Dr. Marissa Kimmel
PhD, LPC, MSEd
i provide psychotherapy for anxiety, depression & Relationship challenges. I also have specialties in helping students with transition to college. I offer counseling for Grief & Loss, developing healthy coping, challenges with motivation, executive functioning, career counseling & other life transitions.
i work from a cognitive behavioral framework and problem solving approach. I strongly believe in building a rapport with my clients through a therapeutic relationship which fosters openness and acceptance. I take a direct approach in helping my clients recognize their strengths and work towards growth.
I am licensed to practice in the state of Pennsylvania. I offer therapy sessions by video and work with clients between the ages 18-30.
other Languages:
I have grown up around Italian and Spanish and can understand but not speak fluently.
What brought me to this profession
I have known that I wanted to be in a helping profession since I was young. I had an amazing counselor in High School who I found myself going to regularly to get help for my friends. I found myself being the person that all of my friends came to talk to and the person that my friends asked for advice. When I needed support to help them, I would reach out to my counselor. Seeing how much students trusted him and turned to him made me want to one day be that person for others.
I went to college for education with the goal of going to graduate school for counseling, and I had the opportunity to do so. I have loved working with students in the school setting around mental health and extending that to working with college and graduate students in a therapeutic setting.
LICENSURE & CERTIFICATIONS
Licensed professional Counselor, Pennsylvania
Certified Elementary & Secondary school counselor, Pennsylvania
Degrees
Masters of Science in Education (2016)
School & Mental Health Counseling
University of Pennsylvania
PhD (2024) Educational Psychology, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Bachelor of Science in Education (2014)
Middle & Secondary
Saint Joseph's University, PA
QUALIFICATIONS
I have been working in the mental health field since 2014 and have been a psychotherapist since 2021. I have worked extensively with adolescents and higher education students, international students and young working professionals.
In addition to my work in private practice, I am an Adjunct Faculty Member at UPenn's counseling program where I teach Practicum to 1st year graduate students and a Graduate Seminar Leader where I provide clinical supervision to counseling students in training.
I have been a High School Counselor at Garnet Valley High School since 2016. I completed my school counseling training at Harriton High School in Lower Merion and Shawmont Elementary School in Roxborough, Philadelphia.
For six years I facilitated groups for a non-profit organization called SpeakUp, where I help adolescents and the adults in their lives communicate effectively on controversial topics such as: drugs and alcohol, stress and mental health, sex and relationships, pressure and expectations, race, diversity and inclusion, social media and more.
Prior to entering the field of therapy, I was a Certified School Teacher in PA & NJ. In college I worked for the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support where I used Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) techniques to work with students on the Autism Spectrum.
Academia
Part-time Lecturer and Seminar Leader, University of Pennsylvania
I teach the practicum course at Penn GSE’s counseling program
My research for phd studies- dissertation topic: "School Refusal, Executive Function, Anxiety, and Self Confidence in Adolescents"
Professional Trainings
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
American School Counseling Association (ASCA) Specialist in the areas of Anxiety Management, Mental Health, Special Education, Grief Counseling and College Admissions Counseling.
autism spectrum disorders; applied behavior analysis
Outside of therapy
Mozezarella
Therapy dog
I have a therapy dog Mozzarella, who I adore and enjoy taking her on walks and having her meet new people. Mozzarella was trained as a therapy dog who works with students to bring comfort during stressful times.
I enjoy traveling to different countries and learning about different parts of the world through food, music, and cultural experiences. During college I had the opportunity to study abroad in Rome.
I enjoy spending time with my family & friends. I also love going to concerts, comedy shows, and theater. I have a love for dance, especially Latin dancing. I regularly find myself trying new recipes and enjoy both cooking and baking.