

• BIPOC

• Anxiety

Fun Facts:

I love D&D, strategy board games, walking/hiking, and my family!

 

Dr. Armstrong has worked in university counseling centers for more than 10 years, where she has provided individual and group therapy and outreach to students with many different intersecting identities, including transfer and first generation college students. Before Cal Poly, she worked at universities in Orange County California and Virginia. In addition to her work with college students, Dr. Armstrong received training providing psychoeducational and psychological assessment with children, adolescents, and young adults in educational and private practice settings. Dr. Armstrong also has training experience in an outpatient community mental health setting with adults who experienced severe and chronic mental health issues.

Dr. Armstrong practices from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach, which can be summed up as: “be present, open up, do what matters.” She works collaboratively with students to empower them in their process of change, which often entails learning how to respond instead of react to challenging circumstances and thoughts/feelings. Dr. Armstrong believes that a non-judgmental, trusting, and authentic therapeutic relationship is an important foundation to help facilitate growth. She strives to understand the unique experiences of each person, and works collaboratively to create and work toward goals that best fit each student’s needs. Dr. Armstrong is trained as a generalist who is passionate about working with university students who present with a variety of issues and concerns. Her areas of interest include, but are not limited to, neurodivergence, Autism (especially in people socialized as women, late-identified), disability, anxiety, motivation, procrastination, BIPOC people, marginalized people, self-care, living with vitality, finding purpose and meaning, and religious/spiritual integration. In her role as Disability Resource Center (DRC) Liaison, Dr. Armstrong serves as a mental health expert for the DRC and fosters collaboration between the departments of Counseling Services and the DRC. Dr. Armstrong is a member of Counseling Services’ Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, and strives to grow in cultural humility and help other clinicians open up to the same.

Dr. Armstrong was raised in Beaverton, Oregon and completed college and grad school in the greater LA area. She enjoys good stories in TTRPGs, TV shows, and movies as well as reading fantasy and science fiction novels. She enjoys spending time with her partner and 2 kids, walking/hiking, strategy board games, and arts/crafts.