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Jessica Hoekstra Counseling
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How to have healthier conversations about sexual expectations
How to have healthier conversations about sexual expectations

Talking about sex and expectations around sex is one of the more vulnerable conversations couples have. There might be shame about wanting or not wanting sex, confusion over mis-matched desire, changing bodies and needs.

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Therapy for WomenJessica HoekstraMarch 9, 2026
Why the predictability of regular therapy matters
Why the predictability of regular therapy matters

Something that regular therapy offers is the consistency and availability that may have been missing early on. For relational and attachment oriented therapy, this is a critical part of the healing process. The consistency of a therapeutic space, time, and person, is the foundation for attachment therapy.

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Attachment TherapyJessica HoekstraFebruary 17, 2026
Breaking the Cycle of Anxiety and Chronic Uncertainty
Breaking the Cycle of Anxiety and Chronic Uncertainty

In a world marked by rapid change, economic instability, global crises, and constant information overload, uncertainty has become a regular state of being. Understanding how this ongoing uncertainty fuels anxiety can help us respond more skillfully.

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Somatic TherapyJessica HoekstraJanuary 30, 2026
Processing Feelings of Powerlessness in a Time of Unrest
Processing Feelings of Powerlessness in a Time of Unrest

There’s been a true uptick in political unrest over the last couple of weeks. It’s a lot to take in, and you may be feeling the powerlessness that comes with watching things unfold and not knowing what you can do about it.

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Trauma TherapyJessica HoekstraJanuary 14, 2026
Why Going Home for the Holidays Can Feel So Triggering (Even If You Love Your Family)
Why Going Home for the Holidays Can Feel So Triggering (Even If You Love Your Family)

There’s a lot of memory in a family system. It can feel like it’s frozen in time, suddenly you’re back to your 15 year old self––angsty, upset, tearful, and annoyed by everyone. You may be a competent adult with boundaries, but you’re suddenly back to that familiar role.

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Somatic TherapyJessica HoekstraDecember 19, 2025
Reconnecting with pleasure and joy after trauma
Reconnecting with pleasure and joy after trauma

Perhaps one of the unexpected challenges of life after trauma, is the struggle to connect and linger with enjoyable or pleasurable experiences. Sometimes a nervous system stuck in a trauma response, doesn’t have much tolerance for enjoyment. This can be the result of shut-down, hypervigilance, fear, and anxiety. 

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Trauma TherapyJessica HoekstraDecember 9, 2025
The Grief of Lost Time: the Internet, Aging, and the End of Another Calendar Year
The Grief of Lost Time: the Internet, Aging, and the End of Another Calendar Year

I recently heard this phrase “the grief of lost time” and it hasn’t left my mind. I heard it used in the context of acknowledging the time lost in this current age of technology, where we lose hours of our lives to scrolling mindlessly.

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Somatic TherapyJessica HoekstraNovember 20, 2025
Recognizing the signs of high-functioning depression
Recognizing the signs of high-functioning depression

You might appear like you’re functioning just fine––going to work, sleeping, eating, taking care of your family, etc. But inside you may be struggling, feeling down and disconnected from yourself and others.

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Therapy for WomenJessica HoekstraNovember 5, 2025
Understanding how global crises affect mental health
Understanding how global crises affect mental health

Our news is obviously filled with suffering and global crises. We need to be mindful of how these crises can affect our mental health, the signs and symptoms that your nervous system is totally overwhelmed, and ways to support yourself when this happens.

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Somatic TherapyJessica HoekstraOctober 23, 2025
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout — and How to Gently Find Your Way Back
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout — and How to Gently Find Your Way Back

Burnout doesn’t often arrive suddenly, with sirens and flashing lights. Often, it’s a slow creep. A steady drain. A dimming of your inner light and a growing heaviness in your mind-body system.

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Therapy for WomenJessica HoekstraOctober 1, 2025
Tips for Making Good Use of Therapy
Tips for Making Good Use of Therapy

Have you ever wondered how to make good use of your therapeutic time and space? Sometimes clients need a little help to figure out how therapy works or how to use the space well. Here are a few things I’ve noticed can contribute to therapy being what you need it to be.

