Jennifer Williams Buffalo (She/Her)
MA, LPC-S, LMFT
EMDR Certified
EMDRIA Consultant-in-Training
Jennifer Williams Buffalo (She/Her) is a licensed professional counselor, approved supervisor, and licensed marriage and family therapist dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives through experienced mental health treatment. She is the proud owner and founder of Luminary Counseling, PLLC, which has become one of Austin’s most supportive practices for trauma treatment, LGBTQ+ folx, and people experiencing grief and loss. The practice is also a highly sought-after externship site for LPC-Associates and a supportive clinical space for fully licensed clinicians.
Jennifer’s journey to becoming a counselor started with her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology, focusing on pre-law coursework from the University of Texas at Austin. She later pursued an Advanced Conflict Resolution graduate certificate program for mediation and negotiation at St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX. Through her life experiences, she discovered that supporting people in resolving conflict with less adversarial means could result in more meaningful and healing resolutions. This work could facilitate relational repair and allow people to move forward with their lives more authentically. Jennifer graduated with her Master’s in Counseling from St. Edward’s University in 2010. She became a licensed professional counselor in 2013 and a licensed marriage and family therapist in 2015.
With over 15 years of education and training in an integrative clinical approach, Jennifer is a certified EMDR practitioner who provides highly customized therapy that is rooted in science and research, deeply relational, and aimed at co-determining goals and a course of action for attaining said goals. What sets Jennifer apart is her heart for supporting people in understanding the true definition of “trauma” and how it impacts our daily lives. Her work flourishes with individuals and relationships where one or more members of the system have experienced trauma. Jennifer specializes in working with clients who have already invested time in their personal/relational therapeutic journey, but her gentle and compassionate approach makes her work accessible to anyone.
Jennifer is completing coursework toward her doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision with a specialization in trauma and crisis at Walden University.
Specializations
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
- LGBTQ+ Counseling
- Marriage Counseling
- Relationship Issues
- Trauma and Abuse Counseling
Populations of Interest
- Adults
- Couples/relationship
- LGBTQ+ Individuals
- Diverse Relationship Structures (ex: Polyamory or ethical non-monogamy)
- Individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Individuals with Relationship Issues
- Individuals with Identity Issues (e.g., racial, ethnic, religious, sexual)
Fees
$250 for 45-55 minute session
Delivery Method of Services and Languages Spoken
Telehealth in English
Personal Identities
I am a queer cis-female who has experienced chronic illness, burnout, PTSD, depression, and anxiety. I am a therapist who attends my own therapy, and I believe every therapist should be in therapy!
Educational and Work Background
I have worked for as long as I can remember and always had an entrepreneurial spirit. In fact, I started my first business making and selling custom jewelry when I was just in high school. Throughout my young life, I worked as a swim instructor, camp counselor, and tutor. Later, I worked in the service industry to put myself through college and graduate school, and then I worked in the non-profit sector for almost a decade. I founded Luminary Counseling in 2011 to provide high-quality mental health counseling and training to marginalized people seeking a different experience.
Hobbies or Personal Interests
I enjoy traveling and seeing the world outside the cities and states where I grew up. I have traveled through over 40 countries and 5 continents. My favorite countries to visit are Spain, Mexico, and Germany. In addition to traveling, you can find me in my garden, hiking, cooking, or hanging out with my life partner and my dogs: Klaus, Pepperoni, George, and Baxter.
Why Did you Become a Therapist?
I became a therapist to support and advocate for marginalized people who are healing from traumatic experiences. In my life, I have experienced trauma in the form of discrimination, inequity, and bullying. I have worked in spaces where abuses of power were common in the leadership, and marginalized people were further ostracized and discriminated against. Throughout my healing journey, I received therapy that was not affirming of my queer identity. I desire to provide a corrective experience for people who have been mistreated, abused, or unseen in their lives and support them in living in a more meaningful and connected way.
Make An Appointment
Fill out our form today for a free 30-minute face-to-face consultation from any of our therapists!
Call us at 512-657-7744 for more information.