Meet Jennifer Vigil | Jennifer Vigil, Marriage and Family Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Vigil and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, what role has risk played in your life or career?
In the realm of therapy we use the term emotional risks a lot, which has been a pivotal thing for me to incorporate as a therapist, but in my personal life as well. As a beginner therapist I thought I always had to do and say the right thing to be helpful or proficient. Once I took the risk of allowing people to see me as my authentic self, I realized that was the key to healing. I’ve noticed when I take emotional risks with my clients, and with the people in my life, it only brings us closer together. As for other risks in life that aren’t so vulnerable, I love to take them and have no problem doing so!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am currently an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, so I completed my master’s degree in May of 2022 and am about to finish my hours needed to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I think what sets me apart from others is the opportunity I have had to hold many roles at the organization I work for. So while holding the role of a therapist, I am also the Director of DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging), and a mentor for oncoming trainees who are still in their master or doctoral programs. I think if you were to objectively look at my job anyone would say it’s challenging, but when you have the right support system it makes the challenging moments so much easier. Knowing I have a team of colleagues going though similar experiences makes every day of my job exciting and special. Sometimes I even feel weird even calling it a job, some days it feels like an enjoyable experience where I get to learn so much about myself, my clients, and my team.
A lesson and a challenge I’ve learned along the way, is to really lean and accept the support I have, versus trying to tackle everything on my own. With that comes a lot of vulnerability but the outcome is so worth it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a big deep sea fisher, so I would definitely take a friend off the coast for a long day of Tuna fishing. I’m a huge fan of live music, maybe take them to The Casbah for a show, grab some drinks at Aero Club, and eat anywhere that has a good burrito!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Everyone that I work with at Stronger Together Community Services are truly some of the most special people I have ever met, and getting to work with those on the leadership team specifically is such an inspiring experience. When I was in undergrad I would envision my dream job as a place where I got to theorize ways to help people live more fulfilling and happy lives. At Stronger Together I not only get to theorize, but I get to put my ideas into action with like minded people who prioritize embodying and creating change versus talking about change. This of course could not happen without the founder of Stronger Together, and my amazing supervisor Dr. Allison Brownlee. She has provided me with so many opportunities to stretch myself in ways I never knew I could. Being able to collaborate together and put our ideas into action in the community is such an honor.

Website: https://strongertogethersd.org/

Instagram: strongertogether_sd

Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/jennifer-vigil-san-diego-ca/1038044

Image Credits
Stacey Taylor Photography