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Meet
Jody Vernam, Ph.D., NCC, LPC
I have provided clinical mental health services for 22 years and counting, specializing in children, teens, and young adults. I have practiced as a Licensed Professional Counselor since 2006, providing services in Pennsylvania within home, school, community, college, and private practice settings. I focus on client strengths and goals, utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with integration of emotion-focused, solution-focused, and family therapy interventions. What does that mean? It means I ask questions about thoughts and feelings and how you handle them. I help you identify more effective patterns for thinking, feeling, and acting. I also focus on what works and the positive rather than the negative. At the same time, I give space and attention to difficult emotions from difficult experiences. It also means I recognize the need for securely attached relationships in the healing process. I also value a family-centered approach with children and adolescents. I have found I learn just as much from my clients as they learn from therapy. It is an honor and a privilege to be invited into a client's life to assist with growth. I have a responsibility to help my clients with evidence-based practice while upholding professional standards. I am a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, American Counseling Association, and Pennsylvania Counseling Association. In addition to providing therapy services, I also engage in publication and presentations at professional conferences.
My Hope for Wellness
As a Christian counselor, I believe people can heal and change. The process of healing and change is enhanced when individuals have optimal wellness. I help clients assess the wellness areas of digital, physical, occupational, financial, social, environmental, psychological, and spiritual health to make needed lifestyle changes for healing. I am especially passionate about helping clients recognize the impact of their digital health on other areas of wellness. In today's world, small changes in how we engage with the digital world can significantly impact what we think and feel. I believe therapy should be thoughtful, intentional, and still. My hope for wellness is that people will slow down their lives to create space for wellness. I also recognize the pivotal role of spirituality in healing and wellness. I integrate religion and spirituality within counseling sessions if desired by the client.
Interesting Tidbits
I enjoy all things outdoors, including hiking, biking, gardening, walking my dogs, kayaking, and sitting in the sun. Indoor fun includes watching movies and completing puzzles. A fun fact is that I can write fluently upside down, which is a fun but essentially useless skill. Romans 5:3-5 and James 1:2-4 are foundational verses to my life.