Jacqueline M. Dierks PH.D
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Bio
About the Author
Dr.
Jacqueline M. Dierks (Ph.D. in Clinical Social Work, Arizona State
University, 1991) has worked in the mental health field since 1984 and
has had a private practice since 1988 with a focus on women’s issues.
She taught at Arizona State University for eight years and has
published an article on the therapy model used in the book. She has
also presented papers at numerous professional meetings and conducted
many training workshops for therapists. She is uniquely qualified to
“tell stories” about generic issues in therapy because of her many
years of experience in a variety of domains.Her doctoral dissertation entitled, “The Effects of a Personal Empowerment Program Upon the Perceived Self-Efficacy of Women in Social Situations,” focused on treatment programs for women as they confront the limitations placed on them by society. Using skills they learned in the program, the women in the study were able to reach beyond those limitations. For the record, Dr. Dierks was able to claim statistically significant, pre- and post-test differences in the women who went through her personal empowerment program. (See “Listening Within: A Brief Therapy Model for Use with Gestalt Theory,” The Gestalt Journal, 19 (Fall, 1996).
She has since used this personal empowerment model in her clinical practice with women and can report first-hand what a difference it makes in a woman’s life when she feels and exercises her own power. The reward for doing therapy with women is to see them begin therapy as victims and end by knowing themselves to be powerful women who are in charge of their own destiny.
Dr. Dierks’ goal is for all women to feel and know their own power and to have the ability to use their power in healthy ways to get their needs met in all the domains of their lives. Doing one-on-one therapy with a woman changes the world one woman at a time. Writing a book or series of books makes it possible for many women to have the tools to change their lives for the better.
What About Me? A Novel Approach to Personal Growth
Books for Women that are Readable and Informative!
What About Me? A Novel Approach to Personal Growth is an informative self-help book written as an entertaining and engaging novel. The plot focuses on a delightful young woman, Samantha Daley, who is enmeshed in her dysfunctional family. Samantha decides she needs help if she is going to survive her family’s intrusions into her life. She decides to try therapy. Every other chapter is a therapy session. Samantha uses the skills she learns in each therapy chapter to resolve issues in the following chapter.
The greatest benefit of this book is that the reader can actually “see” the protagonist “grow” and by extension learn from this example. The growth process is captured within the book’s narrative structure: a cycle of therapy chapters separated by dramatic episodes in which Samantha deals with her family, her roommate, her workplace and her love life. Another important feature of the book is that the directions given in the therapy chapters are included as appendices for the reader’s own use.
While this particular book is targeted at younger women, it is the inaugural volume in a projected series of books dealing with various phases of a woman’s life. They will cover such issues as dating, sexual identity, marriage, pregnancy (both planned and unplanned), parenting, affairs, divorce, starting over, career issues, healthy issues, empty nest syndrome, menopause, retirement, and losing a partner. The books will follow many of the characters introduced in the first book as they cope with the various issues, e.g., Samantha’s boss realizes her marriage is in trouble.
As a therapist of twenty-three years whose practice has consisted primarily of women as clients, I see the books in this series as extremely important. Many of my clients buy self-help books only to shelve them because they just don’t have the time it takes to “work” the book. In contrast, these books are engaging, easy to read, and informative. The reader can use what fits for them in the moment and then go back to re-visit other parts later. My intent is to create “light” reading with a purpose and a goal—healthier women.
What About Me? is approximately 48,000 words (including the appendices)—perfect for a long plane ride. The goal is to give tired, over-worked women a chance to learn while they have fun reading. The second book is in process and is titled, Does My Butt Look Big? A Novel Approach to Weight Control. All the titles come from common phrases heard repeatedly by therapists.
On a Personal Note
I was born in the Midwest and grew up on a farm where I learned the value of hard work. I have worked hard to address mental health issues as they relate to women most of my adult life. I truly believe that as women we can be all that we were meant to be if we examine some of the stereotypical roles that have been assigned to us instead of just accepting them. “Finding yourself” is not as easy as it sounds when the world is busy telling you who you “should be.” Much of what I write about is my own story, as well as the stories of the myriad of clients I have seen through the years. No one person is ever depicted in a novel and each novel is a depiction of a general issue that many different women face. My first book is dedicated to my mother who was both mentally ill and the best storyteller in the whole world. I owe much of my talent as a mental health professional to her and probably my skills as a storyteller as well.
