Klaudia Glogowska (Intern Therapist)

Klaudia Glogowska (she/they) is an intern therapist at The Center for Growth. Her internship runs from September 2025 - August 2026. Klaudia is enrolled in a Master of Science in Counseling program at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) and is working towards becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in PA.

Klaudia’s work starts with curiosity about who you understand yourself to be and how you relate to yourself, to others, and to the world. She is particularly interested in working with relationships (couples & non-dyadic) and individuals (adults).

Main Areas of Interest & Experience:

Relationship dynamics and conflicts, codependency, sexuality & infidelity
Working with the queer community
Identity development/exploration & parts work
Anxiety/depression, suicidality
Trauma, intergenerational, cross-cultural, & immigrant issues
Life transitions & existential questions
Transference/process/relational work
Psychedelic integration & altered states of consciousness

However, you do not have to identify as having these “problems” or identities to work with her; She welcomes people from all walks of life.

Klaudia strives to create a therapeutic environment where clients feel safe, seen and understood. At the same time, she aims to challenge and confront relevant issues to facilitate growth. Her goal is to create an environment that allows you to:

Develop a deeper understanding of yourself
Discover and use your strengths
Connect with internal and external resources
Expand your ability to navigate the world

As an immigrant, she values and appreciates the need for diverse perspectives on therapy and wellness. She strives to practice in a way that honors and celebrates her clients’ intersectionality, acknowledging systemic, family, and community issues that deeply impact who we are.

As a former yoga, meditation, and partner acrobatics teacher, she focuses on drawing attention to the present moment— emotionally, physically and mentally— to help you connect with what is happening in the here & now. She is well versed and practiced in meditation/mindfulness and yoga and can incorporate these practices into her work with clients.

Background:

I am a White, queer, able-bodied, bigender, first-generation Polish immigrant. I have lived most of my life in Philadelphia and graduated from Central High School. I attended the University of Pennsylvania where I studied Experimental Psychology and completed an independent research study examining the intersection of grief, self-transcendent experiences, and spirituality/religiosity. After graduating from Penn, I began working in addictions research at the Perelman School of Medicine at Penn. I have 4+ years of experience working in substance use research, primarily with opioid and alcohol use. Through my research work, I have gotten training and experience with Psychedelic Assisted Therapy (PAT) using psilocybin.

My interest in therapy stems from a long-standing interest and curiosity in people: how we live, relate to others, form relationships, make meaning, and experience the world we live in. When I was a child, I would spend hours drawing and doing creative arts– depicting my experience through visual art. In high school, I found myself reading psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience books for fun. As I’ve continued growing, I began seeing the inherent connection between creative work and therapeutic work, integrating deeply personal parts of myself and channeling that into my professional work. Today, I draw from various fields and disciplines as I continue to gain education and experience in counseling and am excited to engage in the healing process with others.

Main Theoretical Orientations:

Psychodynamic therapy:
- Psychodynamic therapy focuses on helping individuals understand how their unconscious thoughts, past experiences, and relationships influence their current emotions and behaviors. Core principles include:
  - Unconscious Processes – Much of our mental life is outside of our awareness, yet it shapes our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

Early Life Experiences – Childhood experiences, especially relationships with caregivers, play a crucial role in shaping personality and emotional patterns.
Defense Mechanisms – People develop unconscious coping strategies (e.g., repression, denial, projection) to manage distress, which can create problems in their present life.
Transference – Clients may project feelings about important figures from their past onto the therapist, which can provide insight into their relational patterns.
Insight and Self-Reflection – The goal is to bring unconscious conflicts and patterns into conscious awareness, allowing for personal growth and change.
The Therapeutic Relationship – The dynamic between therapist and client serves as a tool for understanding the client's interpersonal struggles.

Existential therapy & Gestalt:
- Existential therapy is a philosophical approach to psychotherapy that focuses on human existence, freedom, and meaning. It helps clients explore fundamental concerns such as death, isolation, freedom, and meaninglessness, encouraging them to take responsibility for their choices and create a meaningful life. Core principles include:

Freedom & Responsibility – We are free to make choices, but with freedom comes responsibility for those choices.
Meaning & Purpose – Life has no inherent meaning; we must create our own.
Death & Mortality – Awareness of death can serve as a motivator to live authentically.
Isolation & Connection – Even in relationships, we ultimately face life alone, but we can still find connection and meaning in others.
Authenticity – Living in alignment with one’s true self rather than conforming to societal expectations.

Gestalt therapy is a humanistic, experiential approach that focuses on present-moment awareness and personal responsibility. It emphasizes how we experience life rather than analyzing past experiences. Core principles include:
- Here and Now – Awareness of the present moment is the key to personal growth.
- Wholeness – Integrating thoughts, feelings, and actions rather than seeing them as separate parts.
- Personal Responsibility – Owning one’s experiences rather than blaming external factors.
- Unfinished Business – Unresolved emotions and experiences can affect present behavior.
- Dialogue & Experiential Techniques – Clients engage in direct expression of their feelings and thoughts.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, evidence-based form of therapy that focuses on the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It aims to help clients identify and change negative thought patterns and maladaptive behaviors to improve emotional well-being. Core principles include:

Cognitive Restructuring – Identifying and challenging distorted or unhelpful thoughts (e.g., catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking).
Behavioral Activation – Encouraging actions that promote positive emotions and break negative behavior patterns.
Thought-Emotion-Behavior Connection – Recognizing how thoughts influence feelings and behaviors, and vice versa.
Present-Focused & Goal-Oriented – CBT is typically short-term and focused on addressing current issues rather than deep past exploration.
Skills-Based & Experience-Driven – Clients practice skills outside of sessions through structured exercises, such as journaling or exposure exercises.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on psychological flexibility—helping individuals accept their thoughts and emotions rather than fighting them, while committing to values-based actions. Core principles include:
  - Acceptance – Embracing thoughts and feelings rather than suppressing or avoiding them.
  - Cognitive Diffusion – Learning to detach from unhelpful thoughts instead of treating them as absolute truths.
  - Present-Moment Awareness (Mindfulness) – Staying engaged with the present rather than ruminating on the past or worrying about the future.
  - Self-as-Context – Understanding that you are more than just your thoughts and feelings; they do not define you.
  - Values-Based Living – Identifying personal values and using them to guide behavior.
  - Committed Action – Taking meaningful steps toward goals despite discomfort or difficult emotions.
Internal Family Systems:
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psychotherapy model that views the mind as made up of different "parts," each with its own thoughts, feelings, and roles. The goal of IFS is to help individuals develop “Self-leadership”, where their core Self compassionately guides their inner parts toward healing and balance. Core principles include:
  - Multiplicity of Mind – Everyone has multiple parts that interact, like members of a family
  - The Self – At the core of every person is the Self, a calm, compassionate, and wise leader that can help parts heal.
  - Parts Have Positive Intentions – Even problematic behaviors come from parts trying to protect us, often in misguided ways.
  - Healing Through Internal Dialogue – By understanding and communicating with parts, individuals can heal internal conflicts and reduce distress.
Emotion Focused Therapy:
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a structured, evidence-based approach to therapy that focuses on helping individuals and couples understand, express, and transform their emotions to create stronger emotional bonds and healthier relationships. Core principles include:
  - Emotion as the Core of Experience – Emotions are central to identity, decision-making, and relationships.
  - Attachment Theory Foundation – Human beings are wired for connection, and emotional security in relationships is essential for well-being.
  - Negative Cycles in Relationships – Distress often arises from negative interaction patterns, not individual flaws.
  - Emotional Awareness & Expression – Healing comes from recognizing, accepting, and reshaping emotional responses.