Clinical and Forensic Psychologist
License # PS019612
Background and Approach
Since starting in the field about 20 years ago, I have had the privilege of working therapeutically with diverse populations in various outpatient clinics, hospitals, and schools. Over the past several years I have focused on treating clinical and forensic clients through my private practice.
I am currently accepting new clients to be seen either virtually or in person at my office in Phoenixville, PA.
My clinical approach is eclectic, including supportive, exploratory, psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), client-centered, and mindfulness techniques. I also believe humor, at appropriate times, can be an important therapeutic ingredient. Understanding that people are their own best experts, I strive to provide the necessary atmosphere to allow for self-reflection to lead to insight.
Over the years, I have conducted individual, group, and family therapy with culturally-diverse populations, including LGBTQ2S. I have significant experience working with: anxiety, stress, life-transitions, depression, self-harm, grief, loss, gender dysphoria, victims of abuse (including sexual abuse and complex trauma), bullying, impaired social skills, adolescents with problematic sexual behaviors, and families with communication difficulties and relationship conflicts.
Education
1997 - BA (Bachelor of Arts) - University of Michigan
2003 - PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) - George Washington University
Areas of Experience
Adolescents
Since starting in the field about 20 years ago, I have treated teens and preadolescents in various clinics, hospitals, schools, as well as in private practice. I have extensive experience working with teens struggling with anxiety, stress, depression, self-harm, grief, loss, gender dysphoria, trauma (including bullying, sexual abuse, and complex trauma), peer-pressure, life-transitions, academic issues, and impaired social skills.
Adults and Families
I have worked clinically with adults in various settings using modalities from psychodynamic to CBT. My client-centered approach aims to bolster self-awareness and help clients realize their full potential.
Employing interventions from both Structural Family Therapy and Family Systems approaches, I view the family as a system within the larger multi-generational context. I have worked with the whole family and with the sub-systems, including the parenting dynamic and sibling dynamic, to help improve communication, understand relational patterns, and attempt to heal ruptured family bonds.
Stress / Anxiety
Individuals experience stress in different ways and have unique ways of showing and resolving symptoms. As such, I work in tandem with the client to identify sources of anxiety and to find useful strategies. Techniques range from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Eastern-based Mindfulness. Tension release is, at times, encouraged via physical activity, art, and other creative processes. Exploratory therapy can also help discover underlying causes of anxiety.
Depression
In various settings, I've worked with clients enduring varying degrees of depressive symptoms, including isolation, amotivation, sleep disturbance, hopelessness, self-harm, and thoughts/plans of suicide. Treatment has focused on safety strategies, ways to enhance coping skills, and working together to regain a healthy sense of empowerment, purpose, self-worth, hope, and optimism.
Trauma / Grief / Loss
Healing from a profoundly painful past involves the delicate balance between safely processing the past trauma and adeptly diverting attention away from those memories and feelings when they become too overwhelming. Part of the art is learning when it's the right time to process vs. when it's time to divert. Grief/Loss work also involves these strategies, as well as discovering meaningful ways to honor the loved ones we've lost.
Teens with problematic
sexual behaviors
For 12 years, part of my work was in a treatment program for minors who had sexually offended. I conducted groups, individual therapy, and psychodiagnostic evaluations with this population. I also helped design some of the program's curriculum. Interventions stemmed from the evidence-based Risk-Need-Responsivity Model and the strengths-based Good Lives Model.
Contact
For more information or to set up
an appointment, please call or email:
Jeremy Atkins, Psy.D.
1288 Valley Forge Road
Suite 54
Phoenixville, PA 19460
(610) 983-8119
Currently, I am not on any insurance panels. Some insurance companies will cover a portion of my services as an out-of-network provider.