Meet Jessica Leader | Individual and Couples therapist at Jessica Leader Therapy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Leader and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I like people and I think people are good. I know it sounds simple, and I’m not trying to negate the education and experience, but I know I would not be successful without those beliefs. Each client or potential client who walks through my door (or enters the liminal space of the Zoom waiting room) is met with hope, care, and curiosity. I have been lucky enough to develop long-term client relationships because I make sure to never lose that curiosity. Before each day, I run through a mindfulness activity where I imagine being in my clients’ shoes. I want to remember how brave it is to show up and do the work.

What should our readers know about your business?
I recently started my own private practice in West LA where I see clients in-person and virtually throughout California. I see individuals and couples of all forms (romantic partners, siblings, co-parents, etc). I work with teens and adults, and I especially love the emerging adulthood life transition- partially because I relate to the complexities of navigating the context of this particular world as a young adult! I focus on life transitions, relationship struggles, identity questions, anxiety, perfectionism/ people pleasing. I want to help people live a life they’re excited about. I use a model that blends a depth-focused approach with present-day growth. The “why” is crucial. The “how” is the next step. I’m grateful to be there for both and all parts of the process. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which is a uniquely effective way of processing all forms of trauma. EMDR doesn’t erase or change any memory, but it helps us reprocess painful past experiences so that we don’t feel like we’re reliving them in our present.
With couples, I use Relational Life Theory and Emotionally Focused Therapy. This combination allows me to show up as authentically myself in the therapy room and helps me use my personality and experience to better support my clients. I try to use humor in my sessions- you can ask my clients if I’m successful in it.

Starting my own practice has been easier and harder than I expected. In order to fully show up for others, I worked hard on myself to make sure I was able to model the kind of esteem and intention I help clients find in their own lives. I know we’re never fully ready to make a change, but I waited until I was solid enough myself before leaving a group practice I loved so much. Feeling solid in myself involved working through my own imposter syndrome about the idea of being a “business owner” and all the different skills it would require. I was terrified of the financial and administrative side of it all and thought I could never do it. Therapy sure, but not the rest of it. After a few months under my belt, I now take so much pride in figuring it out on my own and feel so accomplished when I learn something new. I’ve learned to employ the same curiosity I utilize so much in my therapy sessions and translate that to learning about business and marketing. I ask questions and reach out to people I admire who have done this before. I can’t encourage others to ask for help if I’m not doing it myself 🙂

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I grew up in Los Angeles, and despite college in the midwest and living abroad, I couldn’t stay away. LA is easily stereotyped, and I delight in proving people wrong. Quintessential LA can mean so many things, but to me it means having a week that is equal parts serene and surrounded by nature and equal parts immersed in the liveliness of the city.

Version A of perfect LA day for me involves an early morning walk to get coffee and pastries followed by a drive along PCH blasting something completely on the nose like The Beach Boys. We’d spend the day swimming and relaxing on the beach, stopping at Malibu Seafood for lobster rolls and finding a secret lookout point to watch the sunset (I can’t give away all my secret spots!)

Version B of a perfect LA day for me involves a leisurely day downtown, eating tacos and wandering through Hauser & Wirth and MOCA. We’d end the night watching live music at a smaller, intimate venue.

Version C of a perfect LA day leans into “Old Hollywood.” I love movies and LA history, and no LA trip is complete without a visit to Musso & Frank, Langers, and a drive along Mulholland Drive.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I was growing up, my parents prioritized travel above all else. They’d sometimes pull me out of school to spend a few weeks in a new place, often staying with local families. I became obsessed with interpersonal dynamics, and all I wanted to do wherever I was was watch people interact. I loved watching friends catch up, bickers in public, moments of intimacy between a couple. I loved seeing the newness of each culture and the common experiences between languages. I’m still obsessed with relationships. When asked what I’m personally proud of, my answer is always my community. I work hard to show up for my people, and I have people who always show up for me. I couldn’t do any of this without them, and they show me why connection matters so much every day.

Website: http://jessicaleadertherapy.com

Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/jessica-leader-los-angeles-ca/782097