We want you to get the care you deserve.
Hi! I’m Dr. Desiree Seponski, PHD, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor. I’d love to share my experiences and approaches so you can see how we might work together.
Therapy Experience
I’ve been practicing therapy for 17+ years in an array of settings (community, clinic, university health, group practice, international). I launched my private practice in early 2022 to focus on supporting women and families experiencing the cumulative stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a clinical supervisor, I observed high levels of burnout at work and in the home, exacerbated financial burden, depleted resources, parent-child relationship strain, and marital and extended family distress at an all time high. I wanted to be working with women and families directly, addressing the overwhelm, trauma, and grief and adding back the joy and connection.
I especially enjoy working with ambitious, high achieving women who are feeling overwhelmed and burned out (and those who know and love them!). These women know they can’t keep doing it all by themselves, and are looking to live more authentically, be in accord with their values, and find joy and connection in their relationships. Having had my own experience with this (which is going to be different from yours), I know the value of stepping into yourself and how scary (and liberating) it can be.
Human Credentials
I’m also a human trying to navigate this beautifully crazy life with my husband of 16 years, two spirited, hilarious toddler daughters, and three majestic, devious black cats all living in an intergenerational home. I hold Masters and Doctoral degrees in Child and Family Development with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy, so I thought all this family stuff would be a breeze with my “knowledge”. Ah, gaining humility through hands-on, real-life experience. While my academic side has a serious love for research and evidence-based therapy practice, I’ve recently been exploring the beauty and healing power of crystals, rock tumbling at home (we have a lot of quartz on our property), oracle cards, and watercolors. I can’t claim to be good at any of them, but it's fun to learn new hobbies that I can do in spurts on my own and also somewhat share with my girls. We have also deepened our love of camping and exploring all of our great Georgia parks.
Professional Qualifications
I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Georgia and an AAMFT approved supervisor. I am also an associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, at the University of Georgia and visiting faculty at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I serve as the President of the International Family Therapy Association. Within these roles, I am a therapist, researcher, author, teacher, activist, leader, and presenter.
My early career experiences of walking with clients, meeting outside, or going to parks, coupled with the precautions needed during the pandemic, have inspired me to offer outdoor therapy in Georgia near the Athens, Watkinsville, and Braselton areas. These will be coming soon; please note interest during initial contact.
Publications, Presentations, and Advanced Training
If you have read this far, thank you. If you continue reading and join in totally nerding-out over the science part in this section, thank you thank you. I’ve added links to example abstracts. If you find it boring, I totally get that too: Feel free stop here and reach out.
My clinical practice is informed by science, both that I produce with my team and the most up-do-date evidence-based practices in the field. I have advanced training in complex trauma, EMDR, and walking therapy. With my team, I have researched, published in peer-reviewed journals and books, and presented on an array of issues including anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicide, trauma, intergenerational transmission of stress and resilience, financial strain, poverty, intergenerational and family relationships, intimacy, and spirituality, and treatments such as emotionally focused therapy, solution focused therapy, feminist informed therapy, narrative therapy, EMDR, testimonial therapy, and premarital therapy.
I have been a faculty member for over a decade, teaching classes at Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral levels on marriage and family therapy theories and practices, human development across the lifespan, aging, culturally responsive practice, global mental health, human diversity, and trauma therapy and intervention.
I have had the privilege of working with many amazing students, supervisees, colleagues, research participants, and clients. Featured Photo: (Left) Lorien Jordan, PhD, LMFT, Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas, former supervisee, now colleague collaborator, International Family Therapy World Congress.