Jillissa Cooper, Licensed Professional Counselor

Jillissa Cooper

M.A., LPC

I love getting to know each person’s story. It’s a joy to walk with others and help them in self-discovery and overcome issues of the heart and personal life struggles. My clients can expect a sincere care for them as a person, respect of where they are and their values, an empathetic and loving response to their struggles and pain, no judgment, and honest, direct feedback. My goal is to create an environment of safety and vulnerability – to understand each person, help them grow, and empower them to change according to the goals we develop together.

Areas of Concentration

Jillissa Cherepon completed her undergraduate degree with a concentration in Biblical Studies and Psychology at Dallas Baptist University and earned her Master’s degree in Biblical Counseling from Dallas Theological Seminary. Jillissa also attended the Focus on the Family Institute, where she completed further studies in marriage and family. She has been a counselor with HopeWorks for nearly ten years. Jillissa is currently the lead therapist and serves on the management team. She has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of the counseling center. Jillissa also leads and conducts a monthly Continuing Education group at The Hope Center with other lead therapists in the DFW area. Counseling has been Jillissa’s passion for years, and she has a strong desire to provide hope, healing, clarity, and joy to individuals. Her philosophy of counseling involves the integration of Christianity and psychology, and her counseling methods include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, integration, Family Systems Theory, and psychoeducation. Jillissa also provides premarital counseling for couples of all ages who are considering marriage, and is a trained facilitator for Prepare/Enrich, an inventory for couples to discover compatibility in areas such as personality, communication, conflict resolution, family backgrounds, finances, and spirituality. In addition to private practice work, Jillissa provided counsel at Texas Healthcare Neck & Back Clinic for nine years, where she conducted mental health assessments and counseling for those struggling with Adjustment Disorders and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to injury. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Jillissa now lives in Carrolton. She is a covenant member of Northway Church, where she leads and serves in several capacities. Her hobbies include: music, time with friends and family, singing, travel, photography, decorating, and cooking.

“I know God brought us specifically to Jillissa’s door. My husband and I prayed and prayed about where to send our daughter when we discovered she was self-harming. We could not be more pleased with how she was able to help us all in the process. She was sent to us from God.”

— Mother of self-harming client

“Jillissa has helped heal our marriage in so many ways. Sessions could be difficult as we look at things about each other and ourselves that are not always easy to look at, but in the end it brought us toward a better understanding of each other and of what marriage is in God’s eyes.”

— Marriage client

“Counseling with Jillissa isn’t just a way to deal with the problems I brought in, but rather to see through the problems and face the future with confidence. I’m able to gather all my thoughts, learn how to think about them in a healthy way and how to talk to God about them too. When I leave each session, it’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders!”

— Anonymous client