GCT Specialist Spotlight
Specialist Spotlight: Dr. Jake Thiessen
Therapist • Educator • Author • CPTS Co-Facilitator
A Life Dedicated to Helping People Grow
At Growth Central Training, we are honored to work alongside professionals who bring wisdom, compassion, and decades of experience to the communities they serve.
This month, we are proud to spotlight Dr. Jake Thiessen, a licensed marriage and family therapist whose career has spanned more than 45 years of helping individuals, couples, and families navigate life's challenges with greater understanding, connection, and hope.
From teaching English in France and the Algerian Sahara to serving as a university professor and maintaining a thriving therapy practice, Jake's journey reflects a lifelong commitment to learning, service, and human connection.
Today, Jake lives in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania with his wife, Nicolee, a psychologist. Together they have built a rich family legacy that includes three grown children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Jake's Professional Journey
What first shaped your view of the world?
“Growing up on the plains of Central Kansas shaped how I view the world… wide open and limitless. From that starting place I moved to France for a year and the Algerian Sahara for two years to teach English. Back in the States I completed graduate work and eventually taught at Messiah University for fifteen years.”
Jake's experiences across cultures, classrooms, and counseling offices have provided him with a unique perspective on relationships, resilience, and personal growth.
How has GCT training influenced your work?
“I've had an active therapy practice for 45 years. The GCT training (Parenting and Anger Management) has grounded me. It provides very practical, deliberate and effective ways to help people improve how they relate to each other. For that, I am grateful.”
GCT Note: Jake serves as a co-facilitator for Growth Central Training's Certified Parent Training Specialist (CPTS) program and is a NAMA-Authorized Supervisor for CPTS candidates.
Navigating Anxiety in Uncertain Times
One of the greatest challenges Jake sees today is helping clients navigate uncertainty.
“We live in uncertain times. This translates into anxiety for many people. The difficulty we have in managing uncertainty is one of the biggest challenges I face when working with clients.”
His approach is both practical and grounded.
“My attempt to meet this challenge begins with remaining as grounded as possible when with a client. Following that, I've found it useful to introduce clients to how the brain works when under stress. With this knowledge as a map, clients are better able to navigate the uncertainty they encounter.”
“What I like best about my work is that I have a front row seat to view the remarkable changes in clients' lives.”
After more than four decades in practice, it is still the privilege of witnessing growth, healing, and change that inspires Jake every day.
The GCT Fun Five
🍜 Favorite Food
Almost anything Asian. Beyond that, I love the German Mennonite (bland but substantial) dishes my mom used to make.
⛪ Favorite Place
Mt. Saviour Monastery near Corning, New York — “the most peaceful place I know.”
🌅 How I Recharge
I like sitting on my deck on a summer evening and sharing stories with Nicolee.
📚 Books That Have Shaped Me
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl; The Windows of Experience by Malone and Malone; and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.
😊 What Makes Me Laugh
The sound of a one- or two-year-old laughing.
New Book Alert: Tiny Shifts
Award-Winning Relationship Wisdom
Dr. Thiessen's newest book, Tiny Shifts, recently received a Silver Medal from the Independent Book Publishers Association in the Self-Help category.
What inspired you to write the book?
“For 45 years I've listened to couples doing their best to navigate the complexities of an intimate relationship. My book is an attempt to acknowledge the complexity of this task and offer bite sized entry points for addressing the hard parts of relating.”
What do you hope readers take away?
“I hope readers will use the book to find small but meaningful ways to alter the trajectory of their relationships.”
Practical, insightful, and approachable, Tiny Shifts offers readers actionable ways to strengthen connection and improve communication one small step at a time.
“An engaging, accessible handbook for romantic partnerships. Thiessen has crafted an excellent guide to successful relationships.”
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A clear and simple winner.”
— Midwest Book Review
Get your copy of Tiny Shifts here
Connect With Jake
Email: jakethiessenphd@gmail.com
Website: www.jakethiessen.com
Thank you, Jake, for sharing your story, wisdom, and dedication with the GCT community.
We appreciate the compassion, humility, and experience you bring to the field and are grateful to have you as part of the Growth Central Training family.
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