About Jennifer

How are you?

But really…how are you?

When was the last time you honestly answered that question?

In our work together, my job is to hold the space for the real you; to create opportunities for you to uncover who you are and investigate what you want to keep and what you want to change while encouraging you to learn and grow with effort. The purpose of my work with you is to help you live a skillful, wholehearted life with intention. This shared space is a place for you to discover who you are behind the mask of “having it all together” – the you under the stress of your wonderfully full life.

And it is a wonderfully full life. I approach mental health from a positive and resilient- based perspective that’s grounded in science, hope and realistic thinking. Suffering is a part of life…and so is joy. We will explore what is difficult by leaning in to vulnerability so you can build emotional agility to help you climb to higher ground, because sometimes “the only way out is through”. We will also explore what is good by building upon your strengths so that you can be your best possible self when life is going well. My goal is to help you learn and grow from the hard and good things so that you can flourish; where you cultivate insight, awareness, purpose, connection, and embody a healthy/integrated self – we do that by shining a light of focused attention on what is helpful, healing and real (not in a Polyanna BS way, in a science of well-being way) along with honoring what is difficult.

Working with me is kind of like going to the gym – a gym for your (embodied) brain and the whole you. It’s hard work, but it pays off. I work towards helping you discover and strengthen your inner resources of resilience so that you feel capable to handle challenges when they arise. Equally important, when you build resilience you also begin the practice of challenging the brain’s evolutionary negativity bias and learning to tune into what is going well (within you and around you) – this is essential to well-being and often a profound life changing experience.

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JenniferVanRossum-87

Who am I?

I am a Licensed Psychotherapist (LPC) and Mental Wellness Educator & Consultant in private practice with a specialty in treating anxiety and building resilience. I have studied the human mind and behavior for over 2 decades, and I genuinely love what I do! Science and stories are my passion. My mission is to help people experience joy, hope and meaning through both the good and the hard parts of life.

I have a few fancy-shmancy certifications and have trained under some pretty fantastic experts, but all that means is that I love to learn. I figured out a long time ago that the more good things I take in (knowledge, wisdom, experience) the more good I have to give. And that’s my job. To help – to give good and solid guidance and support. It’s the best job in the world and I take my work seriously… because I believe it matters. You matter. I may not know you yet, but I can without a doubt tell you right now, you matter.

I love science almost as much as I love God (shhhh). To me science and faith compliment each other in the dance of life. They are partners not adversaries. I believe in a triune God and all it’s gnarly mystery where there are more questions than answers; and the vastness and love of God blows your heart and mind right open. It is that openness that has lead me to a meaningful contemplative practice in which traditional Eastern Buddhist Meditation and Christ-Centering Prayer keeps me grounded in the unknown. I will never claim to know the answers, I’m right there with you waking up to knew wonder each day. What I do know is that having hope and believing in something bigger than yourself (whatever that is -God, nature, love…), is really really important to health and healing. Not because I say so. The science of well-being and happiness says so.

I highly value the science of the body/mind connection. I incorporate an embodied approach into my therapeutic and psychoeducational work. This means that I will ask you to drop into the body and your sensory experience to reach the depth of insight and awareness that awaits you. Likewise, movement, mindfulness, and meditation are game changers in the work I do. I know the body can be an intimidating place to go. We’ll go slowly, but we’ll go there. As a Colombian-born (Wisconsin-raised) adoptee, cultural compassion and diversity is very important to me as well. I am here to listen to your story.

I am also a Certified Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapist, Resilience & Well-being Consultant, Mental Strength Trainer, Mindfulness & SEL Facilitator, Meditation Teacher, Movement Instructor, and Wellness Program Creator for organizations. On my favorite days, I can be found relaxing with my family, traveling near and far, practicing yoga, hiking, and chasing sunsets…oh I’m also a mom to 3 (usually) delightful boys and married to a pretty rad husband.

Specialties

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Trauma
  • Grief
  • Adoption
  • Parenting
  • Stress Management
  • Body/Mind connection
  • Body Image/Eating Disorders
  • Relationship Counseling
  • Personal Development/Life Management
  • Athletic/Academic Performance Pressure

Post-Masters Training/Certifications

  • Interpersonal Neurobiology
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
  • Polyvagel/Trauma Informed Theory
  • Somatic/Embodied Psychotherapy
  • Mindful Meditation
  • Social-Emotional Learning
  • Positive Psychology
  • Resilience Training

Professional Bio

Jennifer is a Licensed Psychotherapist (LPC) and provides therapy, psychoeducation and consultation to teens, adults, couples and families. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety and treats a wide variety of issues including mood disorders, adoption, parenting, trauma, grief, stress management, body/mind connection, eating disorders, relationship counseling, personal development/life management, and athletic/academic performance pressure. Jennifer is also the Founder of 5Peaks, a wellness and lifestyle corporation whose mission is to promote human flourishing by teaching and supporting individuals, communities and organizations in science-backed strategies to help strengthen and cultivate resilience and well-being.

She has special interest in the psychology, sociology and neuroscience of well-being and has Advanced Post-Masters Training in Interpersonal Neurobiology through the MindSight Institute with Dr. Dan Siegel. She holds a certificate in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, includes the use of Expressive Therapies into her practice and is skilled in Resilience Training. Outside of the therapy office, Jennifer is a Resilience and Well-being Consultant, offering her expertise to individuals and groups. She has experience as a Mental Strength Trainer for athletes and performers, teaches Mindfulness-Based programs in Elementary schools, provides trainings in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) to educators, and facilitates wellness programs for organizations and corporations. Jennifer is passionate about body-brain integration and offers movement, mindfulness and meditation classes within the community. She is also an experienced Podcast guest and speaker.

Her goal is to provide creative outlets for opportunities to deepen personal awareness and foster social connectedness, centered in body-mind-brain wellness and hope, to help promote human flourishing. She approaches health from a functional wellness perspective in which clients are invited to explore their experiences with effort and intention in order to live a skillful, wholehearted life.

Jennifer has been a mental health specialist for over 20 years. She received a dual Masters of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology and Dance/Movement Therapy from Columbia College Chicago and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN.

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