The Internal Compass helps you stay present, align with your values and needs, and connect with others—so you can be yourself, even when it feels difficult to do so.
You might hold everything together on the outside while feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of yourself inside. We can start with what’s hard right now—and make room for your feelings, your needs, and the life you want to live.
The Internal Compass brings together regulation, alignment with self, and connection with others. Their overlaps form seven territories of growth, with Integrated Self at the center: staying present, being yourself, and staying connected—even when it’s difficult.
A more authentic, fulfilling life
Regulation
Be present with yourself.
Build capacity to meet feelings and challenges with more presence.
Explore the three practices
Notice what’s happening inside.
Your body and emotions offer information. Notice sensations, feelings, thoughts, and urges before explaining or reacting to them.
What is happening inside me right now?
Make room for what you feel.
At a pace that feels manageable, practice meeting feelings with curiosity. You can pause, ground, or ask for support while learning to feel without shutting down or being swept away.
What would help me stay with this feeling?
Support your capacity.
Rest, movement, nourishment, attention, routines, environment, and support affect what you can hold. Find small, sustainable ways to care for yourself.
What helps me take care of myself?
Alignment with Self
Be yourself.
Understand your patterns and choose from what matters to you.
Explore the three practices
Understand what protected you.
Explore how patterns such as pleasing, withdrawing, controlling, or self-criticism may have helped you manage earlier experiences. Understanding creates room for a different response.
What might this pattern be trying to protect?
Know what is now.
Separate what you feel, the story you attach to it, and the evidence in the present. A feeling is real; its meaning deserves curiosity. Past learning and current concerns can both matter.
What belongs to now, and what might belong to then?
Choose what matters.
Clarify what matters to you—your values, needs, and longings—and take a workable step in that direction. Notice what is within your influence and what is not.
What is mine to choose?
Connection with Others
Be yourself with others.
Make room for closeness, boundaries, and mutual support.
Explore the three practices
Stay yourself in relationship.
Practice expressing your needs and limits while respecting others. Closeness can include disagreement, boundaries, and a sense of self.
Can I remain me while being connected to you?
Move toward meaningful connection.
Notice the connection you long for. Build relationships where care, vulnerability, play, belonging, and support can move both ways.
What kind of connection am I longing for?
Practice repair and growth.
Communicate, listen, and take responsibility for your part. Look for repair when it is safe and mutual; recognize when distance or an ending is needed. Leave room for change.
What is my part in moving this forward?
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Each area supports the others. You can begin wherever life is asking for attention.
Integrated Self
Curious about the patterns that keep you stuck—and how we work with them?
A collaborative space to understand your experience and find practical ways to move through it.
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What brings people in
Support for anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, burnout, relationship strain, grief, and major life changes. I also welcome people navigating misophonia, heightened sensitivity, questions of identity, or a search for meaning.
Notice how stress and emotion show up in your body. Build the capacity to stay present with feelings and find practical supports that work for you.
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Inner parts and patterns
Get curious about the patterns that may once have protected you. Understand what they need and discover more room for choice today.
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Relationships and life direction
Clarify what matters to you. Practice expressing needs, setting boundaries, and building relationships where you can be known as yourself.
INTEGRATIVE, RELATIONAL WORK
Somatic Awareness - Depth and Psychodynamic - Person-Centered - Mindfulness - Existential - Family Systems - Internal Family Systems - Cognitive Behavioral
We’ll choose the pace and tools together. No single method is right for everyone.
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Become increasingly free to be fully yourself—in your body, your choices, and your relationships.
Presence · Acceptance · Compassion · Trust
ROOM FOR YOUR WHOLE STORY
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
Grounded in real life. Curious about what lies beneath.
I’m Eric Jensema, a Wisconsin Licensed Professional Counselor in Training (LPC-IT). I practice at Madison Psychotherapy Center under clinical supervision.
Before counseling, I spent nearly 30 years in marketing research and customer experience in the corporate world. That experience—and my own commitment to inner work—helps me meet people navigating pressure, change, and the feeling that life looks fine on the outside while something inside needs attention.
My style is warm, collaborative, and curious. I listen for the feelings, needs, and longings beneath familiar patterns. Together, we can help you understand your own inner world and develop a more integrated sense of self in how you live and relate.
In person at Madison Psychotherapy Center, 702 N. Blackhawk Ave., Suite 215, Madison, WI 53705, or online for people located in Wisconsin.
Fee
$60 per session, with a sliding scale available. These rates are temporary while I complete the requirements for full licensure, so you’re welcome to take advantage of them while they’re available. We can talk through the fee before you decide to begin.
First step
A free 15-minute consultation to share what you’re looking for and ask questions about working together.
Services are provided in a supervised training role at Madison Psychotherapy Center. We’ll clarify availability, fit, fees, and next steps before scheduling therapy.
It’s okay to arrive with a question, a feeling, or only the sense that something needs to change. We can start there.
A consultation is a chance to talk about fit and logistics. It isn’t a therapy session or an emergency service.
COMMON QUESTIONS
It’s okay to have questions first.
You can bring any other questions to a free consultation.
Do I need to know what kind of therapy I need?
No. We’ll talk about what’s bringing you in and what you hope might change. I’ll explain the approaches I use in everyday language, and we’ll decide together what feels useful.
What does Internal Compass Model mean for our sessions?
It gives us three places to look: how you stay present with yourself, how you understand yourself and make choices, and how you connect with others. We start with your concerns and work at your pace. Read more about my approach.
Can we meet online?
Yes. Telehealth is available for clients located in Wisconsin. In-person sessions are offered in Madison through Madison Psychotherapy Center.
How much does therapy cost?
The current fee is $60 per session, and a sliding scale may be available. These rates are temporary while I complete the requirements for full licensure. We’ll confirm the fee and payment arrangements before therapy begins.
What happens after the consultation?
If it feels like a good fit and the service meets your needs, we’ll talk through next steps, scheduling, and the secure paperwork and payment process used by Madison Psychotherapy Center.
Is this the right support for a crisis?
This practice is not an emergency or crisis service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. In the U.S., call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
WHEN YOU’RE READY
Let’s start with a conversation.
Reach out to request a free 15-minute consultation. We can talk about what you’re looking for and whether working together may be a good fit.
Madison Psychotherapy Center · 702 N. Blackhawk Ave., Suite 215 · Madison, WI 53705 · Telehealth across Wisconsin
Please don’t include sensitive personal or health information in email or voicemail. If you become a client, the practice will explain scheduling and payment steps directly.