My name is Jessica Vermaak, I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Qualified Supervisor through the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling as well as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and MFT Board. My approach to therapy begins with client-centered care. I utilize various therapeutic frameworks to ensure that our sessions are collaborative.
During the first session with me, clients should expect to establish rapport, set expectations, and provide some background information on why they are seeking therapy. I will begin with a warm, welcoming introduction to ensure that clients are comfortable. I will explain my client-centered and collaborative approach to our sessions and create a safe space for the client. We will discuss confidentiality and boundaries as well as goal setting. Aside from discussing background information, we will also clarify the client's expectations.
Like many therapists, I was drawn to this field to help others. I have struggled with my own mental health issues that have shaped me into the person I am today. I was eager to learn how to resolve and change the things that I saw didn't serve me in life and work towards creating a life that I am proud of. A life that gives me satisfaction. As a professional, I want to help others on their path towards a better life with an increased level of satisfaction. Improving lives drives me to do what I do.
I feel that it is important to establish an alliance, first and foremost. I believe that as a therapist, it is important for me to create an environment that is safe, supportive, and conducive to healing. The tone that I set and the atmosphere that I cultivate are essential in fostering trust and encouraging openness. I am warm, empathetic, and non-judgmental. I want my clients to feel welcomed and accepted from the moment they meet me. My clients will also understand that their privacy is very important to me. I want my clients to feel free to express themselves without fear of criticism or judgment. I approach every issue with curiosity and offer understanding rather than imposing assumptions. I will always be calm, and patient and offer reassurance. Feeling empathy and compassion is also key to helping clients. As I'm here to listen attentively, I also ensure that I respect autonomy and allow clients to lead sessions when it's appropriate, so to encourage a sense of empowerment in their healing journey. This leads me to encourage vulnerability and authenticity; working with me, my clients will see that I utilize open-ended questions and validate feelings without minimizing anything that is shared with me.
I use several effective worksheets for homework assignments that are derived from the ACT approach.
I will seek to address the dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors that my clients present with. Our goal is to work together to change maladaptive thinking. This is accomplished through cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, and behavioral experiments.
I will incorporate mindfulness practices to foster a greater awareness of the present moment, aiming to reduce stress and manage things like anxiety and/or depression. This is accomplished through Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
Rather than focusing on problems, we work together to emphasize solutions and client strengths. This approach is brief and goal-oriented. This is accomplished by utilizing techniques such as the Miracle Question, scaling questions, and identifying exceptions to the problem.
In couples counseling, we focus on communication issues, conflict resolution, rebuilding trust, emotional intimacy and life transitions.