Since graduating from PCOM’s Masters in Mental Health Counseling program in 2022, Jessica Marcacci has balanced two careers. By day, she works as a detective with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and in the evenings and on weekends, she helps clients as a psychotherapist with River Wards Wellness Collective.
Marcacci has been with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office since 2013. As part of the office’s motor vehicle unit, she focuses on investigating identity theft, computer crimes, fraud, and occasionally racketeering. She conducts victim, witness, and suspect interviews and frequently testifies in the state grand jury. Driven by a passion for helping and understanding others, Marcacci obtained a Master of Science in General Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in 2018. Wanting to have a greater impact on individuals who are struggling, Marcacci realized she needed to further her education in an area where she could become a licensed psychotherapist. Familiar with PCOM through her close friend, Sarah Song, MS/Biomed ’19 (DO ’24), Marcacci chose to pursue her counseling degree at PCOM.
Through PCOM’s Standardized Training and Evaluation of Psychologists and Psychotherapists (STEPPS) program, Marcacci gained genuine clinical experience. Through the performance-based program, students practice their clinical skills on standardized patients. Each session is recorded so students are able to review their interviews, track progress, and use feedback to inform their learning goals. “The STEPPS program is invaluable. Also being trained in an evidence-based practice, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), gave me an incredible foundation to continue to grow my own clinical style, expertise, and interests,” says Marcacci.
After graduating from PCOM, Marcacci did not want to stop working in law enforcement. Instead, she found a way to manage two careers. “I am lucky enough to not do shift-work, so I can maintain a consistent work schedule. This allows me to see psychotherapy clients both during the weeknight evenings and weekend mornings,” she explains.
As she has maintained both roles, Marcacci has found parallels between her detective work and her counseling work. “My detective work provided me with a solid foundation of communicating with people who are experiencing difficult moments in their lives,” says Marcacci.
As a therapist, Marcacci prides herself on her ability to be empathetic, caring, inclusive, and non-judgmental. “I have always made it a point to bring these traits into my law enforcement career, especially when dealing with suspects and defendants,” she explains. “I think it’s crucial, or rather just human, to remember that you never know what someone is going through or what someone’s past interactions with police have been. I give respect in order to get respect.”
In order to balance her busy schedule, Marcacci prioritizes taking time to recharge. “Sometimes my biggest challenge is finding time to decompress from my ‘day job’ and transition to my role as a clinician. I allow myself to take what I need at any given moment without judgment. If that means going on a run instead of doing a note, ordering takeout instead of cooking, or reading instead of running errands, I do that. There is no need for me or anyone to be productive 24 hours a day,” she explains.
For the immediate future, Marcacci plans to continue in both of her careers. “I knew I always wanted to impact people in a positive way – to help them, understand them, and most importantly, show them compassion where they may not normally find any. My career in law enforcement and my work as a clinician allow me to do all of these things.”
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and Jessica Marcacci and are not the opinion of the State of New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.