Jessica Willis, MA, BCCC
As your counselor, it is my mission to create a safe, nonjudgemental and nurturing environment that enables you to settle and slowly open your story. With warmth and compassion we'll journey together through the intricacies of your nature, examining the dynamic interplay between internal and external forces that shape the way you perceive the world and interact with those around you. Together we will explore the pain and frustration of your present situation, unearth wounds of the past and examine their sway and influence over your thought processes and behavior. We’ll assess your attachments and defense mechanisms and identify those that no longer serve you well.
Together we will work toward increased self-awareness and flexibility and a greater capacity for self-regulation, enhancing resiliency and increasing your strength, fulfillment and peace of mind and heart.
I value genuine collaboration with my clients and have an integrative approach to counseling, which simply means I draw from a variety of psychological theories and utilize various therapeutic techniques, tailoring sessions to fit your unique personality and most effectively meet your most pressing needs. I will assist you in clarifying, setting and maintaining therapeutic goals. Together we will examine your thought processes and patterns of behavior, helping you become more aware of inaccurate or negative thinking, so you can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way. We will attend to unresolved issues in past and present relationships and identify how they affect your current mood or behavior. We will identify alternative ways of responding to situations to repair injury and restore equilibrium. It is my desire to holistically attend to your needs (mind, body, soul and spirit) and work with you to discover your most authentic self, so that you can live an empowered life- fully present, engaged and at peace.
I hold a Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University and teach psychology and sociology at a collegiate level. I have experience working with a wide variety of clients and presenting problems including: addiction, anxiety and depression, abuse/neglect/trauma, job-related stress, grief/loss, relationship conflicts, self-esteem, infidelity, anxiety, body image, pornography, family conflict, self-harm, separation/divorce, postpartum adjustment and depression.
I am particularly passionate about empowering women to take control of their lives by learning to balance their own needs and wants with those of others and recognizing and accepting themselves for who they truly are. I enjoy assisting women in the realms of identity development, self-worth, and the life stage transitions of young adulthood, marriage and motherhood. I am a certified childbirth instructor and experienced in attending to the unique needs of women during pregnancy and the perinatal and postpartum period. I also enjoy equipping couples to navigate relational complexities and conflict and assisting families in finding ways to relate more effectively and live together in a peaceful and fulfilling way.
I live in Mt. Juliet with my husband of 15 years, Allen Willis, and our 3 children- Jonah (10), Eve (8) and Sofia (7).