Jeff Riggenbach CBT
Online Therapy Practice
Jeff Riggenbach is a best-selling and award winning author, speaker and clinician. Since doing post-doctoral training at the The Beck Institute of Cognitive Therapy and Research with the "Father of CBT" Dr. Aaron Beck, Dr. Judith Beck, personality disorders expert Dr. Leslie Sokol, as well as their other world renowned faculty he has developed a reputation for being an international expert in cognitive approaches to personality. He offers workshops for clinicians worldwide on personality dysfunction, trauma and PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders, and addictive behavior disorders. In his spare time he also has a limited online CBT-based practice.
If you are struggling with depression, anger, stress, or anxiety as a result of narcissistic, borderline PD, or other high-conflict personality in your personal or professional life and are in need of some support/guidance, send us an email to inquire about availability!
On request, he also offers Faith-Based counseling from a distinctly Christian world view.
Send Secure Email to Inquire About an Intake!
Why CBT?
In an age where "New" treatments seem to popping up on every corner, why would you choose cognitive behavioral therapy?
Specialty Treatment Areas
Disarming Narcissists or other Difficult People in your Personal or Professional Life!
Narcissist making your life miserable? Other difficult personality pushing your buttons at home or at work? If this is your problem, this is right in my wheelhouse. I will quickly help you assess your situation, determine the extent to which it can be changed, work with other parties involved if deemed helpful, and coach you on specific responses. We will specifically identify WHAT to say, WHEN to say it (or not say it),and when it is necessary to put certain boundaries in place, occasionally even including walking away from the relationship or job.
Corporate Conflict and Workplace Wellness
Problem with a manager or employee? Difficult personalities show up in all areas of life, including in the workplace. And mental health related issues are more prominent in organizational settings now than ever. "People problems" are oftentimes viewed as "messy" and management staff find them self ill-equipped to deal with struggling employees.
I will work with your Identified employee, his/her manager, and EAPs providing a swift assessment, time-limited sessions, and recommendations to help the organization and it's people reclaim peace, profit, and productivity in the workplace.
Depression
Sometimes it feels like we are engulfed by "the blues." The good news is there is a science to thinking and Behavior. We know that very specific ways of thinking and behaving have been found to be associated with depression.
I will help you beat the blues by assessing your condition, and working collaboratively with you to change the way you think, how you feel, and the choices that you make.
There is a proven formula to beating the blues. We will develop a plan that will help you regain your passion, boost energy, and help you restore your hope!
Other Conditions Treated
Stress, Anxiety, and PTSD
Being around difficult people can be stressful! So if you feel like you are at the end of your rope, you are not alone! Many people develop anxiety disorders or full blown PTSD as a result of interactions with challenging, and sometimes even abusive people.
But there is hope. There is a science to thinking and Behavior. We know that very specific ways of thinking and behaving, that well-meaning people oftentimes do outside of their awareness, have now been shown to maintain anxiety and even make it worse over time if not treated. One of the hard things about anxiety is that the very thing that feels the most comfortable for coping with it in the short term - Avoidance - actually makes it WORSE in the long-term!
The reality is that avoidance fuels anxiety! But the good news is we also now know what to do.I will compassionately collaborate with you to develop small action steps to face your fears and treat any anxiety related problem you're having.
Addictive Behavior Disorders
I have learned that people do bad things for good reasons. Most people label addictions as "bad." And they certainly can be. They can be harmful to the person suffering from them as well as those whom they live and work around.
But most people develop addictions initially as a coping skill for dealing with something else.
For a lot of people, it is difficult or abusive person in their life. For others, it may have developed as an attempt to cope with a different kind of traumatic or adverse event they have gone through.
But because there is always a reason, there is always a treatment. I will help you identify the function of your usage, rewire your thinking toward your substance of choice, and develop weekly relapse prevention plans that will get you back on your road to recovery.
Anger Management
Anger is a natural emotion that is normal and healthy for all human beings to experience.
