JEN FOLZ, LCPC

Phone: (815) 670-2933 | Fax: (815) 399-5767

jenniferfolztherapy@gmail.com

Most people I encounter want to live more conscious, meaningful lives and strive for a better sense of well-being. It's easy to hit some obstacles during these efforts. Being able to process issues with a caring, non-judgmental professional can help. I believe that individuals inherently possess the ability to make very powerful changes in their lives. I help to provide effective tools for transforming negative self-talk and habitual emotional reactions that tend to hijack a person's ability to think clearly. Once a person is able to manage these struggles a bit better, he or she is able to achieve enhanced emotional control and make optimal choices toward personal growth and well-being.

I have over 10 years of experience providing results-oriented professional counseling to individuals, couples, and families. Extensive experience in providing treatment for depression, anxiety, grief and loss, low self-esteem, acute stress, life transition stress, physical abuse recovery, sexual abuse recovery, communication problems and couples conflicts. I am an advocate for personal growth, holistic health and wellness. My work is most influenced by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Positive Psychology and Child Centered Play Therapy. However, I realize that each person has different needs in therapy. I bring emotional depth to my work regardless of short-term or long-term treatment needs.

  • 2000 | Indiana State University- BS in English and Political Science

    2005 | University of Tennessee, Knoxville- MS in Recreation Administration, 2005

    2009 | University of Tennessee, Knoxville- MS in Mental Health Counseling

  • I have a colorful work history over the past two decades that have certainly shaped and molded my approach to counseling.

    I competed professionally in track and field until transitioning to working with NCAA student-athletes. This included jobs as an academic advisor, compliance assistant, and director of life skills for student-athletes at Cal Poly University and the University of Tennessee.

    Through these roles, I began to recognize my passion for helping individuals increase their awareness and personal growth. I enrolled in a graduate program for mental health counseling at the University of Tennessee. During this time, I worked as an individual and group therapist at Safe Haven in Knoxville, TN. The majority of my clients had experienced sexual trauma of some kind, and I saw clients of all ages. I also worked as a crisis counselor, fielding calls and going to local hospitals to help recent victims of sexual assault and rape.

    After graduating with my Masters degree, I began working for Youth Services Network in Rockford, IL. My primary role being a therapist for children and teens who were involved in the foster care system, as well as their respective parents and families.

    In 2013, I made the decision to move to private practice and join Alliance. As a private practitioner, I have thoroughly enjoyed developing and expanding my experience to include couples and marriage counseling, while continuing my work with individuals of all ages and reasons for seeking change.