Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillian Ziesmer.
Hi Jillian, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My interest in helping others began as a teenager when I worked as a volunteer peer counselor at a crisis hotline called Teen Line at Cedar Sanai Hospital. In my senior year of high school, I suffered a major loss and, do to other personal events, I postponed attending university directly after high school. Such events, though, have deepened my experience as a psychotherapist.
I have two master’s degrees (MA in Psychology MA in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy) from Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology. I have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology (BA in Psychology) from California State University Dominguez Hills. I also have an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Santa Monica College.
I received extensive training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at The Maple Counseling Center working with individual adults, as well as training in working with couples using Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and an informed approach in Emotion-Focused Therapy.
My experience and training with individuals, couples, and groups also include chronic mental illness and severe psychopathology at Exodus Recovery Inc in a locked psychiatric facility as well as outpatient; acute mental illness at Resilience Treatment Center at levels of IOP, PHP, and residential; substance abuse at Forward Recovery at IOP, residential, and detox; supervising adolescents on a crisis hotline at Teen Line at Cedar Sinai Hospital; individual and couples counseling in private practice under the supervision of Margaret Hickman, LMFT 87976; suicide crisis counseling at the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center; and working with individual adults, teens, and couples at Meridian Counseling.
I have training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and I am informed in and have experience with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Therapy, as well as mindfulness practices.
I served as president of the Maple Alumni Association, for which I organized and hosted events for psychotherapists featuring respected professionals in the field of mental health.
I have experience as a preschool teacher, an early interventionist, a social skills interventionist, and a behavior interventionist working with children with special needs using Applied Behavior Analysis.
I was featured on two podcasts discussing the topic “Managing Anxiety and Depression during the Pandemic” (Speaking Up for Mental Health podcast at The Maple Counseling Center and Guiding Compass podcast episode 43: Coping with COVID-19 at Meridian Counseling).
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Bumpy roads are inevitable in life. However, the internal determines the external. If my internal state is relatively calm and organized, then my external world is manageable. The bumpy roads in my past have served to deepen and enrich my understanding of myself, others, and the world. I cannot control circumstantial bumpy roads. Yet, I do have the capacity to attend to and work through emotional and psychological bumpy roads, which allows me to change my perspective and the way I interact with external situations or difficult obstacles. Additionally, bumpy roads I’ve encountered in my career, such as with finances or rejection, have turned out to be beneficial and growth-promoting.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. In my private practice, I work with individual adults and couples via telehealth in California. Through a collaborative relationship with the client, I explore family dynamics, relationship patterns, and underlying feelings and unconscious drives that impede a sense of well-being. Some of the issues I treat include depression, anxiety, substance abuse, recovery, trauma (emotional, physical, sexual), suicidal ideation, grief/loss, cancer survivors, LGBTQ, and pre-marital counseling/relationship/marital issues. I help clients explore their feelings, past experiences, present situations and hopes for the future. I utilize different therapeutic modalities and approaches based on the client’s individual needs and treatment goals. My goals for clients are to increase their understanding of themselves, challenge negative thought patterns, develop healthy relationships, and work through obstacles blocking them from discovering their truth and reaching their highest potential. I am excited about helping others find a deeper understanding of themselves, cultivate personal growth, and improve relationships.
What sets me apart from others and what I am proud of is my diverse training and experience. I have worked with a wide variety of populations in different environments; from a locked psychiatric hospital to inpatient and outpatient treatment centers for acute mental illness and substance abuse, to detox inpatient, to crisis hotlines, to various kinds of group therapy, and to individual and couples therapy in a private practice setting. This has enriched my practice and experience as a psychotherapist. Furthermore, I continue to attend advanced training in specified areas, such as couples counseling, as well as participate in a weekly consultation group with other psychotherapists.
What does success mean to you?
I define success as doing what fulfills your soul and purpose. Knowing your truth and living in that truth. Becoming your authentic self. Doing and being what is true for you, even if that path is different from others.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jillianziesmertherapy.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jillianziesmertherapy
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/jillianziesmertherapy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-ziesmer
