Welcome to Larch Counseling! My name is Jennifer Collins; I am a Christian counselor, art therapist, and am licensed in the state of Iowa. I am honored to walk alongside you in your therapy journey. I am so proud of you for taking this first, brave step towards wellness. In Isaiah 9:6, God is called the “Wonderful Counselor.” How amazing is it that we can seek counsel from Him? My goal as a Christian counselor is to point others to God by meeting individuals right where they are; and modeling God’s light, compassion, and care. At this time, I am seeing tele-therapy clients only.

I earned my undergraduate degree in psychology from Truman State University in Missouri, completed graduate coursework in education from the University of New England in Maine, and earned my masters of arts degree in art therapy with an emphasis in counseling from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana.

Our lives truly can parallel a roller coaster ride; with ups and downs and everything in between. I invite you to enter a place of safety, compassion and empowerment by engaging in therapy. Oftentimes, we question our value and worth. I believe we all have strengths within us to live meaningfully. We will identify these strengths in therapy, and use them to uncover your true, God-given worth and value. My practice is built upon a faith-based foundation, however I welcome all backgrounds and perspectives. It is my passion to facilitate both hope and healing in therapy, which I believe fosters freedom.

Within my faith-based foundation, I utilize evidence-based practice and utilize the following modalities to support your customized treatment plan: art therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, EMDR, positive psychology and somatic therapy.

I was born and raised in New England. I have always found joy and peace at the ocean. Living in Iowa, I now embrace the “ocean” of fields and farms.  My favorite things include growing in my faith journey, spending time with my family, being called “Grandma”,  hosting gatherings of all sorts, coffee, art-making, reading, and bird watching.

My practice name “Larch Counseling” was inspired by the beautiful, but completely misunderstood “larch” tree. Isaiah 41:19 asserts, “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the olive tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together.” The larch, part of the pine family, is a unique tree that symbolizes resilience, renewal, and adaptability. It is exceptionally hardy and has the ability to grow in harsh, cold climates. The larch exhibits immense changes: soft green needles grow in the spring, dark green needles develop in summer,  needles transform to gold in the fall, followed by the shedding of its needles in winter. This scripture represents how trees of different varieties will bloom together in challenging environments, representing God’s ability to make the impossible possible.  The larch tree can truly relate to us as human beings, in our journey to find meaning and purpose, and to live in wholeness.