Practice Philosophy:
Dr. Van Berkel is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with adults struggling with a wide variety of mental health concerns. She pivoted to a career in mental health after spending 15 years as a public policy consultant, educator, and advocate for survivors of traumatic events around the world, where she was moved by the vast number of untreated mental health issues she encountered. Her approach to treatment is informed by these experiences, and therefore she has the ability to relate well to people across cultures and familiarity with the stresses and challenges of working in education, government and international organizations.
Easy to connect with, Dr. Van Berkel creates a friendly, safe environment for clients, using culturally sensitive, evidence-based treatments that foster collaboration and trust. With a healthy dose of humor and compassion, she encourages clients to accept themselves as they are while helping them to identify what is getting in the way of constructing the life they want to live. She individualizes treatment to each client’s unique needs, values, goals, and personality, and helps clients improve self-efficacy, develop healthier relationships with self and others, and practice skills to regulate and manage emotions. Clients learn new ways to think about their past, present, and future while processing painful experiences that have interfered with their current functioning. She also teaches clients mindfulness skills that increase one’s ability to tolerate distress.
Areas of Expertise:
Dr. Van Berkel specializes in treating adults with anxiety, depression, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fears and phobias, OCD, mood disorders, suicidal thoughts, and emotion dysregulation. These issues often present as struggles with work concerns, relationship conflicts, career and life transitions, and cross-cultural adjustment. Dr. Van Berkel has been intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and has completed advanced training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), including Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD, as well as Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS). Her extensive background encompasses working with trauma patients including veterans with PTSD, victims of sexual assault, refugees, and survivors of disasters including Hurricane Katrina and others in sub-Saharan Africa.
Experience and Training:
Dr. Van Berkel received her Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University, where she focused her research on the cross-cultural efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and trauma. She completed her clinical internship at the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry in New Orleans. She completed her postdoctoral training at the Arlington/DC Behavior Therapy Institute, treating culturally diverse adults experiencing a wide variety of clinical concerns. She has been appointed by the American Psychological Association to the position of Federal Advocacy Coordinator, where she is an integral part of the team that does all public policy, lobbying, and advocacy for the board and helps to educate Congress on the clinical impact to patients of their actions. Prior to her career in clinical psychology, Dr. Van Berkel received her master’s degree in international relations from the University of Kentucky’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. She served as an emergency management consultant and high school International Baccalaureate teacher, working in diverse settings including nonprofit agencies, state and federal government, and the private sector.
Blog Posts and Events:
- Facilitator: DBT Skills Class for Adults
