Dr. Jennifer De Costa, LMFT

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Compassionate therapist who centers your story

Details

Name	Dr. Jennifer De Costa
Credentials	LMFT
Based in	Hawaii
Licensed in	Hawaii
Session format	Online
Languages	English
Years in practice	22

About Jennifer

Dr. Jennifer De Costa is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with more than 22 years of clinical experience in Hawaii. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, and major life changes.

She works with individuals who face issues like addiction, compassion fatigue, anger, low self-esteem, and questions about career or life purpose. Her approach is practical and respectful. Sessions are interactive and supportive, and she starts by listening to what is strong in a person.

Background and approach

She aims to help people see their own resources and build on them. Dr. De Costa uses Narrative Therapy alongside client-centered methods and motivational interviewing.

That means she pays attention to the stories people tell about themselves and looks for ways to rewrite those stories so they fit better with people's goals. She also centers the person's perspective and motivation when planning change. She draws on experience with family-related concerns and adoption and foster care issues, as well as caregiver stress and aging-related questions.

She also addresses intimacy-related problems, blended family dynamics, codependency, and co-morbid conditions where several issues occur together. Sessions can address both immediate coping needs and longer-term change. Dr.

De Costa works with practical tools and collaborative planning so people can take small steps toward better daily functioning. Her style aims to leave clients feeling heard and more able to move forward.

What this therapist works with

Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief among the things Jennifer works with, alongside the areas below.

Approaches listed

Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Jennifer among the ways she works.
Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Jennifer among the ways she works.
Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Jennifer directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.

Narrative Therapy in this listing

Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.

If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Jennifer directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.

Online session options

How narrative and client-centered work online

Dr. De Costa combines Narrative Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing in ways that translate well to online care. Narrative Therapy focuses on the stories people tell about themselves and looks for alternative storylines that support change; it can help with trauma, grief, and issues around identity. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and respect, giving people space to lead the conversation while the therapist reflects and clarifies; this approach helps when someone needs empathy and steady support. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative way to explore readiness for change and strengthen motivation, which can be useful for addictions, career shifts, or behavior change.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work together. She will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. That lets the two of you shape sessions that feel useful and realistic rather than applying one fixed method.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy fit different days and needs. Video is good for a face-to-face feel, phone can be quicker or use less data, chat is helpful for short check-ins, and messaging lets people reflect between sessions. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, caregiving, or travel while keeping focus on steady progress.

Common questions about this listing

What concerns does she commonly help with?

She helps people facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, anger, low self-esteem, and life purpose questions. She also works with caregiver stress, adoption and foster care issues, and blended family concerns.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is interactive, supportive, and empowering. She focuses on strengths and works collaboratively to build practical steps forward.

How much experience does she have?

She has 22 years of experience providing therapy in a variety of settings, including work with trauma, relationship issues, and life transitions.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in Hawaii. The credential listed is HI LMFT.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

She is not currently accepting international clients.

What session formats are available?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.

How does cost and scheduling work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select Start Therapy, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Contacting this therapist

Sessions with Jennifer are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Jennifer where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.

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