Dr. Brian Matlaga

My Approach

• Psychodynamic
• Family Systems
• Attachment-Focused

Location

In-Person / Virtual
(PA residents)

Rate

$170 per session

Licensure

Psychology Resident, supervised by a licensed psychologist

Insurance

In-network with Aetna, BCBS plans (not IBX), and PA VCAP. Superbills provided after every session on request.

The desire to understand and feel understood is one of our most basic human needs. This desire is the foundation upon which I practice my approach to psychotherapy. I primarily take a psychodynamic approach, which means that I believe we as humans find ourselves repeating certain patterns that in some way contribute to our suffering. I believe, in the most general sense, that psychotherapy can be most helpful when it allows us to understand these parts of ourselves that repeat these patterns. I also believe the therapeutic relationship must provide the trust to allow this type of exploration.

I completed my doctorate training in clinical psychology at Chestnut Hill College where I studied both psychodynamic and systems approaches to individual and family therapy. I completed my doctoral internship, as well as my advanced clinical practicum, at Tuttleman Counseling Services, which is the college counseling office at Temple University. In addition to college counseling experience, I have also worked in private practice for approximately three years seeing individuals and families. During my training for my master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling, I acquired practical experience in substance use treatment centers and have worked with various levels of care as it pertains to people with addiction.

Independently of my academic trainings, I am currently in the advanced stages of training to become certified in Mentalization Based therapy, which is a treatment originally designed for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder, but it has proven clinical applications for people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Trauma-Related Disorders, Depression, Eating Disorders, and more. I have also completed a Trauma certification program. Specific diagnoses that I believe my approach works best for are personality disorders, trauma-related disorders, and some mood-related disorders. Regardless of diagnosis, I find that I work well with people who are struggling with a sense of identity or continuity in their sense of self, people who have distressing or non-traditional families of origin, people who are experiencing significant distress in their personality or romantic relationships, people engaging in self-harm or self-destructive behavior, and grief and loss. In my work with family therapy, I find I work best with adult families especially ones that are working through cutoffs with other family members.

Please reach out if you want to make the next step and get into contact with me about the possibility of beginning psychotherapy. I do ask that people interested in working together are able to meet weekly for the most part, as I believe this is the most effective way for psychotherapy to work.