meet Jessica backus

jessica’s credentials and philosophy

Licensed professional counselor (LPC) - 178.018663 - pronouns (she/they) - English - individuals & couples

I'm a warmhearted therapist, educator, and professor dedicated to fostering deep connections and emotional safety. With specialized experience working with physicians, I understand the unique challenges faced by healthcare professionals in high-stress environments. My approach will empower you to embrace your authentic self, navigate diverse emotions, and face challenges with courage and compassion.

I create a comfortable environment for us to work collaboratively, empowering you to make lasting changes aligned with your values and principles, leading to a more fulfilling life. My therapeutic approach is trauma-informed, empathetic, radically compassionate, playful, strength-based and non-judgmental. You can anticipate not only receiving guidance and support in our sessions, but also experiencing my interactive approach that combines a sense of light-heartedness with unwavering attentiveness, infused with a sense of humor.

I am sex and body-positive and bring this affirming perspective to all my therapeutic relationships.

Supporting Physician Wellness:

As both a therapist and educator, I bring a unique understanding to the challenges facing physicians and healthcare professionals. I recognize the immense pressures of medical practice—from long hours and high-stakes decision-making to administrative burdens and emotional exhaustion. Having worked extensively with physicians, I understand how the culture of medicine often discourages vulnerability and self-care while emphasizing perfectionism and self-sacrifice.

My approach to physician wellness acknowledges both systemic issues and personal experiences. I create a confidential space where physicians can safely discuss burnout, moral injury, compassion fatigue, and the toll of medical trauma without fear of professional repercussions. Together, we explore sustainable strategies for setting boundaries, processing difficult patient outcomes, navigating institutional demands, and reconnecting with the meaning and purpose that initially drew you to medicine.

I understand the unique identity challenges physicians face—where the role of "doctor" often becomes inseparable from personal identity, making it difficult to maintain balance and perspective. Through our work together, I help physicians rediscover aspects of themselves beyond their professional roles while honoring the deep commitment they bring to patient care.

Some of my intersecting identities are:

Queer - in an interracial relationship - sober - disability justice advocate - daughter of a parent with a disability - daughter of a veteran - cat mom

specialization

jessica’s areas of focus:

physician wellness + burnout - caregiver fatigue - depression - anxiety - trauma - substance use - sobriety journey - grief + loss - sexual and gender identity exploration and affirmation - relational issues

jessica’s approach:

Acceptance and commitment therapy(act) - intersectional- psychodynamic - dialectical behavioral therapy(dbt) -relational - eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (emdr) - critical incident desensitization (cid) - gottman

education

Alder University - estimated 2026

doctoral candidate in counselor education and supervision 

Purdue University - 2022

masters of science in clinical mental health counseling and addictions counseling

Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis - 2023 

first year fellow

Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor - 2022

in progress 

EMDRIA - 2023

basic emdr certification progress

contact

jessica@balancepsychotherapy.com