However some people experience anger much more often and much more intensely than most everybody else. And some act on it in ways that get them in trouble with friends, family, other loved ones, or even in the workplace.
So if you have a bit of a short fuse and could benefit from a few anger management sessions, I will work with you to help you put out the match before you blow up! We will identify your triggers, your specific problem thinking, and help you develop some new ways to cope with the annoyances of life at work or home that don't get you in as much trouble!
Christian Counseling
Growing up in the church and spending my entire professional life in the world of psychology it became apparent to me early on that these two worlds can be at odds. But they don't have to be. Sadly, I have observed many people of faith coming to the conclusion that if they convince themselves that it was even OK to get therapy at all, they had one of two choices. 1) Abandon their faith to see a secular provider who did not respect their worldview or value system, or 2) See a member of the clergy or other "Christian Counselor" that would advise them based on the Bible, but had no actual training in therapy, modalities or treatments. Both typically produced disillusionment
I believe there are responsible ways to integrate psychology and theology and do not believe evidence-based treatment should be reserved for the non-religious. I never force my views in therapy on others. That is not what treatment is for. But if you subscribe to a Biblical worldview and would like to approach therapy specifically from that perspective, I will help you harness your faith as a resource in your recovery.
CBT is More Than What You Think!
Click here to watch me dispel 5 myths about CBT that keep some people from seeking the kind of treatment that they need to recover for good!
I will help you develop Your own Individual Roadmap to Recovery!
Personal
Hey everyone - My name is Jeff, and in addition to the formal bio above, I wanted to share with you a little more about me. I believe it is important to truly be able to connect with your therapist and that is only possible if we know a little about each other😊
If we end up working together, I will obviously get to know a lot about you. So here's a little about me.
In my spare time I enjoy playing tennis (50 pounds and five surgeries ago I was a pretty good college tennis player), camping, boating, hiking, sports, traveling, and spending time with my family - including my twin daughters.
I believe in making a positive impact in society and I am active in my community and my church.
I have a passion for equipping individuals with proven tools from evidence-based treatments that every day people can use in very practical ways in your daily lives. I have been told I have a gift for "taking concepts off the top shelf and putting them on the bottom shelf."
The worlds of academia and research invest a lot of time and effort and funds into resourcing the public with valuable information. But the reality is that that information is only useful for empowering ourselves if we know how to apply it in down to earth, real world ways, in the settings that we do life.
In 2016 I took medical leave and eventually left the psychiatric hospital where I was director of outpatient services for an illness that I discovered would end up leading to a kidney transplant (so I know what it is like to suffer from ongoing health concerns). During my time on the waiting list, I invested in the necessary education to become a certified speaker/trainer/ coach with The John Maxwell Team, where I honed the skills needed to transfer my clinical expertise in personality disorders to be able to help the people I work with learn to deal effectively with toxic relationships of many kinds.
I have seen firsthand thousands of times the pain and stress that can be caused by somebody in regular contact with a high conflict personality, whether it be in their personal or professional life. Difficult people can rob us of our joy and impact us in ways we may not even realize at the time. In an attempt to cope with these challenging people, my clients often develop anxiety disorders, addictive behavior disorders, anger problems, burnout, and even clinical depression.
So, if you are struggling with any of the above that's where I come in. I help high functioning, every day folks solve their "people problems" and treat any diagnoses that may be accompanying them by equipping people with practical skills to change their mindset and mood so they can get others to STOP doing the things they DONT want them to do and START doing the things they DO want them to do and regain their peace!
You may notice a lot of providers seem to "specialize" in many things. I have expertise in only a few. And it is important to me to "stay in my lane." So if you are struggling with the majority of problem areas that bring people to therapy, I am not the provider for you.
But if the specific challenges above resonate with you, you will likely not find anyone more experienced or skilled in this particular area.
I hope that this mini-share gives you a glimpse into my person and passion. If you think we may be a good fit to work together, I look forward to hearing from you.
Godspeed,
Jeff
