Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenelle Coolidge.
Hi Jenelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My path into mental health work began with a deep desire to help people feel understood, supported, and hopeful especially during times when life feels overwhelming or disconnected from who they truly are. I’ve always been drawn to working with individuals navigating complex relationships with their bodies, food, trauma, and chronic illness, and I believe healing happens best in a space rooted in compassion and respect for each person’s unique story.
I earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and have been working in the field since 2012. Over the years, my experience has spanned psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment programs, community mental health, outpatient clinics, and private practice. I’ve had the privilege of supporting clients across all levels of care, including inpatient, intensive outpatient, and outpatient settings, which has shaped my holistic and flexible approach to treatment.
My work with eating disorders and body image is grounded in a Health at Every Size (HAES) framework, creating a safe and affirming environment for healing. I integrate evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches such as EMDR, ACT, DBT, CBT, and Expressive Arts Therapy, tailoring therapy to meet each client’s individual needs.
Today, as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, and EMDR-trained trauma therapist, my work is centered on walking alongside clients as they heal, reconnect with themselves, and build lives that feel more authentic, grounded, and hopeful. Additionally, I am an author on two books, “My Body Liberation Journal” and “Poems From A Melancholic Heart: A book of poems, journal prompts, and activities for those struggling with depression”
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Private practice comes with both meaningful rewards and real challenges, balancing the heart of therapeutic work with the realities of running a business takes time and patience. Building a name in the community doesn’t happen overnight, and there were periods of uncertainty as the practice grew.
Clinically, this work can be heavy. Clients bring deep trauma and pain into the room, and there are moments when you wonder if you’re truly making an impact, especially when progress is slow or hard to see. Learning to trust the process, maintain boundaries, and care for myself alongside my clients has been an essential part of the journey.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The individual private practice I founded is called Cool Skies Counseling, and I am also part of the Calming Tides Counseling team, in which I provide individual therapy. In these roles, I provide individual therapy to adults and adolescents, serve as a Qualified Supervisor for registered mental health counselor interns, and am the author of two books focused on mental health and healing.
I specialize in working with individuals navigating eating disorders, complex trauma, chronic pain and illness, and mood disorders. My therapeutic approach is collaborative and tailored to each person’s unique needs, integrating evidence-based and trauma-informed modalities while honoring the whole person—not just symptoms.
As a therapist, I strive to be down-to-earth, relatable, and warm, creating a space where clients feel safe to show up as they are. When appropriate, I incorporate humor, creativity, and clients’ personal interests into sessions, believing that connection and authenticity are powerful parts of the healing process. I’m deeply proud of the meaningful impact this work has had on people’s lives and feel honored to walk alongside clients as they heal, grow, and reconnect with themselves.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Attending networking events is an excellent way to connect and find mentors or valuable referral sources. Doing this has been very helpful to me. I have been attending networking events for many years now, and it has been one of the greatest decisions I have made. I have made a lot of connections, and even friendships have been found this way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.calmingtidesfl.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/your_cool_therapist_jenelle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085587482509
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenelle-c-16a02410b/
- Other: https://www.coolskiescounseling.com
Image Credits
I am the author of both of those pics and that is a picture of me holding My Body Liberation Journal.
