Jessica Weidel

Jessica worked as an adoption preservation therapist in Chicago, IL where she served families who were struggling with their adoption or guardianship.  She has also worked as a therapist at the Theraplay Institute and as an infant mental health consultant in the Healthy Families program.

Jessica specializes in building healthy attachment.  She has experience working with children who have survived abuse, neglect, loss, medical trauma, and other trauma.  She is also skilled in supporting the parents of these children and helping them to learn how to help their child to heal. In addition to her Theraplay training, she is trained in ARC (Attachment, Regulation, and Competency); TBRI (Trust Based Relational Intervention); TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy); and DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy). She has a growing interest in Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Jessica earned a BS in Psychology from John Carroll University in Ohio.  She then continued to Loyola University, Chicago, where she earned an M.Ed. in Community Counseling from Loyola.  Jessica is a Certified Theraplay Practitioner, Supervisor, and Trainer. 

Jessica has been using Theraplay in her practice since 2009.  She attended Level 1 training as a requirement of her “Adoption Preservation Therapist” position.  She came away from Level 1 training with what felt like a very useful set of tools to build trust with the children she was serving and help them to connect to their caregivers.  

Jessica began attending networking and training events at the Theraplay Institute and began working as a therapist in the Theraplay Clinic.  She enrolled in the practicum and became certified as a Theraplay Practitioner.  From there, she pursued and earned certification as a Theraplay Supervisor and Theraplay Trainer.   In May 2022, Jessica started as the Content Manager for the Theraplay Institute.  

Jessica loves sharing Theraplay with other clinicians.  Over the years, she has seen it’s positive impact on so many families, and has used the Theraplay approach to parenting within her own family life. 

As a supervisor, Jessica has a supportive, understanding approach to helping supervisees build their Theraplay skills.  

As a trainer, Jessica aims to infuse Theraplay training with experiential opportunities which allow trainees to have an embodied understanding of structure, engagement, nurture, and challenge.  

Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, gardening, and being outdoors in beautiful Spokane, WA.