About
Jennifer Rick
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in Herndon, Virginia, with a Master's Degree from Virginia Tech. I provide couple and individual therapy to adults dealing with a variety of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, past trauma, and relationship conflict, as well as premarital counseling.
I consider myself an Eclectic Therapist, meaning that I don't practice fully from only one therapeutic model. This gives me the flexibility to better respond to your needs, goals, and preferences. I can pull the most helpful pieces from a variety of models and techniques to create a treatment that is uniquely tailored to you. Some of the models and techniques that guide my work include: emotionally focused therapy for couples (EFT), internal family systems (IFS), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), solution focused therapy, mindfulness and meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), narrative therapy, and Gottman's relationship therapy.
I know that choosing a therapist can sometimes be a daunting task, so I encourage you to continue reading to learn a little bit more about me and who I am as a therapist.
My Values as A Therapist
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Collaboration - I view our work together as a collaboration where I bring my training and guidance and you bring your knowledge of yourself, your life, and your unique situation. There is almost never just one right way of doing things, so I work collaboratively with you to find the way that is right for you.
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Compassion - I deeply respect how difficult it can be to explore painful thoughts and feelings in therapy. I endeavor to create a non-judgemental environment of warmth and compassion in each session.
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Authenticity - It's important to me that I'm upfront and transparent with you throughout our therapeutic relationship. If you ever wonder why I ask a particular question or why I suggest we work on something in session, I invite you to ask me about it. I will always strive to answer your questions authentically.
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Strengths-based - I believe that each of us, as human beings, contain a host of positive qualities. In session, I work to highlight these qualities for you so you can start to see your own strength and resilience.
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Humor - Therapy doesn't have to feel so serious all the time! Laughter can help us feel more comfortable or provide some much-needed levity, but it can also distract us from looking at something difficult. Keeping this in mind, I welcome humor in the therapy room, while maintaining a focus on your goals.
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Connection - Humans are built to connect with one another. Without connection, it's difficult to feel safe enough to share the hard stuff. For me, all the values I've described here are in service of creating the connection that must be present in our relationship for therapy to be truly helpful.
Academic Writings
Rick, J, Falconier, MK, & Wittenborn, AK (2017). Emotion regulation dimensions and relationship satisfaction in clinical couples. Personal Relationships, 24(4), 790-803.
Wittenborn, AK, Rahmandad, H, Rick, J, & Hosseinichimeh, N (2016). Depression as a systemic syndrome: Mapping the feedback loops of major depressive disorder. Psychological Medicine, 46(3), 551-562.
Hosseinichimeh, N, Wittenborn, AK, Rick, J, Jalali, MS, & Rahmandad, H (2018). Modeling and estimating the feedback mechanisms among depression, rumination, and stressors in adolescents. PLoS ONE 13(9), e0204389.