Jodi Leib Coden, MA

Doctoral temporary limited license psychologist

Registered drama therapist

Jodi Leib Coden is a clinical therapist, with specializations in drama therapy, child and adolescent trauma, ADHD and dementia in older adults. She also has extensive experience with auto accident survivors who experience PTSD and specific phobias. Jodi provides an integrative approach, infusing multimodal techniques rooted in creative expression, positive psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy. She has designed and led therapeutic groups for children, adolescents and adults, helping them improve communication skills, resilience and self-expression. Her approach is trauma-informed, strengths-based, and rooted in the belief that creativity can unlock meaningful transformation. With a passion for helping individuals connect more deeply to themselves and others, Jodi combines clinical expertise with a compassionate, playful, and intuitive presence. She is committed to creating inclusive, dynamic therapeutic spaces where clients can safely explore identity, process emotion, and practice new ways of being.

Clinical Specializations

• Trauma
• Individual and Group Therapy
• Children, Adolescents, & Adults
• ADHD

Additional Experience

• Drama therapy
• Alzheimer’s and Dementia
• Auto Accident & Personal Injury
• Emotional Pain
• Divorce Support
• Posttraumatic Stress
• Traumatic Brain Injury

Education & Background

• Doctoral Temporary Educational Limited License Psychologist(TLLP), State of Michigan
• Registered drama therapist North American Drama Therapy Association
• Certified child and adolescent trauma professional, International Association of Trauma Professionals
• Candidate for Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD), Michigan School of Psychology, July 2027 (Expected)
• Master of Arts in Drama Therapy Studies and Psychology Theory, Lesley University
• Bachelor of Arts, University of Michigan

Favorite therapeutic book

The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron

Reading and completing The Artist’s Way for the first time opened my mind to the incredible healing power of creativity and propelled me on this life path as a creative arts therapist. What I love about this book and framework for personal growth is the way the author offers structured activities to unblock creative energy while emphasizing a spiritual process of recovery. To me, this reflects how I conceptualize therapy: as a synthesis of embodied self-expression with cognitive-behavioral and humanistic modalities—such as mindfulness, role play, journaling, creative expression, and guided visualization—to enhance self-awareness, emotional resilience, and life satisfaction.

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  Express Yourself with Confidence: Practical Steps to Build Assertiveness and Stronger Communication

  Confident self-expression means saying what you need and think with clarity, calm, and respect—while protecting relationships and your integrity. This guide lays out why assertiveness matters at home and at work, how to strengthen communication skills, and which evidence-based therapies and coaching approaches speed real progress. Many people struggle with fear of speaking up, social anxiety, perfectionism, or people-pleasing patterns that undermine negotiation, leadership, and connection; the strategies here address those core drivers. You’ll find step-by-step assertiveness practices, daily routines to build self-efficacy, therapeutic and coaching pathways for social anxiety and high-stakes conversations, and practical boundary-setting scripts you can rehearse. The article also includes comparison tables, anonymized case vignettes showing outcomes, and focused tips for executives, adolescents, and couples to...

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  Releasing Tension Through Muscle Relaxation: Practical, Evidence-Informed Techniques for Stress and Anxiety Relief

  Muscle relaxation describes intentional practices that reduce skeletal muscle tension and interrupt the body’s stress response. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is one of the most extensively studied methods for doing this. Emerging research shows targeted relaxation lowers sympathetic arousal, strengthens parasympathetic tone, and produces measurable reductions in anxiety, tension headaches, and sleep disruption. This article explains why muscle tension develops, how PMR works both physiologically and psychologically, and how to combine PMR with breathwork, mindfulness, and trauma-informed somatic approaches for more durable relief. You’ll find clear, evidence-informed how-to steps, comparisons of complementary methods, clinical applications (including CBT and somatic models), and practical resources to begin a daily practice. Sections move from causes and mechanisms to step-by-step technique, clinical integration, and...

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