Dr. Melissa Kraemer Smothers, Ph.D.
PsychologistDr. Melissa Kraemer Smothers received her masters degree in community counseling from Boston College and her Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is the current Journal Editor of the Wisconsin Counseling Journal and board member of the Wisconsin Counseling Association. Dr. Kraemer Smothers presents on counseling ethics, trauma, supervision and gender dynamics within the counseling relationship. As a licensed psychologist, she supervises licensed professional counselors (LPC’s) in training. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Wisconsin Counseling and Consultation Services and a postgraduate fellowship at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford, MA.
Dr. Kraemer Smothers is also an Associate Professor in the M.S. in Counseling program at Mount Mary University. "I approach therapy with the belief that the individual is more than the difficulties they are currently experiencing. I evaluate what my clients want out of therapy, what meaning they make of their current difficulties and how these concerns manifest themselves. I work in a collaborative, strength-based manner with my clients. I understand the desire for immediate relief of the difficulties that brought my clients to therapy, while also bringing an openness to exploring the factors that contributed to the development of these difficulties. My approach is predominately psychodynamic, drawing from relational, family systems, and gender-sensitive approaches. My orientation reflects my sensitivity to early familial experiences and the importance of an individual's need for relationships. I believe early experiences are a primary source of gaining knowledge about who we are in the world. I also believe that the relationship between the client and therapist can be utilized to resolve these difficulties." |
Recent PresentationsSmothers, M.K. & Smothers, D.B. (2017, September). The Ties That Bind: Understanding Attachment Theory as a Path to Connection. Six-hour workshop presented for Wisconsin Association of Family & Children's Agencies (WAFCA) Continuing Education and Professional Development Program, Pewaukee, WI.
Smothers, M.K. (2017, January). General Group Therapy Techniques. Six-hour workshop presented as part of the Behavioral Health Workshop Series at Aurora Psychiatric Hospital, Milwaukee, WI. Smothers, M. K., Smothers, D. B, & Halaiko, J. (2016, November). The Dynamics of Live Supervision. Live supervision session at the Fall Summit of the Wisconsin Counseling Association, Milwaukee, WI. Smothers, D. B. & Smothers, M. K. (2016, September). Who will hear me when I call?: The role of witnessing in community trauma. Paper session presented at the annual Social Living Conference, Milwaukee, WI. Smothers, M.K. & Scheiddeger, T. (2016, April). Integrating a trauma informed care model with attachment theory and neuroscience. Paper session presented at the annual Counseling Spring Intensive at Mount Mary University, Milwaukee, WI. Smothers, M.K. (2015, October). Entering the worldview of the child: An Introduction to Attachment and Parental Reflective Functioning in Working with Caregivers. Paper session presented at the annual Social Living Conference, Milwaukee, WI. |