We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Paweleck-Bellingrodt and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jennifer, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
As a clinical psychologist for over 20 years, first in the military and now in private practice, I have worked with thousands of patients to help them feel, think and do better, both for themselves and those around them. Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet there is still an unfortunate stigma attached to mental health. My goal is to eliminate that stigma such that a person is just as willing to get help for their brain as they are any other organ that isn’t working in their favor. The mind and body are inextricably linked, and I’ve spent a good portion of my career teaching people how the two influence each other and how to make them work together most efficiently.
I was originally licensed in Arizona and currently have a practice in the Phoenix West Valley. A few months ago, I expanded my practice to dozens of other states via a reciprocity agreement offered by PSYPACT so that I can reach beyond my local community and serve people all across the country. I also have a podcast, The Psych with a Mic, that has now reached 17 countries across 6 continents. Furthermore, I now have a training platform through which I offer online courses on mental health to people all over the world. In this life, pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional, and I now offer multiple ways for people to stop suffering and live healthier and happier lives.
What should our readers know about your business?
My career in psychology started in the U.S. Army where I served as a military psychologist on active duty for four years. My time in the military is something I’m really proud of, and those years were some of the best of my life. After getting out of the military, I opened a private practice right outside the main gate. Thankfully, it was a very easy transition professionally, and my practice was full in no time. Personally, I struggled with not being able to make people do pushups anymore when they didn’t do what they were supposed to, but c’est la vie. ; )
As a psychologist for over 20 years, I can honestly say that I’ve learned just as much about myself as I have about others! I’ve learned what works for me in terms of being my most authentic self as a practitioner and what patients are most likely to respond to in treatment. In my practice, it’s very important that people feel connected to the process of therapy and me as their therapist. I’ve learned that I’m not everyone’s cup of tea because of my direct, accountable approach; and that’s okay.
I get most excited about working with people with personality disorders. These patients are often very unhappy and dissatisfied in their lives and frequently are near the point of losing hope that they can get better and live life differently. They generally have significant interpersonal issues, which means they don’t have the social support that helps guard against psychological distress. I love being able to show them that there’s a different way, that they can offset maladaptive patterns and change their cycle of thought-feeling-behavior to live a more fulfilling, less tumultuous life, regardless of how long they’ve been doing it their way or how traumatic the road was that landed them there in the first place.
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?
I love connecting with people, and I think the best place to do that is often in our own homes where we are most comfortable and conversations are most easily held. I would love to feed my guest some of my favorite meals that my husband and I cook. Because I love wine and have a wine side hustle, each meal would be complete with Clean-Crafted wine pairings from Scout & Cellar. I’d also love to do a tasting in my wine room and introduce my guest to some of my local friends. No trip to Arizona is complete without a visit to some of the beautiful and interesting places nearby, so I’d love to show my guest Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Tombstone and Bisbee, for starters.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my late grandmother, Doris Paweleck. She was the matriarch of our family and taught me to go after the things I want out of life, to not take any crap from anyone, to work hard and to love well.
Website: www.doctorbellingrodt.com
Instagram: @thepsychwithamic
Linkedin: Jennifer Bellingrodt
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jen.bellingrodt
Youtube: Mend Your Mind
Other: Training Platform: www.thepsychoeducationacademy.thinkific.com/collections Facebook Psychoeducation Group: The Psychoeducation Academy Facebook Free Coaching Group: Evolutionary Executives