Personal Statement
“I take an integrative approach to therapy, which means that my approach is tailored to you and the problems you present. If you are experiencing life-crippling symptoms, such as panic attacks or depression that interfere with what you need to do each day, we will begin with specific cognitive-behavioral interventions to get you functioning again. The next layer is developing your awareness and ability to tolerate your own feelings, even uncomfortable ones like anger or sadness. I will coach you on improving your communication so that you can get your point across without making others defensive. The next layer is relationships, both current and what you learned in the past, I will help you connect on a more satisfying level with others. The deepest layer is existential, coming to understand the meaning of your life and finding the courage to pursue your dreams. The length of the treatment depends on your goals and needs. The most important part of treatment is feeling a good ‘fit’ with your therapist.”

Profile
Alison W. Brett, Ph.D. is a licensed Clinical Psychologist. She has a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University and did post–doctoral work at University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. She has received advanced training in neuropsychology from the Fielding Institute. Dr. Brett is a member of the American Psychological Association, National Academy of Neuropsychology, and the Society for personality Assessment. She has been in private practice since 1999.    

Treatment Areas
Dr. Brett treats a wide range of problems, including anxiety disorders, panic attacks, depression, infertility issues, and marital and couples issues. She has specialized experience with geriatrics, including differentiation of depression from dementia and competency evaluations. Dr. Brett provides personality testing for diagnosis and treatment planning. She also provides neuropsychological testing for attention-deficit/hyper-activity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities (LD), memory problems, and deficits caused by stroke or traumatic brain injury.  

Treatment Modalities
Dr. Alison W. Brett offers individual insight-oriented and integrative psychotherapy for individuals and couples (marital therapy), stress reduction and anger management, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), neuropsychological testing, and psychological testing. “I have worked with men and women of all ethnic backgrounds, and sexual orientations.. If you are seeking psychological or neuropsychological testing, I will be happy to discuss the possible limitations of the evaluation for someone of your background, at the time of the referral. I do not discriminate.”