Counselor Spotlight: Jillian
Jillian Dilworth, LAC shares her counseling journey.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a south Jersey native who grew up as one of five kids in a home that loved music, God, and being together as a family. I attended public school up until college, at which time I studied at Cairn University for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I met my husband, Noah, at Cairn through our shared love of music and choir participation. Prior to being a counselor, I worked in various office and administrative settings both in college and out. At church, I have served in administrative roles, small-group leadership, and worship team. I am an introvert to my core, but I love to talk deeply about theology, politics, books, psychology, and current events, especially to gain deeper understanding and sharpen my critical thinking skills.
What do you do for fun?
To be honest, I have way too many interests. I love good coffee, reading, singing, traveling, video games, puzzles, and of course, Jesus. In my everyday life, I love spending time with my husband. We take walks together, sing, find new coffee shops to visit, and we love to go to Disney World whenever we get the chance! I’m an avid reader of mainly fiction, but now and again I’ll venture into the world of non-fiction, both for professional development and to learn something new. With my friends, I can often be found staying up way too late playing a new video game or trying to fit in just one more round of Magic: The Gathering. I maintain my love of music by singing with the Greater South Jersey Chorus, which I’ve been a part of since 2020 as a soprano. Finally, I love experiencing new parts of the world, especially via food, a passion of mine that began in college when I visited Hong Kong and later studied abroad in Italy. One question I love to answer is where to find good coffee; you’ll never find me at a loss for recommendations.
Favorite book, movie, or artist?
This is always an impossible question to answer. For the past few years, I’ve been really enjoying the works of Brandon Sanderson, in particular his series The Stormlight Archive, which I spent most of 2025 working my way through. I highly recommend it if you enjoy reading epic fantasy!
What does your ideal day look like?
My ideal day would be a warm summer day on the beach with a good book. Hearing the waves lapping at the shore and feeling the sunshine on my face makes me feel at peace. If my closest friends and family were hanging out with me and I had a latte to drink, it would be perfect.
Do you have any pets?
Technically, no. Unless you count my husband’s large plant collection. If that doesn’t count, at my parents’ house we have the cutest corgi, Trevi (the champion fetch player), and a green-cheeked conure (bird), Juco, both of whom have my heart.
Cake or pie?
Neither is my first choice of dessert. If my previous answers didn’t give it away, I’m a bit of a food snob; I’ll pick whatever is the best quality option in the room. Probably I would have to go with cake, but if there’s a good southern key lime pie or pecan pie, I’m going with that all day.
What was your journey to becoming a counselor?
Growing up, I always dreamed of being a doctor. Unfortunately, that dream quickly came to an end once I realized the sight of blood and needles made me ill. Later, when I began applying to colleges, I planned to major in music performance. But for some reason, I felt uneasy each time I completed an audition or filled out an application. Despite years of music involvement and experience, I couldn’t shake the feeling that music was not my true aspiration. I remember one specific moment where, as if led by the Holy Spirit, I was filling out a college application and found myself checking off the box for a psychology major, seemingly on a whim. Ultimately, this led me to Cairn University where I studied psychology (with a minor in music; couldn’t quite let it go!).
My time at Cairn was incredibly formative. I wrestled deeply with faith and purpose for several years as I attended, and I really came to terms with what I believed and why. The faith I had grown up with as a pastor’s kid in the church had grown tenuous during my teenage years and it took me some time to come back to Jesus on my own. I later attended graduate school at Cairn to study counseling, and the wrestling I had already begun deepened as I was forced to face the innermost parts of myself and decide who I wanted to be. I learned what it meant to experience the Holy Spirit, and I realized that when I stopped trying so hard to be competent and submitted to Him, the capacity for deep, healing change was limitless. My life changed through that time and I found my passion for healing.
As someone who struggles with anxiety and fear, I think ultimately it was the honesty and openness that made counseling appeal to me. It’s a relief to let down your guard and discover the truth of your own heart, to have a space where you don’t have to hide or pretend to be more than you are. In doing so, it allowed me (and I think it helps me allow others) to grow and live genuinely.
Describe your approach to counseling.
Put simply, I approach counseling to help others become more aware of why they do what they do, decide if they’re okay with that, and make changes where needed. Obviously there’s a lot more to it than that, but I help people connect with those under-the-surface parts of themselves. I lean into reflective questions and will challenge my clients to ponder and wonder about themselves. While doing this, I maintain a stance of nonjudgment, and collaboration is super important in this process, especially as I teach my clients to remove shame, learn new tools for coping, and take the smallest, easiest step forward towards change. Together, we recognize present patterns and connect those patterns to the past, all in an effort to intentionally approach choices in the future. I seek to offer a patient, steady, and honest approach that embodies deep respect for those who are brave enough to be vulnerable in the counseling room. In doing so, my goal is to help those I work with gain a greater sense of agency and awareness in their own life. Often, I find that people can get so clouded in their view of self and others (like I was) that they don’t even realize they’re not fully present in their own life.
What areas of counseling are you most passionate about?
I deeply enjoy doing trauma work. Many times, when sharing their story, clients will say something like, “I’m sure you’ll have to hit the bar when you’re done with this session,” or remark on how bizarre their particular story must be. I have to hold my tongue to resist responding with, “If you only knew some of the stories I’ve heard”. But I love it! I do not feel afraid to sit with someone and uncover the deepest suffering they’ve experienced, and I feel honored to hold that space with them as we work through the impact of that suffering. For many, life feels incredibly dark and lonely after experiencing something unimaginable. If I can sit in that darkness and help someone find light, it is a privilege. Especially for those brave enough to risk hoping again. Collaborating with hurt people to understand their story and take those first steps forward into hope is deep but meaningful work to me.
I also love working with teens. The teenage years were really hard for me, and I would have benefited from having a space where I could struggle through all of my worry, uncertainty, and uncomfortable questions. Adolescence is such a difficult time, and sometimes I think we as adults forget how hard it is to be a teenager. I have a passion for helping teens work through their natural identity development, and I enjoy exploring honestly with them.
In both these populations, I believe offering a calm, nonreactive, and nonjudgmental environment where one can safely and honestly open up is crucial for moving forward.
Any advice for someone considering becoming a counselor?
Do your homework. It sounds cliché, but the counseling profession involves a ton of work and a long process with many hoops to get through. Without a good understanding of how to practically arrive at your goal and the tenacity to see it through, your own passion may not hold up to the demands of the process. If you’re thinking about being a counselor, talk to someone in the field and ask them about their journey. What did it take for them to get where they are today? What were the different steps in the process? Counseling isn’t the only place where you can help others, be a good listener, and engage with people’s stories, so make sure you’re ready to do the work that this particular field requires before you choose it.