Jacob is direct and able to challenge his clients while supporting them with empathy and compassion. He understands he first needs to earn trust with clients and family before he can support them in creating change in their relationships. Jacob’s values align with New Haven in understanding that a core issue can lead to maladaptive behaviors and belief systems, which then lead to relationship ruptures and distance between loved ones. He has witnessed the change of a family system as members of that system come together to create what their relationships will be. The child matures and begins to grow into their adult self, parents come to understand themselves and their child better, and all increase their joy in creating a new and more desirable future together.
Jacob has a unique background of experience, not only has he worked in residential and outpatient therapy for many years, but he is first a father to seven children, three who were adopted. Jacob has navigated the complexities of adoption firsthand. He has also experienced the heartbreak of sending a child to residential care. He understands what it feels like to fear and worry and want to rescue his child from a difficult journey. Jacob can relate very well with parents who struggle with the decision to place, and then to have confidence in the process.
Jacob received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University in 2000 , a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Loma Linda University and went on to earn his PhD in 2008. Jacob has worked with adolescents for over 19 years both in residential and outpatient therapy. He has loved working with teenagers, especially in the moments when they catch the vision of who they can become, and what they want to create for their future. Jacob finds opportunities to include experiential work, and outdoor adventures where appropriate and understands the importance of recreational therapy often, not only for the individual but with the entire family.
Jacob’s expertise is in Attachment, Trauma, Mindfulness, Family Systems, Life Transitions, CBT, EMDR, anxiety/depression, Neurofeedback (Othmer Method & IASIS Method), Mindset Development, Vision Creation, Mental Toughness, and High Performance Coaching with HPI.
He believes as we understand who we are and where we want to go, we can purposefully choose to create the future we want with goal setting, vision creation, values identification, defining our identities and roles in relationships, and actively creating the ways-of-being that will lead to the desired future.
Jacob enjoys mountain biking, training for Spartan races, reading a variety of genres, and spending time with his wife and his last three kiddos at home who will soon graduate High School.