Dr. Jeff Cook

Trauma Focused Therapy honors how deeply past painful experiences impact your mind, body, emotions, and spirit. When trauma leaves us isolated or unable to trust our own bodies, it often breeds a heavy sense of shame, that pervasive feeling of being broken or disconnected. Trauma focused care helps you process these memories, learn cognitive and emotion regulation skills, and tend to wounded parts of yourself. Healing happens in relationship, restoring connection with self and others, and empowering you to step into a renewed identity.

Relationship issues always arise within a specific context, often leading to mistrust, emotional distance, and destructive patterns. While healthy relationships are a profound source of love and support, even the strongest bonds face challenges. Working from an emotionally focused perspective, Dr. Cook helps couples move past reactive defense mechanisms and underlying shame to reveal core emotional needs. Couples counseling offers a safe, structured space to express vulnerability, restore trust, and rebuild a secure, lasting connection.

Problematic sexual behavior often runs counter to a person’s core values, serving as an attempt to escape life stress while fueling a painful cycle of secrecy and shame. Frequently referred to as sexual compulsion or dependency, this experience affects millions of people. Left unaddressed, it disrupts social connections, physical health, and emotional well-being. Dr. Cook provides a compassionate, nonjudgmental space to understand these compulsions, heal the underlying shame and distress, and cultivate healthy intimacy.

Religious trauma and faith development have been a pronounced focus of my clinical work in recent years. As human beings, we are natural meaning makers, created with intentional purpose. Navigating faith is rarely an easy journey, often shaped by cultural nuances, family history, and at times, spiritual harm or institutional shame. Through the lens of relational spirituality, we explore religious and existential themes as they intersect with your attachment style, personal identity, and relational experiences. In addition to my clinical training, I hold a Master of Divinity and have extensive experience teaching graduate courses on faith development and religious abuse. Together, we can process spiritual wounds, release spiritual shame, and foster a grounded, authentic sense of meaning.

Working with athletes through mental health challenges, injury, and retirement has long been a passion of mine. Performance struggles are frequently rooted in identity, perfectionism, and self-worth, which can trigger intense feelings of shame, self-doubt, and anxiety. Drawing from my background as a collegiate athlete and over two decades of coaching experience, I guide athletes toward greater self-compassion and a grounded identity that extends far beyond their sport. As athletes release the shame of failure and cultivate this deeper sense of self, every area of their life flourishes, naturally enhancing their performance on and off the field.

Cook, J., & Cook, T. (2022). Reclaiming faith identity through progressive journaling. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health.

Stauffer, M., Cook, J., Trippany-Simmons, R., & Rush-Wilson, T. (2016).The Many Facets of Human Development: Spiritual and Moral Developmental Theories. In S. Mark & D. Capuzzi (Eds.). Human growth and development across the lifespan: Applications for counselors. Wiley & Sons. ​

Blackley, S., & Cook, J. (2015). Drug-facilitated sexual assault: From distorted memory to an inability to forget. The Wisconsin Counseling Journal. ​

Cook, J. (2015). Intersubjectivity as a deepening of the counseling experience. The Wisconsin Counseling Journal. ​

Cook, J., & Rubel, D., & Pehrsson, D-E. (2013). Integrating emotion regulation into the selection and training of counselors. The Wisconsin Counseling Journal. ​

Thomas, S., & Cook, J. (2013). Family Crisis. In J. Sandoval (Eds). Handbook of crisis counseling, intervention, and prevention in the schools (3rd ed). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. ​

Cook, J., Berquest, T., & Rubel, D. (2012). Measuring emotional regulation in pre-practicum and internship counselor-in-training: Using the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale. Professional Issues in Counseling. ​

Cook, J., & Schamp, L. (2011). College career counseling: Traditional, hybrid and 100% online Campuses. In D. Capuzzi, & M. Stauffer (Eds). Career Counseling: Foundations, Perspectives, and Practices (2nd ed).Pearson.

Cook, J. (September 2026). Beyond the game: A Systemic Approach to Life Balance, Self-Care, and Mental Performance in Athletes. WAMFT Conference. Grand Mound, Washington.

Cook, J. (June 2026). Light through the cracks: Naming our secret burdens in safe spaces. AMHCA Annual Conference, Portland Oregon.

Cook, J., & Ewert, B. (October 2023). Sports counseling: Advocacy and identity development in our schools. ACES Conference, Denver Colorado.

Cook, J. (2017). Sacred trust: Responding to stroke victims. Oregon Veterans Home. The Dalles, Oregon.

Cook, J., & Anderton, C. (2016). Restorative justice: For higher education staff. University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Cook, J. (2016). Taming “it”: Parents, students, and the school counselor. Wisconsin School Counselors. Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Cook, J. (2016). Suicide awareness. Whitewater High School. Whitewater, Wisconsin

Cook, J., Shea, M., & Fritz, N. (2015). An Intersubjective Approach to Couples Counseling. Wisconsin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

Cook, J. (2014). The development of emotion regulation in pre-practicum counselors. Western Association of Counselor Education and Supervision. Los Angeles, California.

Cook, J., & Vander Velden, E. (2014). Disengaged parents and the experience of shame. Wisconsin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Cook, J., Rios, P., & Swartwout, A. (2013). Disengaged parenting and the experience of shame. Wisconsin School Counseling Association. Madison, Wisconsin.

Cook, J., & Woodbridge, L. (2013). Conflict and crisis within the family system. Wisconsin School Counseling Association. Madison, Wisconsin.

Cook, J., Thomas, S., & Heid, L. (2011). Relational approaches to working with resistance and rupture:Using case studies to promote self‐ reflection, professional development, and relational transformation among supervisors, therapists, and school counselors. Association of Counselor Education and Supervision. Nashville, Tennessee.

Cook, J. (September 2011). The experience of trauma. Richmond Partnership. Richmond, California. ​

Cook, J., & McGlasson, T. (2008). Implications of a co-constructed relational field in the therapeutic space: Considerations for clinicians, supervisors and counselors. Western Association of Counselor Education and Supervision. Palm Springs, California.