Meet Jessika Sands | Trauma therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessika Sands and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessika, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think without risk, there would be no forward movement. Everything that is inherently unfamiliar could be considered a risk, which is why choosing my career path and starting my own business has been a risk at every step. It has also been completely worth the lessons learned. Failing is a difficult concept in this culture because it is, as a concept, taught less as a learning experience and more as something you are not supposed to experience because it is labeled negatively. Without failing, we cannot learn and without risk, we cannot move forward in any area of our lives.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am a dually licensed psychotherapist and the owner of Sands Collaborative Therapy, a private practice that specializes in complex trauma, dissociative disorders, and chemical addiction. The clients I serve are the most resilient humans on the Earth and I have the privilege of getting to work with them on a weekly basis. I feel proud both of the work I do but more so of the clients I get to see and the hard work they put in to see the change they desire. I also provide consultation for clinicians in the field wanting to work with complex trauma and dissociative disorders, including and specifically regarding dissociative identity disorder (DID).

I utilize several advanced therapeutic modalities that are specifically targeted toward working through complex trauma, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting (BSP), and utilize Attachment Theory and the Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality in my work with clients.

My journey in running my own private practice was not an easy or simple process. It took many risks, rewards, unknowns, experiences of failing, trust and leaps of faith to get me where I am today. My practice began in 2015 but was not my sole employment until 2019. I leaned heavily on my family, friends, and colleagues when the risks I took led me to hard life and business lessons about what it means to fail at something. Being somewhat of a perfectionist, not succeeding at “everything” the first time felt like a blow to the ego, but I wouldn’t change a single event looking back on the hardest times I experienced.

What I think I want the world to know about my story is that I would not be where I am without the amazing friends, family, and colleagues that have shown up for me at my best and my worst. I cannot thank the beautiful humans in my life enough.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
While I do enjoy time in the mountains, I often find myself drawn to water. So if a friend or family member were visiting for a week, we would have time for hiking, but also getting out to stand up paddle board or go wake-surfing on one of the many lakes or reservoirs. I would likely show the friend the downtown Denver area, including Union Station and Larimer Square, and include some form of thrift shopping adventures.  Exploring RiNo and DTC, Golden, and downtown Boulder would be on the list for the touristy vibe, but also stopping by Earth Treks or Movement for some indoor climbing and likely an Avalanche or Rapids game depending on the season. Since I play beach volleyball, I would show my friend a Volleyball of the Rockies league night at The Island in Aurora as well. When exploration feels too activating, I love hosting game nights for more of a connected experience with close friends.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

My mother was one of the most loving, empathic, wise, and compassionate humans I had the honor of knowing and loving. She taught me some of the most powerful lessons in relating to and caring for other humans simply by being a part of her presence. Though she passed away in 2007, her legacy lives on in me and I cannot express enough gratitude for the time I had with her.

My sister is another amazing woman that I do not properly know how to acknowledge fully for the role she has played in my life. The kind of laughter we can experience together is unparalleled and the support she provides when I struggle is unconditional.

My family overall is full of love and a place I can always fall back on when I need a place to just be. I recognize how lucky I am to have a family that I would choose over and over again. My aunt Karen has shown up to spend time with me and loved me unconditionally. And I likely would not have moved to Colorado if it weren’t for my cousin, Adam. He has provided a kind of support in the ups and downs of our relationship and my journey that have allowed me to keep growing, despite it being painful at times.

My friendships are my chosen family and it is certainly an honor to be a part of their lives on a deep level.

My mentors, some of which have become wonderful friends, over the years allowed me to grow as a clinician, but more importantly, evolve deeply as a person, to become who I am today and continue growing and progressing. Specifically, a shout out to Chrinstine Bondeson, Sarah Houy, and Lori Kucharski.

Website: http://jessikasands.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessika.sands.77