4: Gabrielle Ferrara – The Promising Future of a Therapist Who Sees a Therapist

In this podcast interview, Gabrielle Ferrara reveals how she decided which undergraduate and graduate schools to attend to help her become a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and therapist in New Jersey. She explains why she got into the field of social work and discusses her plans for the future including what it takes to get your Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) licensure in NJ. Gabrielle has experienced many “firsts” in the last six months.  She has graduated with her master’s degree, started a new job, got engaged to someone she dated in high school, and had her blog “Therapist Who Sees a Therapist” go live on Psychology Today with an article titled “Why Showing Emotion as a Therapist Is OK Sometimes.” She explains that it is OK to show empathy and compassion for others because we are all human. However, as a therapist, she needs to be aware of countertransference as it can be harmful to the client if it goes unchecked. As a rising mental health professional, Gabrielle admits that she is passionate about her career and providing the therapy that many people seek and need during these unprecedented times. In fact, she submitted a letter to COVID-19 frontline workers on The Mighty thanking them for their hard work and dedication. She reminds them to put on their COVID-19 mask, as well as their mental health mask, so they can emotionally endure the chaos they see daily. Gabrielle identifies the five words that she uses as a therapist and how they have helped her better understand her client’s experience. She shares why she is passionate about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and discusses one of her favorite psychological theories. Gabrielle currently works at The Counseling Center in Middlesex, NJ as a Substance Use and Mental Health Therapist and has become a “Super Contributor” on The Mighty. Connect with Gabrielle: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedInConnect with the Show: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn https://vimeo.com/483105713 Interests and Specializations Gabrielle specializes in substance use and mental health issues. She is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and works with both adolescents and adults. She is interested in the therapies used to treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy which is a form of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Gabrielle is also interested in the use of dialectics, dialectical statements, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She is working toward licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). In New Jersey, all LCSW candidates must complete two years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work experience with at least 1,920 hours spent providing direct client services. Education Bachelor of Arts (BA), Psychology/Criminology (2018); University of Miami.Master of Social Work (MSW), Clinical Social Work (2020); Rutgers University. Counseling Certificates and Licensure LSW – Licensed Social Worker Other Links of Interest https://thecounselingcenter.com/https://www.nami.org/Homehttps://iocdf.org/ https://twitter.com/GFerrara_LSW/status/1331373185695158273 Podcast Transcription Bradley(00:00:13)Welcome to the Master's in Psychology Podcast where psychology students can learn from psychologists, educators, and practitioners to better understand what they do, how they got there, and hear the advice they have for those interested in getting a master's degree in psychology or related field. I'm your host, Brad Schumacher, and today we have the privilege of talking with Gabrielle Ferrara. After graduating from Morristown High School, Gabrielle attended University of Miami where she received her BA in Psychology and Criminology. She then attended Rutgers University where she received her master's degree in Clinical Social Work (CSW) with an emphasis on mental and behavioral health. Gabrielle served as a Mental Health Counselor and she did her internship at the Immed...