Counselor Spotlight: Jason
Jason King, PhD, talks fatherhood, Russian literature, and Gestalt therapy.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
First and foremost, I am a follower of Christ! I have been a Christian from a young age and endeavor to be love, peace, and joy to a world that desperately needs it.
I am a husband and father to four boys, ages 14, 12, 10, and 5. I’ve spent quite a few years in school, and my wife graciously and sacrificially afforded me the opportunity to work from home and be a stay-at-home dad (including homeschooling for a number of years—I was tired a lot!). Raising children has long been an area of interest, and I was reading parenting books well before marriage or children. Being a dad and having the opportunity to be hands-on with raising the boys has only increased my passion!
What was your journey to becoming a psychologist?
I always knew I wanted to help people, but my early focus was on medicine. I was a pre-med major, became an EMT, then an EMT instructor and EMS supervisor. I was all in! I then had the opportunity to watch doctors in the ER and OR and realized that they have very little time to address deeper needs. As important and wonderful as it is to help those who need medical help, I realized that I am personally more concerned with matters of the spirit and soul. I finished my master’s degree in professional counseling through Liberty University and continued for another eight years to finish my PhD through Walden University. I have a very patient wife!
Book recommendations?
The answer to this question regularly changes, and the list is exhaustive. I’ve been on a Russian reading spree recently, revisiting one of my favorite all-time books The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky, and over the winter I read The Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn. I strongly recommend both. I’m a lifelong CS Lewis fan and would recommend just about anything he wrote. This is a topic I’d gladly spend significant time on over a cup of coffee!
Cake or pie?
This is an easy one: cake! However, it wouldn’t just be any cake. My mother is a first-generation German immigrant, and while many traditions and customs have faded, cooking and baking have not. Two of my favorites are Bienenstich and Hazelnut Torte. However, a Google search of either brings up a number of examples of what I would not consider my experience. So you’ll have to ask me in person!
What do you do for fun?
I’ve always loved reading, both fiction and non-fiction. When I get the time, I often try to find a quiet place to read. I spend a lot of time with my kids, whether playing board games, video games, building Legos, hiking, or camping. All the boys enjoy sports, and my eldest is an avid golfer, so we get out on the course whenever possible. I also greatly enjoy putting together large, elaborate puzzles. I love playing classical piano and really should spend more time on the keyboard!
Describe your approach to counseling.
I spent three years training under a Gestalt psychologist, and my approach is largely influenced by Gestalt theory. Unfortunately, it is one of the most misunderstood approaches and is quite difficult to explain succinctly!
Quick illustration for the techies: the brain takes in about 11,000,000 bits of information per second, but the amount of information we process consciously is only 40-50 bits per second! Our brains sift through that data and prioritize based on many factors, including our insecurities, self-protective tendencies, frustrations, personality, thought processes, etc. We miss so much!
The core of Gestalt therapy is broadening our awareness through curious exploration and experimentation. We begin to recognize important elements we dismiss or are unaware of. We might think, “Why am I this way?” Well, there is a reason we are the way we are and a reason that we relate to others the way we do. In therapy, we endeavor to discover and explore those patterns of thought, behavior, and relating.
What areas of counseling are you most passionate about?
There isn’t an area of thought, behavior, emotion, or spirituality that doesn’t excite me. We are created in God’s image, and people are fascinating! I appreciate the opportunity to work with people of all ages who come in for all sorts of reasons.
My life has been greatly impacted by the loving guidance of those decades older than me. I believe that our culture diminishes the tremendous knowledge and experience of the elderly. While I value the time I spend with any client, I purposefully endeavor to recognize and help those who have already experienced so much of life.
Any advice for someone considering becoming a counselor?
Becoming a counselor takes a lot of education and training. One area that is often overlooked is the importance of working on yourself. It is a demanding profession. The best counselors will be those who have developed themselves not only as counselors but also as individuals and as followers of Christ in all of life’s roles.