Individual Counseling

Teens & Young Adults
Developmentally, adolescence can be a pivotal time in a young person’s life in contemplating and exploring many life decisions. I find it’s a great opportunity to support young people in this process. I am passionate about helping empower youth to explore new ways of approaching difficulties and helping them improve their overall health and wellness.

Over the last 10 years, I have worked extensively with youth in various therapeutic settings. In both my position as a wilderness therapist with Explorations and my position as an adolescent therapist with Vive, I provided therapeutic services to adolescent girls, ages 15-19, and their families. I employed active, practical approaches in helping teens take healthy risks, experience the consequences of their actions, and overcome challenges to become happier, more independent and productive young adults.

At San Jose State University, I worked as a pre-doctoral intern providing crisis intervention, workshops, individual, and group therapy to college students. At Nickerson Psychiatric Day Treatment Center, I was a clinical intern providing individual, group, and family psychotherapy to adolescents between the ages of 14 to 18 years of age and their families. At both Living Enrichment Center and I Have a Dream Foundation, I worked with teens, providing mentorship, leadership, as well as developing curriculum, facilitating events and programs.

Adults & Older Adults
Developing defenses
Most people have experienced some hardship or difficulty in their life time. We usually do the best we can to get through it. In an attempt to feel safe and protected against unpleasant experiences, we often build defenses (i.e. isolation, worry, depression, addictive behaviors, or anxiety).

We may approach new difficulties by relying on old defenses. Since these defenses are often not conscious, we do not have the opportunity to evaluate whether or not these defenses are helping or hindering us in our current situation. If left unexamined, defenses can develop into persistent patterns and habits that can be unhelpful or detrimental.

Gaining insight and awareness
While we may have thoughts about how we would like to do things better, we often underestimate the power of our defenses, habits, and ego protection. Also, it is difficult to take time to explore what we may be truly experiencing. Most often there is far more going on that we are aware of.

With a little assistance and effort, we can gain skill and practice in becoming more aware, which then gives us the opportunity to release old patterns, emotions, and protection. As we increase our awareness, we also increase our ability to heal and create new experiences.

Change & Transition
Negotiating who we are in times of change and transition often requires us to explore ourselves a little deeper. Sometimes we are unsure how to welcome and work with change, which can be a natural process of development. Sometimes it seems that our world is changing so fast, we do not know our place within it all. Other times, we are changing and growing so much that it requires us to relate to the world in totally new ways.

Identity
We have many influences in our lives (be it family, a significant other, friends, community, culture, media, etc.), and it can be difficult to find and connect with our sense of self and integrity. We often identify with various aspects of ourselves, like our roles, image, and expectations. When our life does not reflect the person we want to be, or we make decisions that do not contribute to what we want in life, we can feel anxious, disappointed, and depressed.

Individual counseling can be extremely helpful in working on:

Concerns related to:

  • Life Transitions
  • Grief & Loss
  • Emotional Skills: Assertiveness, anger management, self-soothing, dealing with difficult emotions, regulating emotions
  • Relationship Concerns
  • Interpersonal Skills: Healthy relating, communication skills, conscious communication, setting boundaries, conflict resolution
  • Spirituality
  • Stress Reduction and Management
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Emotional and Mood Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Abuse
  • Attachment issues
  • Women’s issues
  • Multiculuralism
  • Identity
  • Self-esteem/self-worth/self-confidence
  • Body Image
  • Sexuality
  • Addictive Patterns
  • Aging
  • Existential Issues
  • Personal Growth

    • If you are interested in working together, please contact me for a free consultation or to schedule an appointment.

    Boulder psychotherapist and counselor Jessica Higgins, PhD, LPC provides counseling and therapy to couples, individuals, teens, and families. She specializes in helping clients handle challenges and conflict in their relationship as opportunities for growth. She also specializes in working with issues related to anxiety, depression, grief, loss, life transition, spirituality, stress reduction, healing, communication, conflict resolution, and personal growth.