Jessica Zucker

It has taken me 10 years to write this review, so here goes. Jessica Zucker was the WORST therapist I have ever had, hands down. I was referred to Jessica after I suffered a pregnancy loss at 19 weeks (ironically similar to what Jessica herself experienced many years later as she writes in her book). I met Jessica in her Beverly Hills office in a small cozy space. It was soon after I left the hospital, so I was tired and grief-stricken and probably a little in shock. Navigating through her office building and the instructions for the password on her door were almost too challenging for me. Nonetheless, I sat down on her couch and we started talking. I spoke in a quiet voice and my body was all curled up in a ball (therapists: you should read the body language!!). I think a good therapist should first gauge what the client is experiencing, and then offer support and guidance as appropriate for the situation. Jessica did NOT do this. She started in with "I have had lots of… clients with the same situation as you" and "I am an expert in this field." As I continued talking, her demeanor became angry, almost indignant. It felt like she was angry at the universe that this happened to me, instead of being calm and understanding and supportive. Her voice was loud and amplified in that small space. I am not a person who uses curse words often. I certainly did not use any curse words in my sessions with Jessica. However she did not hesitate to throw F-bombs into her sentences when speaking with me. I was shocked. I could not believe a therapist was talking to me in this manner, it felt sooo inappropriate. Instead of feeling comforted and understood, I left the first session feeling as though maybe I had done something to upset her or maybe I had done something wrong with my pregnancy and that's why I lost the babies. She had me questioning if the pregnancy loss was my fault. I went back the next week to see Jessica. I wanted to give her another try. Maybe she had a bad day, I told myself. It was an evening appointment so maybe she was tired. Let's see how she talks to me this time. Well, she was not better in the second session. I barely remember what I said during that second session. All I remember is bringing my legs up onto the couch and hugging my knees to my chest for comfort. Somehow I managed to survive that second session and I went home. I felt terrible. Worse than when I started therapy. I felt betrayed by someone who was supposed to be a "medical professional" and was supposed to help me. I went back for my third and final session with Jessica, only to deliver one message to her: You were terrible to me, you made me feel awful, you cursed unnecessarily and were aggressive. Please don't do that to another client. Goodbye.