Jessica (DeBoom) Draughn

How I Help

I do my best work with clients who are tired of simply putting “band-aids” on their symptoms and are ready to address the root causes of their struggles. My goal isn’t just to help you survive your week; it is to help you organize your life around what matters most to you, rather than organizing it around avoiding pain.

I use a custom blend of therapies to help you navigate your path. This includes EMDR to process the past experiences that keep you stuck, combined with mindfulness-based approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and DBT to help you handle difficult thoughts and feelings without letting them hijack your behavior. I also integrate Compassion Focused Therapy to help you stop fighting yourself and start becoming your own best ally.

What it’s like to work with me

If our sessions were a room in a house, they would be a cozy library with a warm cup of tea. It is a quiet, safe space where you can curl up and explore the “good, the bad, and the ugly” without judgment. But a library is also a place of knowledge—I am here to pull the right resources off the shelf when you need them, offering the guidance and structure necessary to move forward.

While the work we do is deep, it isn’t always heavy; we may use my whiteboard to map out patterns or explore ideas visually, and we will likely laugh together at the absurdity of navigating modern life with a human brain. When you leave our first session, I want you to walk out the door feeling hopeful that true and lasting change is possible, and confident that you are no longer on your own to figure it all out.

Credentials

• Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling, University of Northern Iowa
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor
• National Certified Counselor (NCC)
• Certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) by EMDRIA
• 15 years of clinical experience providing therapy in college counseling, community mental health, and private practice
• Member: American Mental Health Counselors Association, Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association, Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), and EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).

Outside of Work

I believe in the importance of lifelong learning, so I am often found with my nose in a good book or wrapped up in a podcast. When I’m not in learning mode, I love working on my latest DIY/creative project, spending time with my loved ones, or snuggling with my dogs.