Carolyn L. Brennan, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with the Anxiety and Trauma Clinic. She provides evidence-based psychotherapy to help clients overcome symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. And, because life is about more than reducing symptoms, she also supports clients in connecting to their values and building on their personal strengths. Dr. Brennan provides effective mental health treatment for the following concerns:

​

• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related disorders

• Depression and sadness

• Anxiety and excessive worry

• Social anxiety

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• Phobias

• Emotion dysregulation

• Relationship stress and interpersonal difficulties

• Reproductive mental health concerns (such as pregnancy loss, infertility, and perinatal depression and anxiety)

 

Dr. Brennan values the therapy relationship as a critical element of treatment and brings warmth and compassion into each session. Her approach to therapy is informed by her training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She has received extensive training in CBT-based approaches to treating PTSD, including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE). When developing a plan for treatment, Dr. Brennan takes a collaborative approach that prioritizes the clients’ individual needs and preferences. She works with clients from diverse backgrounds and strives for therapy to be a space to explore questions of culture and identity.

​

Dr. Brennan completed her Ph.D. in clinical and community psychology from Georgia State University. Prior to this, she completed a master’s degree in Trauma and Violence Transdisciplinary Studies from New York University. Dr. Brennan has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals on topics related to sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and hostility. She completed her doctoral internship at the Durham VA Medical Center, where she received training in full-model DBT, trauma-focused therapy, and treatment for substance use disorders. She completed her postdoctoral residency at the Atlanta VA Health Care System, with an emphasis in working with women veterans. In this role, she provided trauma-focused therapy to veterans with military sexual trauma history and provided brief psychotherapy to women in a primary care clinic. Dr. Brennan is committed to lifelong learning and continually seeks out research and trainings to ensure that her clients are benefiting from up-to-date knowledge from the field of psychology.