With an MAAT in Art Therapy and Emphasis in Counseling from Saint Mary of the Woods College in 2024, Jessica’s graduate studies were focused on women in midlife experiencing body image disturbance and her research study showed that a practice of physical artmaking improved participant’s trust in their bodies and helped them feel more at home in their own skin (Croker, 2024).  She also has experience working with military connected individuals and groups in a traumatic brain injury clinic, and in inpatient psychiatric and residential units and facilities with mental health and substance abuse.

Jessica’s approach to working with clients is informed by ACT, DBT, polyvagal theory, and somatic awareness. She is also trained in Brainspotting.

In her free time, Jessica loves practicing yoga, making art, playing music, and exploring the outdoors with her husband, 2 children living at home, and 4 kids who have flown the coop.

Reference:

Croker, Jessica L. (2024). Exploring the Experience of Embodiment through Somatic Art Therapy: A Quantitative Research Study. https://smwc.hykucommons.org/concern/etds/4bb8da24-df07-4053-86df-3fd5fc56b83d?locale=en

Whether we meet in my office or virtually, I hold space for you to slow down, be deeply seen, and experience yourself in new ways. My work centers on supporting you to develop greater self-awareness and self-compassion so that you can be present, identify what matters, and start to align your actions with who you want to be. As you become more self- aware, you bring unconsious patterns into conscious awareness where you have greater ability to choose and change.

I draw from several evidence-based frameworks, including person-centered therapy, mindfulness-based approaches (ACT and DBT), parts work, and somatic (body-based) methods. I integrate art therapy when it serves you. Most of all, I try to be genuinely present — because that is what I believe makes therapy actually work.