My name is Krystyna Ksiazek. I live in Massachusetts. I am a Licensed Mental Health Clinician. I have been practicing psychotherapy for 29 years and never got sick of it. Seeing my clients succeeding, whether in therapy or their private life adds meaning to my work. My area of interest is Trauma and Complex-PTSD, Anxiety Spectrum Disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Agoraphobia, phobias, Eating disorders, Depression, and Grief. Also, I have experience in the treatment of anger management problems, self-harm behaviors, and dissociative/split personality disorders. I like working with Young Adults, Adults, the Elderly, men, and women. I like to reach out beyond the traditional scope of therapeutic interventions, to alternative medicine based on the homeostatic model of health. I want to help clients to build self-confidence and optimism and empower them to face new challenges, grow, and succeed as they never imagined. I like to build up therapeutic alliances with the clients, and create an atmosphere where they know and feel that I am there for them and that I understand and support them. I do not mind spending more time with them if this is clinically necessary. Also, under exceptional circumstances, I allowed clients to contact me on the phone outside of therapy sessions, to assist them in coping with extraordinary situations, guide them when they struggle with using newly acquired skills, etc. I came to the USA from Poland in the year of 1981. I had to start "from the bottom". I have been through many ups and downs, and painful personal losses; my mother, friend boyfriend, but I never gave up. My resilience, optimism, and positive outlook on life, did not allow me to accept the failure. Contrary, it motivated me to try harder. Most of the time it worked.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
During the first therapy session I usually start with short conversation focused on getting to know each other and "breaking the ice." In the next step I usually ask the question; "What brought you here?" Depending on your answer, I usually move to the core of the session - person centered counseling - which is focused on gathering information on how you became the person that you are now. I focused the conversation on how things happened in your life rather than what happened. Here, I identify my primary goal of therapy, which is to help you to become more fully yourself, more authentic and less attached to social roles and expectations. This phase usually leads to diagnosis and treatment planning. Each treatment plan is centered on your needs and has to be approved by you.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I think that my biggest strength is my broad educational background, experience and a "big heart, passion, and motivation to help others. I do not mind putting extra effort, working painstakingly on one case, and extending my time and dedication to the client if their condition, family, extraordinary life events, etc. require it. Until I saw the results. I allow my clients to contact me if they feel an urgency to get extra help, are stressed out, or are overstimulated. Often, I spend an extra hour on the phone with them and I do not bill for it. This works well towards increasing the chance for positive treatment outcomes; sometimes clients must receive support at some place and at a certain time.