Hello ! My name is Brittany Kowalski. I am an LCSW. I attended Bloomsburg University for completion of my undergraduate degree where I majored in Social Work with a minor in American Sign Language. I completed my master’s degrees at Temple University in Clinical Social Work. Since graduating I have worked with clients of all ages including famillies and couples ato help them meet their goals as a team. I have experience in the following modalities: Prolonged Exposure. I am a certified Prolonged Exposure Therapist working to reduce the effects of PTSD in the lives of those who have been affected by trauma. PE is used to gradually approach trauma related memories and situations in order to understand that the memories and trauma cues are not dangerous and do not have to be avoided. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. ACT uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies mixed in different ways with commitment and behavior-change strategies, to increase psychological flexibility. This works to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and poor self-esteem.. Anger management. Therapist works to support and teach anger control that gives you the tools you need to manage anger you experience every day. You’ll get a deeper understanding of how anger affects all areas of your life—both physically and emotionally, in order to gain better control over destructive anger. Motivational Interviewing. This is a therapeutic method that helps people resolve ambivalent feelings and insecurities to find the internal motivation they need to change their behavior. It is a practical, empathetic, and short-term process that takes into consideration how difficult it is to make life changes. This can be used to work to increase motivation and reduce behaviors that have been mentally harmful. There are many more areas of focus I have worked in such as parent child conflict, behavior management for children ages 5+, poor sleep habits in children, anxiety, depression, OCD, Bipolar disorders, implementing appropriate coping skills and emotion regulation. In life no one treatment is perfect due to everyone being so different and having their own individual experiences. I use a “cake method” to my approach to therapy. I am trained in many modalities and use them as ingredients to build the treatment (cake) that best fits you!

What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?

The main modalities that I use are the following based on the needs that are presented within the sessions: Acceptance and Commitment therapy Cognitive Behavioral therapy Prolonged Exposure therapy Dialectical Behavioral therapy As we work together and get to know one another we will work to decide which modalities work best whether it be one or a couple combined to help build out a toolbox to manage current and future situations. I am a true believer that if something isn't working it has nothing to do with the client and has everything to do with the approach that is being taken. This is why I work to remain as flexible as possible when working with clients.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

My biggest strength as a clinician is working on the presenting symptoms and not the diagnosis that tends to follow clients from therapist to therapist. Even though I do find importance within the diagnosis that has been given I work on the presenting issues as well as digging into the past to help process and navigate the situations the clients are facing. I have been trained with acceptance and commitment therapy ( ACT). ACT uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies mixed in different ways with commitment and behavior-change strategies, to increase psychological flexibility. This works to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and poor self-esteem. I am certified in Prolonged Exposure therapy. Prolonged Exposure therapy works to reduce the effects of PTSD in the lives of those who have been affected by trauma. PE is used to gradually approach trauma related memories and situations in order to understand that the memories and trauma cues are not dangerous and do not have to be avoided.

About Brittany Kowalski