Jessica Cusimano, Psy.D. 

I didn’t originally set out with the intention of becoming a therapist. When I was a senior in high school, my plan was to double major in French and Spanish in college, then become a high school foreign language teacher. Ironically, I chose a college that didn’t offer any foreign language courses. Why? Because when I toured the campus, it just felt right. My intuition told me that was the place I was supposed to be. As I spent the summer before starting college contemplating what I was going to do with the rest of my life, I reflected on what it was about teaching I was originally drawn to. I realized what I really wanted to do was help others (yes, this is the stereotypical therapist answer, and yes it also happens to be true). Specifically, I was far more interested in helping others navigate challenges in their lives, emotional or otherwise, than I was helping others learn to conjugate foreign verbs (no shade to verb conjugation, as a language nerd, it’s something I still enjoy doing).

 

Over the next few years, I worked towards my Bachelors of Arts in both Psychology and Art Therapy at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, OH. Spending my college years immersed in a combination of the fine arts, art therapy, and traditional psychology gave me a strong foundation for developing a flexible, creative, and balanced approach to my clinical practice. It also gave me the tools to help clients access and express emotions in alternative ways, when the words won’t come or won’t suffice.

 

During my time in college, I also spent 3 years with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, first as a volunteer, and then as a full-time employee. As a Crisis Intervention Specialist in the 24-hour Services department, I staffed their text/chat/phone hotline, as well as meeting survivors of sexual assault at hospitals or police stations to provide support and advocacy while they were undergoing SANE exams and/or the process of reporting to law enforcement. My work with CRCC further strengthened my passion for working with survivors of sexual violence and the communities that support them. It also gave me an opportunity to begin developing what are often referred to as “soft” therapy skills. Don’t let the name fool you. These, in my opinion at least, are the most important skills a therapist can learn. I developed the ability to build strong rapport in a short amount of time. I continued refining my ability to do so during my formal clinical training during and after grad school. Building and maintaining strong rapport and a sense of safety in the therapeutic space is absolutely paramount which is why I continue to prioritize these aspects in every session I do.

 

After undergrad, I attended William James College in the Boston area and received my doctorate (PsyD). The clinical PsyD program at William James is generalist, meaning I received education and training in several different therapy modalities. I was trained to work with individuals across the lifespan, as well as with an array of clinical presentations. I began my clinical rotations in my second week of grad school and completed over 3000 hours of supervised clinical work during my time there. I had the chance to train in various settings including residential treatment, therapeutic day school, university counseling, and private practice. I completed my pre-doctoral internship at Bowling Green State University, in their university counseling center.

 

During my post-doctoral internship at the Center for Evidence Based Treatment, I received formal training in a number of different therapeutic modalities including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) for both adolescents and adults, Medical DBT (MED-DBT), the Unified Protocol for both adolescents and Adults (UP and UP-A), Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E), and Family Based Treatment (FBT). Additionally, I completed the introductory and advanced training in DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE) with Melanie Harned, PhD. In addition to the evidence-based treatment modalities already listed, I have training and experience providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). While I consider myself a generalist practitioner, there are some concerns I’m particularly passionate about. These include post-traumatic stress disorder and complex trauma, ADHD, borderline personality disorder, emotional dysregulation, suicidality and self-harm, eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and women’s issues.

 

Since coming to LakeWest in June 2025, I’ve continued sharpening my skills providing DBT and other evidence based treatments. Having grown up on the west side of Cleveland, I’ve loved having the opportunity to provide services to other members of my community and look forward to continuing to do so! As a therapist, I strive to be personable, approachable, genuine, and relatable. I want people to feel like and know they’re talking to a real human. Not a brick wall. Not a blank slate. Not a robot. Having spent thousands of hours on both sides of the chair (both as client and therapist), I have a keen sense of how sacred, scary, transformative, gutwrenching, and healing therapy can be. My promise to all my clients is that I will show up as my full, authentic, fallible yet professional self to each and every session. I will do my best to meet you exactly where you are and continue to stay by your side for the duration of your journey.