Jeff Kozyra, LMHC

Jeff’s therapeutic approach involves listening for the root issues beneath the surface of presenting problems in order to find more holistic inner healing. He believes that behavior change alone, the clichéd start doing this and stop doing that, often fails to address the deeper issues that motivate our behavior.

Jeff believes that all of us have core longings: the need for love, security, understanding, purpose, significance, and belonging. Yet, many of our earliest relationships in our families fall short of providing for these needs. We try to remedy deficits in these core longing through various coping mechanisms. However, though these mechanisms may serve their purpose in the short run, they often lead to unhealthy actions over time. These mechanisms become problems because deficits in our core needs give birth to false beliefs about oneself, others, and God, all of which leaves us ill-prepared to deal with the reality of ourselves, others, and God. Our negative emotions churn and drive stressors, anxieties and insecurities, often fueled as well by unresolved losses in the past and fears of the future in the present.

Jeff helps clients explore their story to gain an experiential understanding of past hurts and related losses. He offers practical tools for present day living on the healing journey, but also looks to help bring about deeper, transformation change and healing. Jeff works individually with both adult men and women, as well as offering counseling and care to pre-marital couples and enrichment care to married couples.

Before becoming a mental health counselor, Jeff served in a variety of vocations from the business world to the military community to church family. Jeff served as a career Air Force officer as an aviator, graduate student, national intelligence officer and assistant professor at the United States Air Force Academy. After a 20-year Air Force career, Jeff became a church pastor in Colorado Springs over the next 14 years, teaching and leading staff and volunteers as well as starting both a healing care ministry as well as a Celebrate Recovery ministry, a Christ-centered twelve-step program.

Jeff graduated from Denver Seminary in 2014 with an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and served part-time outside the church walls in a counseling center in Colorado Springs. He received his state licensure under the supervision of a marriage and family counselor.

After living 25 years in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Jeff’s family relocated to the Sunshine State to be closer to family. Jeff’s been married since 1984 with two adult children and two grand treasures all who live nearby in Central Florida.

Jeff is active at his non-denominational, Christian church, serving in men’s ministry as well as participating with his wife in groups ministry.

If Jeff’s story and therapeutic approach resonates with you, please email him directly or call 813.265.3859 x 3 to set up an appointment.

FL Licensed Mental Health Counselor MH22295