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Therapy for WomenJessica HoekstraSeptember 24, 2025
Finding rest in an 'always-on' culture
Finding rest in an 'always-on' culture

I have a lot of conversations with clients about how they are finding joy and rest. This is part of how we allow our nervous systems to recover from stress and often how we are connecting with others or ourselves. The “always-on” culture of the world today makes it hard to experience true rest.

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Somatic TherapyJessica HoekstraAugust 25, 2025
Mindful Techniques for Anxiety Relief: Finding Calm in the Present Moment
Mindful Techniques for Anxiety Relief: Finding Calm in the Present Moment

The pace of the mind is fast. The world is full of noise, both literal and figurative. This can really set the stage for an anxious mind and body. To better cope with anxiety, mindfulness offers a powerful set of tools to bring you back to the present and help you manage the experience in a grounded, sustainable way.

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Somatic TherapyJessica HoekstraJuly 28, 2025
The Power of Respectful Disagreement in Healthy Relationships
The Power of Respectful Disagreement in Healthy Relationships

It’s important to remember that it’s not the presence of conflict that determines the health of a relationship. It’s how the disagreement is handled that matters. Finding ways to navigate respectful disagreement is important for building more resilient and connected relationships.

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Attachment TherapyJessica HoekstraJune 30, 2025
How Media Coverage of Violence Affects Mental Health
How Media Coverage of Violence Affects Mental Health

When the news is filled with violence—political assassinations, escalating war, hunger and malnutrition, and other traumatic events—it can take a toll on our emotional well-being. It’s important to know how this kind of media exposure can affect your mental health and what you can do to care for yourself.

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Trauma TherapyJessica HoekstraJune 17, 2025
Anxiety: How to set boundaries for a calmer mind
Anxiety: How to set boundaries for a calmer mind

In a world that constantly demands our time, energy, and attention, setting boundaries isn't just a self-care strategy—it's a survival skill. Without clear limits, we risk becoming overwhelmed, burnt out, and disconnected from ourselves and others.

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Somatic TherapyJessica HoekstraMay 27, 2025
The Connection Between Trauma and Difficulty with Emotional Expression
The Connection Between Trauma and Difficulty with Emotional Expression

I’ve often noticed a connection between people who have experienced trauma and the challenge with emotional expression. This tends to go one of two ways for folks: either a difficulty accessing, identifying, and communicating feelings OR on the other end of the spectrum, emotional flooding and difficulty with regulating big emotions. 

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Trauma TherapyJessica HoekstraMay 12, 2025
Guided Imagery for Anxiety: How Visualization Can Reduce Stress
Guided Imagery for Anxiety: How Visualization Can Reduce Stress

I work with many clients who find themselves awake at night, ruminating on a stressor, or noticing their stomach is in knots with anxiety. In my study of somatic therapy and the neurobiology underpinning many mindful interventions, I’ve found guided imagery can be an effective technique for helping to manage stress.

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Somatic TherapyJessica HoekstraMarch 21, 2025
Healthy Love vs. Codependency: Understanding the Differences
Healthy Love vs. Codependency: Understanding the Differences

I frequently encounter individuals who struggle with relationships that blur the line between love and codependency. Understanding the distinction and finding ways to reset imbalances and restore healthy boundaries is essential for personal growth and sustaining healthy, fulfilling relationships.

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Attachment TherapyJessica HoekstraMarch 3, 2025
How to Reconnect When You're Feeling Lonely
How to Reconnect When You're Feeling Lonely

I work with clients of all stages of life who express persistent feelings of loneliness, and while the journey toward reconnecting with others and ourselves can take time, it’s entirely possible to move through loneliness and find deeper connection.

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Attachment TherapyJessica HoekstraFebruary 18, 2025
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Jessica Hoekstra Counseling
Seattle, WA
312-627-9427 jessica@jessicahoekstracounseling.com
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Jessica Hoekstra, MA, LMHC | 312-627-9427
600 N 36th St Ste 310
Seattle WA 98103

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