Dr. Jessica Gladden has a Ph.D. in Social Work from Michigan State University and an M.S.W. from Grand Valley State University. She earned her B.A. from Cornerstone University with a major in music. Dr. Gladden has a variety of clinical experience in private practice with Fountain Hill Center for Counseling and Consultation, teaching trauma informed yoga at Grand Rapids Healing Yoga, founder and executive director of Thrive: A Refugee Support Program and as a therapist at the YWCA and several other agencies.
Dr. Gladden has multiple publications and multiple presentations on a wide variety of topics. She is certified in trauma sensitive yoga and as a clinical trauma professional. Her current research interests are in the areas of refugee coping skills, using open resource education tools and the use of somatic interventions such as yoga in clinical treatment.