I’m Jennifer Kozek, the author of Healing Without Hurting and a board-certified psychotherapist.  I have a Masters of Science in Counseling, am certified in integrative medicine for mental health and I have extensive experience in private practice.  I specialize in working with ADHD, depression, anxiety/OCD, and autism.

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As an accomplished psychotherapist with years of experience, I’m familiar with treating clients with a range of mental health issues. I’ve been trained by psychiatrists and worked with clients pursuing pharmaceutical treatment. That was all put to the test when my when my sweet son Evan was diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), attention deficit disorder, anxiety, motor and speech apraxia, and a sensory processing disorder.

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He began retreating into his own silent world, where he became anxious and full of rage.  He was additionally diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, anxiety, motor and speech apraxia, and a sensory processing disorder. He had global developmental delays, with difficulty speaking, obsessions and compulsions, and social, physical and academic difficulties. He developed blue circles under his eyes, red hot ears, chronic gastrointestinal illnesses and he had difficulty sleeping.

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I didn’t know what to do and grew desperate to help him.  I took him to doctors and enrolled him in intensive therapies.  I knew medication would be introduced, and I was concerned about the side effects.  In my private practice I’d seen children become almost unrecognizable as the result of medication – with increased anger, depression, fogginess, and even seizures, tics, paranoia, and psychosis – but as a mother I was afraid to question the medical professionals.

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Many mainstream doctors recommended medication, to cover up his symptoms rather than address the underlying causes.  Through extensive research, I discovered that many children are biochemically unbalanced and plagued by nutritional deficiencies.  As a result of genetic mutations and food intolerances, the intestinal system becomes inflamed, causing inflammation and preventing proper metabolic and brain functioning.

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As we began to address Evan’s gut issues he began to heal at a deeper level.  With the help of a naturopath and other supportive doctors, his gut wall began to heal, and he was able to absorb nutrients properly.  We began adding more Eastern medicine and alternative treatments and saw improvement in all areas of development.

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Evan is now a healthy and well-adjusted child.  He is successful in school, on the golf course, on the basketball team, and swim class.  He is more sociable, and his communication abilities have improved.  He has friends and engages easily with family.  He is imaginative and independent and expresses his needs, opinions, and tastes.  He has a strong personality, with a dry sense of humor.  The improvements are profound.

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I’ve dedicated myself to improving the lives of families and children struggling with these diagnoses.  I’ve written a book, initiated dialogue, worked with community organizations, advocated for children and families and created an extensive online community in order to dialogue about the need to treat these disorders safely and naturally.

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I practice what I preach, in my home, my office and online.  I’ve pulled away from the pharmaceutical paradigm, and refer to integrative physicians, naturopaths, and other natural health practitioners.  I blog and share on social media, teaching others how to pursue these solutions themselves.  I have developed a strong and engaged support community on my Facebook page, Healing ADHD & Asperger’s Without Hurting.

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Now I provide private consultation and coaching to support children and their families worldwide.  This is an extension of my mission to offer the guidance and support families are desperately seeking.  To learn more about the way I work I encourage you to read about my services.