Hello...I am Jamie and I am a Marriage and Family Therapist in Florida. I have my Masters degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, along with a certification in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of South Florida. I am licensed in the state of Florida and also have my Master Addictions Professional certification from the Florida Certification Board. I have been working in the field for over 25 years, though as a therapist specifically for about 21 years. I am currently in private practice in Gulfport, Florida and see clients both virtually and in-person.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
I am a very laid-back therapist and in my first session with a client, my goal is to get to know my client for who they are and not their symptoms. I want to know about my clients' experiences and knowledge, what motivates them and what scares them, and what makes them who they are. I spend time asking questions about a new client's life and how certain things impact their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, as well, as a way to get to know and understand that person so I can better help them. I also ask for feedback from my new clients on what they want to work on and set goals for our sessions to develop a framework for moving forward. I am known to give an occasional homework assignment, sometimes on the first session if it's an assessment but otherwise not right away.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I believe that my biggest strength as a therapist is that I am easy to talk to. I make my clients feel comfortable and cared for because I do genuinely care. My time with my clients is sacred and I dedicate that time solely to our work together with the client being my only focus. I think my warmth and authenticity are definitely at the top of my strengths list as a therapist.
About Jamie Klemzak
Address
2309 49th Street South, Gulfport, FL, USAAppointments
Virtual & in-person
My treatment methods
EMDR
I have been using EMDR for about 18 years and I find it is not only highly effective for treating trauma, but also very effective with depression, phobias, grief, panic disorder, addictions, and changing attachment-based/childhood incurred belief systems. I have used EMDR with a variety of clients for these and other issues and tend to see benefits quickly.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT as a "go-to" therapy when I run into clients experiencing challenges within their cognitive triangle, meaning their thoughts feelings, and behaviors do not match or are negative and they are ready to change them. I believe CBT is highly effective in identifying cognitive distortions and working through some of the typical dilemmas we find when our thoughts and/or feelings lead us to risky, impulsive, or generally poor choices for behaviors.
Couples Counseling
I have been working with couples experiencing issues ranging from financial disagreements to infidelity, though find the biggest concern identified is a lack of effective communication. I have helped couples to improve how they communicate regarding daily life, as well as how they communicate their love to one another and address concerns and issues without being hurtful.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I use DBT with clients who are struggling to regulate emotional extremes, whither it be severe anxiety, anger, or any other emotion that is causing a great deal of pain to that person. DBT is a highly effective set of tools I use with clients and teach them to practice as a way they can work to better manage their emotions and handle difficult situations in a healthy way.
Grief Therapy
When someone experiences a loss, whether it be an important person, a pet, a job, a relationship, or anything else that was important to that person, I believe it is important for that person to be able to talk about the loss and feel supported. I have worked with many grieving individuals, many who did not realize they were grieving at the time, to identify the stages of grief and how they experience them, address ways they can move past the loss, and work on ways to celebrate the life of the person they survived (in cases of deaths).
