Clinical Practice

Psychotherapy can be a fascinating, exciting endeavor, anintimate, “real-world” exploration of psychopathology and personality. It is similar in some ways to any scholar’s encounter with an original text; psychotherapeutic work is a unique, important primary source when it comes to understanding personality and psychopathology.  Of course, Donna values clinical work not only for its intellectual engagement, but most importantly because it seeks to alleviate human suffering. In the thousands of hours of psychotherapy that she has done with adults and adolescents, she is frequently struck by the strength and resilience that people draw upon to get through tough times.  In her clinical practice she has worked with a wide range of people dealing with a range of psychological issues including trauma (e.g., physical or sexual abuse), depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, and marital difficulties.  For students who want to help others by doing psychotherapy/ counseling, Donna believes that the scientist-practitioner model that is the foundation of clinical psychology is an excellent model. The scientist-practitioner perspective asserts that the best therapist is well-informed about scientific findings regarding people, psychological disorders, and their treatment. This approach combines healthy doses of both intellectual rigor and compassion as we seek to do good in the world.