Why work with Jessica?
Jessica doesn’t approach trauma as something to be managed, overridden, or “fixed.”
She works from the understanding that trauma lives in patterns — in the nervous system, in relationships, and in the ways people learned to survive when safety wasn’t available. Her work is less about pushing for change and more about creating enough safety and precision for change to happen organically.
Jessica is especially skilled at working with people who are high-functioning on the outside but internally exhausted, sensitive, or fragmented — often because they learned early how to adapt, perform, or stay responsible in difficult environments. Rather than asking clients to override their instincts, she helps them learn to listen to what their system has been trying to communicate all along.
Her approach integrates EMDR, extended processing sessions, hypnosis, and somatic work, but what clients often notice most is the quality of attention she brings. She is careful, relational, and attuned — able to hold complexity without rushing resolution.
People often come to Jessica after other approaches haven’t quite fit. They leave with a clearer relationship to themselves, their bodies, and their lives — and with changes that feel earned, stable, and real.
When Jessica isn't working, she can be found with her nose in a book, exploring various aspects of the human experience such as the healing arts, ancient religion, evolutionary spirituality, consciousness studies, and mystical Christianity. Sometimes, you will find her on the front porch of her home writing a folk song on her guitar or her Native American flute. In fact, she is also a published and award winning singer-songwriter, who in her younger years opened for various artists including Sixpence None the Richer.
Jessica lives in the lake country of northeast Indiana with her husband of 20 years, their 3 eclectically-educated young adult children, and their english-creme Golden Retriever named Queso.
HOLISTIC EMDR THERAPIST
While Jessica uses a number of different counseling methods in her practice, she has found herself specializing as a holistic EMDR therapist which she uses in both in-person sessions as well as virtually via teletherapy.
EMDR is a popular form of mental health therapy used to help heal from traumatic events. Known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR provides a structured process where a patient focuses on a traumatic event while experiencing “bilateral stimulation”, which just means that both the left and the right hemispheres of the body/brain are stimulated in a rhythmic fashion, usually using a technique like the butterfly hug.
This technique, using bilateral stimulation while focusing on a traumatic memory, has several wonderful effects. One, it helps the brain stay distracted long enough to be able to focus on a trauma without being overwhelmed, and two, by helping the client stay anchored in the present moment, it helps the brain recognize that the event was in the past - and that the event is truly over once and for all! This is great news for clients who have had the miserable experiencing of feeling like they are reliving a traumatic experience, or of being constantly “triggered” by reminders of hurtful events.
If you are motivated to make big changes in your life, Jessica would love to meet with you. You can discuss your symptoms and together decide on a game-plan to tackle the trauma that may be contributing to your suffering. Jessica is forthright with every client: therapy can be a time-consuming, expensive, and emotional experience; but the results of doing the work are so, so worth it.
Qualifications
Jessica is a licensed clinical mental health counselor with interdisciplinary training spanning mental health counseling, integrative approaches to wellness, and spiritual formation. She holds a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Purdue University Fort Wayne and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from Bethel University, with undergraduate training in Biblical Studies from Taylor University. Jessica is EMDR trained, and has completed advanced training in the treatment of complex trauma, dissociation, and psychophysiologic disorders. Her clinical approach integrates EMDR, extended processing sessions, hypnosis, somatic and nervous system–based interventions, sandtray and play-based methods, and principles of integrative and nutritional mental health. She is credentialed as a Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider (CMHIMP) through the Dr. Leslie Korn’s Institute for Integrative Medicine and brings over 17 years of experience integrating psychological, relational, and embodied approaches to mental health healing.
Curriculum Vitae
Bachelor of Arts, Biblical Studies. Taylor University. 2001.
Master of Arts, Pastoral Ministry. Bethel University. 2015.
Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy Training & Certification. 2017.
Sandtray, level 1: Basic Tools & Methods. Inner Resources Training Institute. 2021.
Sandtray, level 2: Integration & Theory. Inner Resources Training Institute. 2021.
EMDR, Basic Training, EMDRIA-approved trainer. 2021.
Master of Education, Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Purdue University, Fort Wayne. 2022.
Psychophysiologic Disorders - Intro, Intermediate, and Advanced. 2022.
Nutritional Essentials. Dr. Leslie Korn. 2023.
Nutritional & Integrative Medicine for Mental Health. Dr. Leslie Korn. 2023.
Inner Influencing. 2024.
Sandtray, level 3: Clinical Skills. Inner Resources Training Institute. 2024.
Cultural Competence, Community, & Art. Inner Resources Training Institute. 2023.
Uncommon Therapy, Hypnosis Training. 2023.
Resourcing for Dissociation as a Focus of Treatment, EMDRIA-approved Trainer. 2023.
Child-Centered Play Therapy 101, Lipscomb University Center for Play Therapy & Expressive Arts. 2025.
Child-Centered Play Therapy 102, Lipscomb University Center for Play Therapy & Expressive Arts. 2025.
Parts at Play: Integrating Dissociation Theory and Play Therapy with EMDR, EMDRIA-approved Trainer. 2025.
Polyvagal Puppet Play - Neuroscience, EMDR, and Ception PuppetsTM Fun, EMDRIA-approved Trainer. 2025.
Therapeutic Challenges in the Application of EMDR Therapy to Complex Trauma Cases, EMDRIA-approved Trainer. 2025.
Introduction to Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT). 2025.
Parents in the Process of Playful EMDR with Kids (EMDRIA-approved Trainer). 2025.
