Therapist Jessica Harper, NNN member and owner of Aspen Valley Counseling has been helping patients live the life they want to live for over 15 years. She received an M.S. in Counselor Education from the University of Wyoming in 2003 and also earned a certification from the EMDR Institute in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
Like many therapists, Jessica’s commitment to helping others was inspired by her own life experience. “My parents had moved our family to a very small community in Wyoming when I was in 6th grade,” said Jessica. It was the kind of town where if your family didn’t grow up there for 20 generations, you just didn’t fit in. I had a very difficult time making friends and quickly fell into a depression. I began abusing my dad’s prescription medications, started self-harming and even contemplated suicide.”
“The summer of my 9th grade year my parents put me into a psychiatric hospital where I found the help I needed to work through the depression and self-esteem issues I had been struggling with. It was during that three-month stay that I decided to become a therapist and help others who were struggling as I was. I was so determined to achieve this goal I graduated from high school a year early so I could begin working toward becoming a therapist.”
After more than a decade of treating individuals, couples and groups in both residential and clinical settings, Jessica opened her own therapy center, Aspen Valley Counseling in 2016. Her practice offers EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Play Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Trauma Focused Therapy as well as neurofeedback to treat patients suffering from various brain-related disorders.
But she feels that neurofeedback is an especially effective therapy for a wide range of patients. “The brain,” Jessica explained, “is the master controller of our thoughts, emotions and everything else that makes us who we are. Neurofeedback trains the brain to function better and that enhances the success of other therapies with most patients. Perhaps the biggest advantage of neurofeedback is it enables the brain to make positive changes without a conscious effort. It just starts happening. Slowly at first, but nevertheless it happens. And in time patients find that they feel better, think clearer and can tolerate things they were unable to before.”
Jessica finds two neurofeedback programs particularly helpful. “I use the Nexus 32 and BrainPaint,” she said. “Over the years I’ve undergone and extensive training in neurofeedback to help both children and adults on the autism spectrum as well as those with ADHD and traumatic brain injury. I also use it to help those suffering from anxiety, depression, stroke and numerous conditions that interfere with optimum mental health and performance.”
Ever innovative, Jessica has structured her practice to include a number of cutting-edge offerings. “I love being independent and working for myself,” said Jessica. “I can be creative and if I envision offering video therapy via Skype or a Super Hero Camp for children with ADHD and other brain disorders, I’m free to take steps to make it happen.”
“Of course, having your own practices has some drawbacks, too.” Jessica confided. “For me, the biggest challenge is having to wear so many hats! In addition to providing therapy, I am the HR person, the cleaning person, the clinical director. I have three employees and there is a huge feeling of responsibility to make sure the business is doing well enough not only to support myself and my family, but the families of all my employees as well.”
Although Jessica was raised in Wyoming, she recently relocated to Utah. “I moved here primarily because most of my family lives in Utah,” said Jessica, “and I’m very happy I did! The weather is much nicer, the people are friendlier and I met my husband who is very supportive and encouraging of me to live my dream.”
To find out more about Jessica and Aspen Valley Counseling, please visit: https://aspen-wellness.org/ or find Aspen Valley Counseling on NNN.
