Sarah Ullman
Psychotherapist - Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, M.A. Clinical Psychology, M.S. Community Counseling, LPC
Cognitive-Behaviorist, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with Neuropsychology sub-specialization, M.A.in Clinical Psychology, M.S. in Community Counseling (Couples and Family), 30 years of evidence (science) based clinical practice, PA Licensed Professional Counselor. Specialty in Trauma (PTSD) and Addictive Disorders, working both locally in-office, and internationally through Skype and FaceTime. I work with all branches of the Military (active-duty, veteran, reservists, and those with ‘bad papers), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), refugees, and civilian populations with trauma, addiction, and relational issues and disorders.
In addition to her academic and clinical work in neuropsychological assessment and complex trauma, Dr Ullman holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology, two Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology and Counseling and a professional counseling license to practice in the state of Pennsylvania. She has had the privilege to train under world-renown neuroscientists, academicians, psychiatrists, and clinical and counseling psychologists, and for the past 30 years has been a practicing psychotherapist specializing in the assessment and treatment of PTSD and complex (developmental) trauma and addictive disorders with children, teens, adults, and those in their senior years. She has been the invited guest speaker for public, private, and global organizations, as well as the Georgia Bar Association, multiple hospitals and universities, and charity function, on issues concerning crisis intervention and preparedness, sexual addiction, PTSD in the military, and disorders of arousal dysregulation.
Dr Ullman’s clinical and academic focus is specific to the traumatic disorders of arousal dysregulation, with increasing attention paid to the global crisis of refugee trauma, and the peritraumatic dissociative disorders related to what was historically referred to as shell shock specific to soldiers returning from battle and what we now call PTSD, as well as childhood maltreatment and PTSD in adults that have been maltreated or abused during their childhood.
Our men and women in the armed forces, whether from recent OEF/OIF deployment, or those that served in any capacity and in any conflict, whether one tour or more, are especially susceptible to depression, anxiety and the signs and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress as a byproduct of war and conflict, and not as a byproduct of the individual. It is important to understand that posttraumatic stress is the result of a normal, psychologically healthy individual, that no matter how well prepared, having experienced or witnessed one or multiple difficult, often unspeakable or catastrophic events, is susceptible. No one is immune, including and sometimes especially local law enforcement and fire personnel who, on a continual basis, oftentimes day-after-day, return to the streets, horrific accidents, and/or the ravages of a devastating fire, whether risking one’s own life or trying to save others, put themselves in harrowing and danger-filled situations as part of their job description.
Childhood maltreatment and developmental trauma is specific to the populations that include children and adults that have experienced predominantly early childhood trauma such as sexual abuse, neglect, and/or violence. Unfortunately and through no fault of their own, a great many of these children are unable to self-regulate their feelings secondary to to their maltreatment and resultant developmental impairment. When unable to recognize and manage what would otherwise be a normal range of emotion and levels of daily stress, these mild to moderate stressors are experienced as catastrophic. Consequently, these children develop significant inter-and intra-personal issues that without intervention, persist throughout the lifespan. As they approach their adolescence and early adulthood, these disturbances generally coalesce around issues pertaining to pathological shame and fear of abandonment and betrayal, intimacy and attachment, uncontrollable anger, explosive rage reactions, and personality and dissociative disorders. These are such problematic and painful issues of daily living that more often then not and dependent upon the type, duration, and intensity of the traumatic event or events and the resilience of the child, the need to tamp down and self medicate these emotions can easily lead to alcohol and drug abuse, and the process addictions such as sex addiction, gambling, eating, cutting, and gaming.
To quote Ram Dass…” When you go out into the woods and look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree. The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying ‘you’re too this, or I’m too this’. That judging mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.”
Skills and Expertise
Abuse / Survivors of Abuse
Addiction
Aggression and Violence
Alcohol Use
Anger Management
Anxiety
Attachment Issues
Asperger's Syndrome
Attention Deficit (ADHD)
Behavioral Issues
Bipolar Disorder
body dysmorphia
Body Image
Borderline Personality
Bullying
Chronic Impulsivity
Chronic Pain
codependency
Control Issues
Coping Mechanisms
Couple Counseling
Depression
Dissociation
Dissociative Disorders
Divorce and Divorce Adjustment
Domestic Abuse
Domestic Violence
Drug Use
Dual Diagnosis
Eating Disorders
Family of Origin Issues
Forgiveness
Gambling
Guilt
grief
Gay Issues
Health Illness and Medical Issues
Helplessness and Victimhood
Identity Issues
Impulse Control Disorders
Internet Addiction
Isolation
Loss or Grief
Marital Therapy
Military Issues
Mood Disorders
Narcissistic Personality
Obesity
Obsessions and Compulsions
pain
Paranoia
Personality Disorders
Phobias
Physical Abuse
Relationship Issues
Self-Harming
Sexual Abuse
Sexual Addiction
Sexual assault
Sleep or Insomnia
Spirituality
Stress
Substance Use
Suicidal Ideation
Testing and Evaluation
Thinking Disorders
Transgender Issues
Trauma
Trauma and PTSD
Traumatic Brain Injury
Veteran Issues
Video Game Addiction
Treatment Orientation
Acceptance Commitment Therapy
Child Parent Psychotherapy
Coaching
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Couple and Family Systems Therapy
DBT Informed Therapy
dbt
Family Systems Therapy
Family/Marital Therapy
Marital Couple/ Family Communication Therapy
Metacognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Neurofeedback
Psychological Testing and Evaluation
psychotherapy
Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)
Restoration Therapy
Relational Therapy
Reality therapy
Technology Addiction
Telehealth-based
Therapy unique to each client
Trauma Focused Therapy
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Modality
Individuals
Group
Family
Couples