Hello. I am a licensed professional counselor but not limited as such. I have earned other professional designations that help inform my integrative approach to counseling and consulting with my clients. Click my photo to see my bio. I am open to walking with all people irregardless of their religion, sexual preference, race, where. you have been or where you wish to go. I believe all are worthy of support, grace, respect, and loving regard.
I have been helping clients transform, explore, rebuild, repair, and grow for over 15 years. Before that I was working in the fitness field helping people find a sense of physical health and wellbeing. I have also worked in the spirituality field as a pastoral counselor, spiritual director, mentor, chaplain and a youth leader in various settings. Today I combine those three philosophies and years of education and clinical work and thus qualify as an integrated therapist. I have a whole health approach to counseling,--mind, body and spirit. If you seek all three, great! If you do not, I am happy to assist you with any of the three. I am here to help you set and meet goals for a better you.
I am not above you, I am beside you.
I am humbled and honored that you have come to my virtual "office" here on Betterhelp. I look forward to meeting you, discerning with you, and hopefully going on a journey tailor made just for you, together. I do have a physical office in my own practice where I reside, however I love this ability to open my practice up to a broader community. I think Telehealth is a great option, and, provides numerous benefits that face to face counseling cannot.
I am happy to see you taking these first steps to reach out and receive support. I understand how hard and scary it is to attempt to find the "right" therapist for you. Let's talk a bit and see if we connect before you commit to me as your therapist. I hope in this way I can make that process seem less overwhelming, and scary. together we can discern if I am the right guide for your upcoming journey. It is both brave and wise to seek to grow and evolve your sense of self, to want more for yourself, and, to become the best and most authentic you. I do what I do for people such as you who want more and want a partnership in that work.
I work with clients who seek growth, to change what they do not find pleasing about their sense of self, or their life. Areas of specialty include:
Authenticity
Learning to have a confident voice
Self image
Guilt
Loneliness
Anxiety
Depression
Relational ruptures and repair
Stress management
Better relationships
Trauma
I believe you are your own best expert on yourself, so my counseling approach is not to push you somewhere I think you should got, but rather to walk alongside you as we together seek your own best solutions. After all, what works for one might not work for all. I am judgment free and open to your worldviews; this makes the therapeutic process move much quicker because you know you can show up authentically.
My work reflects an integrative approach to counseling. I integrate all truth in my work, not just psychological truth. You will see my educational background supports this style of learning and serving. For example, I believe that science and research, biological/neurological truths, spiritual truths, and natural truths all inform life, and thus should also inform the counseling process that attempts to unpack and redirect our lives. As your therapist, I will also learn from YOU, and take that experience forward with those I serve as therapist to in the future.
Some therapists work best by walking in front of their clients and directing their progress. Some prefer to step totally back and promote/support the journey a Client chooses to take. Some, like me, prefer to walk alongside their clients and journey together, as equals who each possess critical bit of knowledge to complete the puzzle ahead.
For Christians who wish to have a foundational approach to counseling that is Christian, I am honored and possess experience to effectivly ourney with you in this way. However, I am not limited to Christian perspective in my work with clients. Ultimately, my client's beliefs are what most matters. Again, I go where you are and move with you wherever you choose to go. As your therapist I will. make every effort to keep my own beliefs and values out of your way. You will find me respectful of spiritual preferences, sexual orientation, political beliefs and social constructs.
Let the journey begin,
~Jill
Professional Designations:
-Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
-Master of Counseling (MA)
-Master of Christian Leadership (MACL)
-Master of Divinity equivalency (Mdiv) from The National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains (NAVAC)
-Spiritually Integrated Therapist (SIP) through the Association for Clinical Pastoral Educators (ACPE)
-Mental Health Practitioner for Arena's For Change (ARCH)
-Mental Health Practitioner for Equine Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA)... psychotherapy using horses
-Master Hypnotherapist (MHt) member of the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH)
Other Trainings:
Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT)
Suicide Prevention,
CBT for Insomnia
Gottman for Couples
Spirituality
Internal Family Systems
Forgivness
Age Regression
Non Violent Communication
Empathy
Teens at Risk
Additional areas of focus: LGBT, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Sleeping disorders, Self esteem, Coping with life changes, Coaching, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and Foster Care, Antisocial Personality, Attachment issues, Avoidant Personality, Blended Family Issues, Body image, Cancer, Caregiver issues and stress, Chronic pain illness and disability, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Commitment Issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster, Dependent Personality, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Divorce and separation, Domestic Violence, Eating and Food-Related Issues, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fatherhood Issues, Forgiveness, Gender Dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Hospice and End of Life Counseling, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Money and financial issues, Mood disorders , Narcissism, Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Personality Disorders, Phobias, Post-traumatic stress, Prejudice and Discrimination, Self-Harm, Self-love, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches: Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gottman Method, Hypnotherapy, Jungian Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Internal Family Systems
SD LPC LPC20627
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Jill Kuca. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Jill Kuca is a great listener. She is also good at challenging you in session so that you get the most out of therapy.
Written on Sep 13, 2022 after therapy with Jill for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, self esteem, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adhd
Jill is compassionate and extremely knowledgeable. After searching for a therapist locally and not finding a good fit, I was so thankful to be matched with Jill on betterhelp. I look forward to our weekly sessions and already feel like we have made much progress! She is a gem!
Written on Sep 01, 2022 after therapy with Jill for 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, sleeping disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, and adhd
She's an amazing person. She helped me through a lot and I can't explain how thankful i am.
Written on Aug 25, 2022 after therapy with Jill for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
Great Therapist, understands what needs to be done for me!
Written on Aug 22, 2022 after therapy with Jill for 2 months on issues concerning depression, and self esteem
Jill is magical and I’ve never been more confident in another person. She’s kind and insightful, and she always gives many different perspectives of what you’re going through. The best!
Written on Aug 11, 2022 after therapy with Jill for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, and self esteem
Honestly is my favorite person to talk to because she uses language that relates to the client. Jill matches your vibes and energy at all times. Highly recommend
Written on Jul 16, 2022 after therapy with Jill for 1 month on issues concerning lgbt, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, coping with life changes, coaching, and adhd