Jason Koch
Dr. Jason Koch is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with adults facing a wide range of emotional and life challenges. With experience supporting people through anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship difficulties, and periods of personal growth or uncertainty, Dr.
I believe each person is unique and often holds answers they haven't fully discovered yet, so we begin by exploring your experiences, patterns, and goals together.
Koch provides a thoughtful and supportive space for meaningful change.
First session
In the first session I will share some basic information about psychotherapy such as what to expect and your rights as a patient. Then we discuss what brought you in and explore your mental health history. Ultimately by the end of the first session, we will have a rough idea of what we want to accomplish even if that is just to get more perspective on the problem.
Strengths
I take an eclectic approach to therapy, drawing from multiple evidence-based modalities. I believe each person is unique and often holds answers they haven't fully discovered yet, so we begin by exploring your experiences, patterns, and goals together. Once we've found what you want to change, we can map out a path from where you are to where you'd like to be.
Ideal clients
I have significant training to treat anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD. I've worked with a variety of cases from sexual assault survivors or combat veterans to cases of social anxiety or depression. I also have specialized training working with older adults and those with a complex medical background. My scholarly and clinical interests intersect in adapting treatments to those with cognitive or physical limitations, and in helping caregivers working with complex patients.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
We explore the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while creating a detailed picture of what behavior we want to change. Often, we learn things (coping strategies, expectations etc.) and they become automatic or reflexive. It isn't until we look at them in the light of day that it becomes clear why they might not serve us as well as they could. CBT is kind of a systematic way to update these old reflexes. It is also a toolkit for creating new behaviors and ways to view experiences that result in a better quality of life.
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
Traumatic experiences leave a lasting impact on the way we view the world, other people, and our selves. Situations in which we always felt safe, no longer feel so. People we thought we could trust turn out to be unreliable or potentially threatening. How much should you adjust the way you see the world after having one of these experiences? In cognitive processing therapy, we explore your beliefs, views of others and of yourself both before and after the traumatic experience to reestablish balance and improve quality of life.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
You have a problem, it gets in the way of how you want to live your life, robs you of joy and prevents you from getting what you want. You've tried many things to fix the problem, but they aren't helpful, sometimes they even make things worse. Acceptance and commitment therapy is designed with the idea in mind that we often contribute to our problems in ways that we find difficult to notice on our own. Its about learning to increase flexibility so that we might see a new way out of the hole we've dug ourself into.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Do you remember what you had for breakfast three days ago? Unless it was a special occasion you probably don't. How about where you were when 9/11 happened or what the weather was like the first time you got your heart broken? I bet you do remember even if it was years before that forgettable breakfast from the other day. Strong emotions make strong memories, and a traumatic experience makes memories so strong that when they come to mind it can be very distressing. It can even feel like you are reliving them again. Sometimes they can be brought to mind by a smell, music, a similar situation, and it ruins your whole day. You avoid going places, and you try not to watch shows that could remind you. Even years afterward that traumatic experience is still taking bites our of your life. Prolonged exposure is a well-researched 8 to 12 session treatment that robs the traumatic memory of its power. We confront it together and take back those bites out of your life. It can be challenging, but it works.
Supportive
Sometimes we have to endure difficult periods of life: a divorce, a loved one with a chronic illness, a challenging period at work and many more. The stress threatens to overwhelm us, and we try to cope in the best way we know how. It can be useful to have someone to check in with. Someone with training to recognize when maladaptive coping strategies are taking root, or to encourage you to draw boundaries even when doing so makes you feel guilty. This too shall pass, but there is no shame in getting a little help to get through it.
Location
Virtual sessions
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Doesn't specialize in
Licensed in
- IllinoisLicense 071023552
- South CarolinaLicense 1989