Expressive Art Therapy
“I make art when I can’t gather the words to say.” Nikki Rowe Expressive Arts Therapy helps the unconscious mind communicate with the conscious mind.
Courage is defined as strength in the face of pain or grief. Self-knowledge added to courageous living leads to a brave, confident and vibrant life regardless of life circumstances. Join with Janet to begin a fearless and joyful journey toward a better life.
Janet is licensed by the Texas State Board of Marriage and Family Therapists (1993) and by the Texas State Board of Licensed Professional Counselors (1992). She is a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and is an Approved Clinical Supervisor. Janet earned a Bachelor of Science from Lubbock Christian College (1976) in Biology and her first career was in Medical Technology. She enjoyed working for several years at Baylor College of Medicine as a research technician in a biochemistry lab, where her work was published in five articles in prestigious biochemistry journals.
In 1989, she earned a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Abilene Christian University. Janet began her career as a therapist as the Program Manager at Noah Project, a shelter for victims of domestic violence. She then worked for Hendrick Medical Center for five years in their in-patient behavioral health hospital, as a Family Therapist and later as a Program Director. There, Janet honed her skills in treating people suffering with mood disorders and addictions.
In 1995, following the close of Hendrick Behavioral Health, Janet opened her private practice. For the next three years, she also directed a crisis intervention team which contracted with Hendrick Emergency Room to assess and refer patients with mental health crises who were patients at the emergency room. In 2008, she co-founded Turning Point Counseling and was a managing partner. In 2020, Janet began an individual private practice at her art studio, where she paints and practices therapy. Some examples of her art can be seen on Facebook.
Yes. Janet can see anyone in Texas through Telehealth therapy sessions. She uses a secure HIPAA compliant platform through the Therapy Appointment portal. Insurance companies will reimburse telehealth services for the same reimbursement amount and same co-payment as face-to-face services.
Janet practices trauma informed therapy, chiefly utilizing Internal Family Systems Therapy and Brainspotting, along with Narrative therapy. Located in her art studio, she also leans on expressive therapies such as Sand Tray and art techniques including acrylic, watercolor, collage and encaustic to allow clients to release emotional pain in a nonverbal way.
Janet has completed Level I Clinical Training by John Gottman, world renowned researcher in the field of marital stability. She combines this with Emotionally Focused Marital and Family Therapy to address attachment issues within the marital relationship.
Trauma-informed care changes the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” Traumatized individuals have often been misdiagnosed as having mood disorders such as bipolar disorder or various personality disorders. Instead, Janet seeks to help you identify the traumatic memories, and disentangle the memories from distressing emotional reactions and behaviors. Informed by research of the neurobiology of trauma, Janet utilizes Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems Therapy, and nonverbal therapies such as Stand Tray techniques and expressive art therapy to address the painful emotions associated with trauma in a calm and supportive therapeutic relationship.
Janet enjoys working with family systems, whether traditional nuclear families, blended families and multigenerational families, including those with grandparents raising their grandchildren. She was specifically educated in Systemic Family Therapy, and prefers to keep the family system in mind even when working with individual clients. Systemic therapy looks at how parts of a system affect one another to sustain the stability and equilibrium of the whole. Janet focuses on examining how the family interacts as a cohesive unit and uncovers patterns that influence or impede the potential for change within the family system.
Janet believes that addiction is a behavioral manifestation of genetic predisposition met with difficult life events leading to a brain disease with a high relapse rate. Understanding the neurobiology of addiction is key to healing. Therapy may work best when combined with spiritual tenants of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous. Close coordination with the person’s medical provider is often helpful as well. Thus, therapy is not a substitute for AA or NA, but useful in helping the client maintain sobriety and prevent relapse.
It is estimated that about 10% of the population experience a mood disorder that interferes with their daily functioning. A mood disorder often involves persistent feelings of sadness and sometimes includes suicidal ideation or gestures. Janet cannot prescribe medications, but will work with your doctor, who may provide medication. Several types of psychotherapy effectively treat depression. Each works in a different way, but all have been proven to improve the symptoms of depression Janet utilizes a combination of therapeutic approaches including the following: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal psychotherapy, family and couples therapy, problem solving therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Romantic partnerships flourish when caring and considerate actions are met with secure emotional attachment. Janet uses research based behavioral marital techniques inspired by Drs. John and Julie Gottman and attachment-based research developed by Dr. Susan Johnson. Disarming conflicting communication patterns can restore respect and affection. This allows partners to be more physically and emotionally open and responsive to each other. A secure marriage allows for growth of each individual within a soothing and secure relationship. Couples therapy requires trust between Janet and the individuals in the partnership so that the partiers can learn to be vulnerable and transparent.
Janet has been a Clinical Member of AAMFT since 1991, and achieved the designation of Approved Supervisor since 1997. She provided supervision of graduate students for Abilene Christian College Department of Marriage and Family Therapy for 21 years and was an Adjunct Professor during that time. She also has provided post-graduate LMFT supervision for therapists seeking to become licensed in the state of Texas as a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist. Janet currently offering post-graduate clinical supervision for therapists seeking to become Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists in the State of Texas.
“I make art when I can’t gather the words to say.” Nikki Rowe Expressive Arts Therapy helps the unconscious mind communicate with the conscious mind.
Jes Dawn from Mental Health America of Abilene hosted a Facebook Live interview of Janet Jergins of Turning Point Counseling.
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