Specializing in cancer related trauma, terminal illness, and end-of-life preparation

The existential crisis brought on by a serious physical health diagnosis can create depression, anxiety, isolation, hopelessness, relationship concerns, and difficulty finding meaning and purpose. Emotional healing is possible and you deserve support as you navigate this new version of yourself.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Grief Counselor in Kansas and Missouri. I live in North Kansas City with my husband, cat, and dog. I received my Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Central Missouri in 2011 and Master of Social Work in 2013 at the University of Missouri. In July 2022, I completed the End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate from the University of Vermont. I was also chosen as a fellow with Ease, a digital healthcare company that assists in launching and managing private practice services.

Jena Fouraker

MSW, LCSW, LSCSW

I’ve worked in community mental health my entire career. My clients have ranged from adults with severe and persistent mental illness to higher functioning depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use. I have practiced in community, outpatient, inpatient, and correctional settings. My personal experience with cancer gave me the gift of clarity to shift my focus and offer support to others during and/or after treatment. I started Transitions Psychotherapy and End-of-Life Doula services after breast cancer turned my life upside down. I had a false belief that after cancer treatment I would feel like a Disney character, joyfully walking through the woods singing to the birds with an appreciation for life. In reality, life after treatment was the opposite. I experienced anxiety and depression on a new level. I felt like a stranger in my own body and life. As if someone scooped me up off my path and beat me up physically, emotionally, and spiritually then slammed me back down and expected me to be oriented. I had to learn how to navigate the bumpy road to my center and get to know this new me.

A version I now love and appreciate more than ever.

Experience

EDUCATION

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker
    (LCSW) - Missouri

  • Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker
    (LSCSW) - Kansas

  • Certified Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist (CAGCS)

  • End-of-Life Doula (EOLD) Professional Certificate

Therapeutic

Modalities

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Dignity Therapy

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

  • Holistic Therapy

  • Person-Centered Therapy

Meet the Team

  • Kit Kat

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

    Somehow figured out how to be in charge of everything while doing absolutely nothing.

    Typical boss.

  • Lucy

    Chief Operating Officer (COO)

    Adorable but unapproachable. Given the position because her mom owns the company.

    Spoiled and lazy.

OfferinGS

PSYCHOTHERAPY

All appointments are held via telehealth, using HIPAA compliant software. Initially, we will setup a free consultation to discuss needs and determine if it's a good therapist-client fit. Then we will schedule an intake assessment and determine weekly or bi-monthly appointment times going forward.

My approach pulls from various modalities including Narrative Therapy, Dignity Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Holistic Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy.

Above all else, I aim to hear your experiences in your words and allow you the space to grow and heal.

END-OF-LIFE DOULA

Ignoring the reality that we are all going to die does not make it go away, and facing it does not make it happen sooner. As a society, we tend to avoid this inevitable truth because it makes us uncomfortable. Maybe you are in a stage of acceptance or a stage of denial, or likely you vacillate between both spaces.

EOLD is an additional skill set I offer to support you and your loved ones to prepare for and during the dying process. Much like a birth plan, identifying where and how you want to die by creating a death plan can help you regain some sense of control.

  • Explore your values and beliefs about death

  • Process emotions and feelings

  • Provide grief counseling to loved ones

  • Explore life history and work and identify what to pass down

  • Create Legacy Projects

  • Vigil Planning and Sitting

We cannot stop it, but we can love ourselves through it.

"An end-of-life doula guides a person who is transitioning to death and their loved ones through the dying process... The doula will provide emotional, spiritual, and physical support to everyone involved. Above all, the doula listens deeply to the concerns, fears, hopes, and life stories of the dying person and their loved ones to bring them peace at the end of life."

INELDA

Legacy Project

Life Review Interview Clip

Session Costs

It is important to me to remain accessible and be transparent about costs, especially for individuals consumed by the healthcare system. I am currently paneled with the insurance companies below. I also accept private pay clients and a sliding scale fee is an option we can discuss during consultation.

PRIVATE PAY

INTAKE ASSESSMENTS (60-90 minutes): $125

THERAPY SESSION (55-60 minutes): $100

INSURANCE

Cigna
Aetna
Optum/United Healthcare

Contact ME

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or additional referrals.

Call, text, or email, or fill out the form below.
I will respond within 24 business hours.

jena@transitionskc.com
(816) 895-2533

Psychology Today Profile