Part of being human is the experience of emotion. Emotions serve to communicate to us when things are going well and not so well so that we may formulate a response. With this, the feeling of numbness may be something everyone experiences from time to time—from feeling overwhelmed by a life stressor to some form of trauma. Typically the feeling is temporary and allows us mental and emotional processes of shutting out feelings in order to move through something difficult. However, for some, this feeling of emotional numbness can linger for a duration—often serving as a protective defense that guards us from further emotional or physical pain. While this shield of numbness can serve us well in the short-term, such as to get through a life stressor; when it stays for a duration, it can have long-lasting consequences such as the inability to problem solve, experience pleasure and other positive emotions, engage in life, and be the whole person we can choose to be.
Numbness can show up differently for each person. The cause could be wide such as symptoms associated with PTSD, Grief/ Loss, Depression, Anxiety, Abuse/ Neglect, and/ or a whole array of past life experiences that have now come to haunt your present. When feelings of numbness linger or stay for the duration and exceed our ability to cope, it may be time to consult a mental health professional to support in unpacking and processing within the causation of the emotional numbness.
Treatment may include a Therapist (such as myself) who specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Work, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and other treatment approaches.
Jennifer Hyatt is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist through the Board of Behavioral Sciences in Southern California.
Mrs. Hyatt earned a Master of Arts degree (M.A.) in Counseling: Human Services with Christian Specialization from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Mrs. Hyatt went on to work in both private and community-based schools as a teacher before earning a Master of Science degree (M.S.) in Counseling Psychology from California Baptist University (CBU) in Riverside, California.
Mrs. Hyatt holds the belief of continued personal and professional growth and education and strives to add to her evolving skill set. Mrs. Hyatt's clinical background includes working with the Murrieta Unified School District as a mental health professional serving students within the areas of individual and group counseling, specifically within the military and foster student populations. Mrs. Hyatt also has experience within the foster care system as a former Certified Foster Parent in Temecula, CA before going on to complete work as an Agency Social Worker and eventual Social Worker Supervisor with Kamali'i Foster Family Agency in Lake Elsinore, CA for youth, ages 0-21. Mrs. Hyatt has also served as the Corporate Compliance Specialist and Resource Family Specialist Supervisor wherein she is certified within SAFE psychosocial home studies towards the assessment of prospective families towards the goal of permanency for youth. Further, Mrs. Hyatt was a key member of the CARF accreditation team towards quality assurance and attainment of the highest level of accreditation standards. Current day, Mrs. Hyatt serves the role of Mental Health Clinical Director for a Non-Profit, Vice President of Operations for a fully online group practice, and runs a part-time Private Practice.
Other areas of clinical experience Mrs. Hyatt possess include: grief/loss, attachment issues, balancing family and work, divorce/separation, identity, trauma, blended families, trauma recovery, resiliency, self-esteem, child abuse/neglect, positive parenting, behavioral issues and positive discipline, human growth and development, life skills, infidelity recovery, self-care, domestic violence, anxiety, depression, suicide awareness and prevention, relationship issues, problem solving skills, anger management, de-escalation, emotional regulation, time management, family dynamics, parent support, stress management, conflict resolution, and much more.
Equipping and empowering is the cornerstone of Mrs. Hyatt’s approach towards the holistic healing and growth of Mind~Body~Spirit. Mrs. Hyatt believes in the power of partnering with the client on the journey towards healing and restoration towards optimal functioning. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Mrs. Hyatt utilizes a mixture of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Solution-Focused Interventions, and Mindfulness as she seeks to tailor treatment goals towards individual client needs.
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Jennifer Hyatt 