Past President

Fredrick Dombrowski, PhD, LMHC, CASAC, LPC, LADC, NCC, CCMHC, MAC, ACS, BC-TMH, HS-BCP, ICADC, DCMHS


PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCEFDombrowski200px.png


Please accept my submission for consideration for President Elect with AMHCA. I have worked in the mental health field since 1999 earning a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2006 and completing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision in 2016. My professional experience includes working with various treatment modalities including inpatient, outpatient, residential, and forensic treatment. Through these various experiences I have worked with adults and children living with co-occurring disorders. As I specialize in transgender clinical mental health counseling, I have directed several clinics for services for LGBTQIA+ populations requiring ongoing community advocacy, education, and connection to services. My clinical experience has contributed to further growth as a Director of Operations for the Westchester Medical Center and Whiting Maximum Security Forensic Hospital. I have worked as an educator for various clinical mental health counseling programs as well as substance use programs since 2010. I am currently a full time Associate Professor at the University of Bridgeport. In every position, I advocate for social justice issues to enhance equitable clinical treatment, to build community connections, and to assist marginalized populations with having direct feedback to community health related issues.


ASSOCIATION EXPERIENCE

I have participated in various state conferences, regional conferences, and national conferences. I am a member of AMHCA’s Credentialing and Certification Board and have served since 2019 where we have worked to formally recognize clinical specializations. I have also served on a joint taskforce between AMHCA and NAADAC (the Association for Addictions Professionals) to improve education, support, and resources for clinicians working with those living with co-occurring disorders. I have provided several publications for the AMHCA Advocate.



GOALS

  • Advocate for connection to services for marginalized populations enduring systemic oppression and generational trauma.
  • Enhance connection between AMHCA and other national organizations to improve access to clinical tools for CMHCs and improve overall quality of treatment.
  • Improve connection between AMHCA and state counseling chapters to enhance communication, advocate for portability, and identify the local needs of those being served.

AWARDS AND HONORS

  • Connecticut Counseling Association: Human Services Award 2020
  • Purdue Global University: Diversity and Inclusion Award 2019
  • AMHCA: Outstanding Article in The Advocate Magazine 2018
  • New York Medical College- Teacher of the Year 2018
  • TD Bank Business Ally Award: Exemplary commitment and support of the LGBT community 2017
  • New York Medical College- Senior Class Teacher of the Year 2016
  • New York Medical College- Teacher of the Year 2015



COMMUNITY SERVICE

  • Training to local mental health agencies across CT and NY regarding creating an affirming treatment environment for LGBTQIA+ populations. Additional specialized training regarding mental health treatment of transgender clients. Free trainings to companies within the WNY area for substance use counselors to enhance Motivational Interviewing skills.
  • The Connecticut Counseling Association: Summer 2020, virtual check in host.
  • The American Mental Health Counselors Association and The Association for Addictions Professionals (NAADAC), build co-occurring resources for both clinical mental health and substance use counselors.
  • The Therapeutic Speakeasy Quarterly: Article reviewer, coordinator of outreach.
  • The American Mental Health Counselors Association: Review diplomate applications.


PUBLICATIONS

Dombrowski, F.B. (2020). COVID-19: The resurrection of resilience and self-care for the addiction professional. Advances in Addiction and Recovery, 8(4), 32-35.

Dombrowski, F.B. (2020). Facilitating difficult discussions about power, privilege, and race. The Advocate Magazine, 43(3), 12-14.

Dombrowski, F.B. (2019). Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The Advocate Magazine, 42(2). 32-36.

Dombrowski, F.B. (2018). Comprehensive treatment for transgender clients. The Advocate Magazine, 41(2). 28-32.

Dombrowski, F.B. (2017). Conflicting worlds: Working with LGBTQ clients identifying as Christian. Therapeutic Speakeasy Quarterly, 1(2), 6-7. ISSN: 2474-4794.

Dombrowski, F.B. (2016). Scoring the touchdown: Breaking through cognitive distortions. In S. E. Stewart-Spencer & C. J. Dean (Eds.), Metaphors and therapy: Enhancing clinical supervision and education. Baton Rouge, LA: Independent Therapy Ink, LLC.

Dombrowski, F.B. (2016). Student reflections. Chi Sigma Iota Exemplar: Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International, 31(1), 24-26.


PRESENTATIONS

The National Council for Behavioral Health, December 2020
“Supporting Your Clients with Co-Occurring Conditions During COVID-19”

The American Mental Health Counselors Association, November 2020
“Facilitating difficult discussions about power, privilege, and race for current and future clinical mental health counselors”

The Connecticut Counseling Association, October 2020
“Treating our Veterans: Evidence Based Practices and Community Supports.”

The National Association for Addictions Professionals, September 2020
“Modifying DBT for substance use treatment”

The Connecticut Certification Board- Podcast, August 2020
“Transgender treatment: What substance use counselors need to know Parts 1 and 2”

The Toronto Film School, May 2020
"Navigating the unknown: tips for managing anxiety and catastrophic thinking"

Purdue Global University- Staff Support, May 2020
“An Educators Path to Helping: Caring for ourselves and our students during a crisis.”

The American Mental Health Counselors Association, May 2020
The National Association for Addictions Professionals
“Telehealth During COVID-19 and Beyond: Integrative Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders”

The American Mental Health Counselors Association, April 2020
The National Association for Addictions Professionals
“Psychological First Aid during COVID-19”

Psi Chi- University of Bridgeport, March 2020
“What Psychology Students need to know about Transgender Care”

LifeBridge Community Services, January 2020
“Meeting the Mental Health Needs of the LGBTQIA+ Communities”

American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, November 2019
“All Hands on Deck: Transforming the Primary Care Workforce to Increase Capacity for Mental Health Care & Addiction Treatment

Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services- CT, June 2019
“Addressing the needs of transgender patients in inpatient settings.”

The Association for Addictions Professionals, September 2018
“Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Addictions Treatment”

The American Mental Health Counselors Association, August 2018
“Comprehensive treatment of Transgender Clients”

The Connecticut Counseling Association, April 2018
“Addressing Mental Health Disinformation in an Age of Social Media”

The National Association of Social Workers, June 2017
“Interacting with transgender clients: A guide to working with transgender people.”

The Connecticut Counseling Association, May 2017
“Dialectic Behavioral Therapy: Applications for substance abuse.”

The Westchester County Fathering Conference, April 2017
“Family behavioral health questions and concerns”

The International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors, December 2016
“Counselors attitudes toward sex offenders: Gender does matter.”

New York Mental Health Counseling Association, April 2016
“Demystifying Dialectic Behavioral Therapy: Clear directions for implementation in treatment programs”

ACES National Conference, September 2015
“Creating a uniformed response for counseling programs working with students showing signs of personality disorders.”

NARACES Regional Conference, September 2014
“The toughest population? Creating a professional identity for counselors in training working with sex offenders.”

The New York Mental Health Counseling Association, September 2014
“Mental health clinicians’ attitudes towards sexual offenders of different genders: Gender does matter.”

Come out Find Out: LGBTQ Conference, October 2013
“Why are we not talking about PrEP? Information about Preexposure Prophylaxis for Men who have Sex with Men”

Westchester Medical College, February 2013
“La Papa Caliente: Understanding the role of shared care in cultural psychiatry”