Jessica Ronyak, LMHC
Hi! Welcome to Restorative Integrations in sunny (and sometimes way too hot) Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As you’re choosing someone to support you on your mental health journey, keep in mind that feeling connected to your therapist is crucial for the effectiveness of therapy. I’m going to tell you a little about myself below, so you can begin to understand who I am in hope to begin to foster connection and a sense of safety.
Credentials and Advanced Training:
I am a Certified EMDR Therapist and a Consultant-in-Training, where I provide consulting for fellow therapists seeking EMDR certification. My practice focuses mostly on Attachment-Focused and relational EMDR prioritizing the connection our stories, relationships, and past experiences have on our adult lives.
I am a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Provider (IPI) and a Certified Partner Trauma Therapists Candidate to help betrayed partners heal from the trauma they have experienced from their partner’s betrayal, infidelity, compulsive sexual behavior, or porn use.
I passionately honor + embody the intersection of psychology, genuine connection, holding space, & the power of psychedelics.
My Story + Why I became an eMDR therapist
I recall I have always been fascinated by human behavior. Some of my own family members were affected by mental health issues, which amplified my curiosity. I also remember feeling things deeply—much more deeply than others seemed to. It just felt like I understood.
My interest in people and emotions only grew in college. During undergrad. I played collegiate D1 and D2 volleyball and found myself super intrigued by how our mental health and well-being also impact performance. I began reading books and learning more about psychology, neurobiology, sports performance, alcoholism and addiction, healthy relationships, trauma recovery, and more in attempt to understand the people around me.
During this time, I also witnessed the power of mental health treatment firsthand through my family members and myself. Through therapy, I realized I had no idea that I had experienced trauma in my life, and that my behavior, beliefs, and self-esteem, productivity, goals, and quality of relationships were all being impacted by my story and experiences. Identifying the impacts, processing traumatic memories, and exploring myself deeply in therapy allowed me to finish my story so my brain could feel safe. It was then I was able to begin to focus on myself and build healthy relationships. This all ultimately led me to enroll in NSU’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program and become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida.
Before transitioning to private practice, I worked with children and received advanced training in infant mental health. Whether I was helping children in a community agency or adults in my own practice, I found that talk therapy had its limits. This resonated with my own personal experience as a therapy client.
Shortly after, I took the EMDR basic training through EMDRIA. I realized that this approach would allow me to help clients actually experience less pain and suffering—and in a faster, more effective way than talk therapy alone. I found myself particularly interested in Laurel Parnell's AF-EMDR (attachment-focused EMDR) due to the link I saw between infant/child experiences and my work with adult clients. It was all related. When receiving consultation toward EMDRIA certification, I also discovered the power of parts work and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
I chose to specialize in trauma work because I find it to be incredibly impactful and rewarding. Seeing you make connections and better understand yourself is truly magical. I’m dedicated to creating a secure container for you to feel heard, understood, and accepted no matter what you’ve been through. Being a part of each person’s healing journey is the greatest honor for me.