Meet Jaben

I personally started down the road to becoming a counselor through processing my own painful experiences of loss and unrealistic expectations.  Through my own journey I have found this counter intuitive truth; there is real hope and real joy as we don’t run from but instead face hard things.  Just like mosaic art made up of dark and light pieces of broken glass, through skillful placement and perspective even the most difficult things in life can be incorporated into our story. It is my pleasure to assist others as they take bold steps toward seeing the life they have been given in a new light. 

My hope is to be a coach by your side helping you process what has you stuck and more importantly finding steps you are able and willing to take that will lead you more toward the life you desire.

Specializations

I specialize in working with clients struggling to overcome addictive sexual behaviors such as porn, affairs and involvement with the sex industry. I enjoy helping individuals overcome the effects of childhood attachments wounds (loss, neglect, rejection, abandonment, betrayal and abuse.) It’s a joy to integrate Christian faith into therapy for those who share that framework.

Education and Experience

Jaben received his Master’s of Counseling degree from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon.  He is a NBCC certified counselor, Mental Health Professional, Child Mental Health Specialist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), a SYMBIS marriage training facilitator and completed Level 2 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Before coming to private practice he worked for several years with a variety of ages and backgrounds in the community mental health system in Tacoma. His counseling approach includes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Solution Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy, 30 Task Model and The Finding Peace Model.  If you work with Jaben he will focus on identifying stuck points, focusing on emotional issues and encouraging clients to take value-directed, action-oriented steps toward achieving their goals.

Before receiving an MA in Counseling, he received a BA in Biblical Studies from Southwest Baptist University and a MA in Global Leadership from Fuller Seminary.  As someone who worked in vocational Christian ministry for 8 years with college and youth, he is especially passionate about supporting Christian leaders as they seek to work through the burdens inherent to their leadership roles and avoid burnout and moral failure. As a past ministry leader who has walked through his own ‘dark night of the soul’ he loves to work with those in leadership roles who would benefit from having a confidential place to wrestle with their own struggles in a non-judgmental context.  Too often Christian leaders struggle (as we all do) and don’t have a place to dialog about these things with someone outside of their circle of influence.

Jaben has a specific passion to explore with clients from a faith background how their spiritual beliefs can be a support for their own recovery and growth.  While he respects the wishes of client’s who do not want to integrate their spiritual beliefs into counseling or who don’t ascribe to any spiritual beliefs, he loves to tap into these strengths when the client feels it is appropriate.

Degrees and Certifications

• M.A. Counseling - Western Seminary - Portland, OR

• M.A. Global Leadership - Fuller Seminary - Pasadena, CA

• B.A. Biblical Studies - Southwest Baptist University - Bolivar, MO

• Board Certified through NBCC

• Mental Health Professional (MHP)

• Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT)

• Level 2 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy

• SYMBIS marriage training facilitator

• Child Mental Health Specialist