Jennifer Martin Rieck
Hi, I am Jenn, and I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and the owner of Epijennetics Counseling and Consulting in Libertyville, Illinois.. You can read more about my work and practice at www.epijennetics.com.
Clients typically begin to be more self-aware immediately after learning their Schema Assessment results and continue to improve, often decreasing their session frequency by three months.
As a therapist, I hold the belief that we cannot fully understand mental health without first understanding the impact of our stories, our relationships, and our beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world. I am passionate about helping clients increase their self-awareness of these things so that they are more in touch with their feelings, needs, and desires, and are more equipped with the knowledge and tools to create the life that they want. By utilizing assessments such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to better understand personality and the Young Schema Assessment to explore harmful thoughts and beliefs that came from previous experiences and messages received during childhood years, I help clients discover hidden obstacles that keep them from having the life they dream of. I have found that when we put in the work to make sense of ourselves and our stories, we not only heal and grow ourselves but also develop more compassion and increased understanding of others. Often this growth and healing process lessens mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression and improves overall quality of life, as well as relationship quality. If you are interested in doing some exploring, I would love to hear from you! (Please make an in-office appointment if you are booking Couple or Family therapy sessions.)
First session
In our first session together I have clients complete the Beck Anxiety and Beck Depression Inventories to better understand their symptoms and get a baseline to track progress. We then go through a thorough history to help me better understand where they are coming from and then I provide them with the Young Schema Assessment to complete at home before our next session.
Strengths
My biggest strength is my love for people. I enjoy hearing people's stories, helping them put words to their experiences, thoughts, and feelings, and coming up with creative strategies to help them get where they want to go. I have a lot of hope for people and their process of healing and nothing makes me happier than lending them my hope until they create their own. I see people grow and change and recover every day and I count that to be one of the greatest joys in my life.
Ideal clients
I work with adolescents and adults who are experiencing relationship distress, self-esteem problems, anxiety, depression, codependent or self-sacrificing relationship styles, or who have experienced narcissistic abuse.
Origin story
I came into this profession after spending the first quarter of my life deeply confused by the experiences I had growing up and by the relationships in my life at that time. I had significant relationships with individuals with personality disorders and, through experiencing those relationships, I developed a deep interest in understanding the complexity of individuals and relationships. Specifically, I was intrigued to learn ways to help others shift the focus away from the pain others cause to the ways in which individuals can engage while still having clarity and maintaining boundaries. Once I started to make sense out of things I had experienced I wanted to help others gain the same peace and clarity. I went back to graduate school and eventually learned about Schema Therapy, which is the theory of counseling that I feel best fits with my perspective on relationships and mental health. Not only does it apply to most individuals who come to counseling, but it is a gracious way to understand and empathize with others, while understanding the changes and shifts that will bring the most healing and growth to ourselves.
Treatment methods
Schema Therapy
Schema Therapy is a wonderful way to determine specific areas of focus and uncover problematic beliefs. Schema Therapy begins with an assessment that gives a clear picture of the beliefs, thoughts, and feelings that you likely experience. Individuals who have tried counseling in the past and haven't been helped often report that Schema Therapy gave them a much clearer idea of what changes they needed to make in order to feel better. Schema Therapy is also very non-stigmatizing as it looks for early childhood messages that have impacted how we feel about ourselves, others, and the world, and helps to heal those beliefs.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a perfect supplement to Schema Therapy as it helps individuals to notice their feelings and understand and accept them without judgment. ACT is great for addressing anxiety as well as other distressing feelings that often are a byproduct of the beliefs we have (schemas).
Location
Virtual sessions
In-person sessions1232 American Way, Libertyville, IL 60048