Diplomas/DegreesM.A., Ph.D., Northeastern University (1988)
M.A., Warsaw University (1979)
Recent CoursesConcentration Case Conference I
Concentration Case Conference II
Doctoral Thesis Supervision II
Ongoing Doctoral Thesis Supervision
Psychological Research 1
Psychological Research III
Psychotherapy Case Conference III
Research Methods In Clinical Psychology
S/T: Interpersonal Psychotherapy: Theory And Practice
S/T: Trauma And Resilience
Personal StatementI am passionate about learning and am trying to install the same enthusiasm and curiosity in my students. I believe that a very important part of education is asking questions, challenging ideas and not necessarily always accepting existing answers.I believe in dialogue in a classroom where students are actively engaged in the learning process. In my classes I try to convey the excitement of discovery to my students and I often learn a great deal from them in a process. In my teaching I emphasize students’ ability to think critically and holistically by encouraging them to integrate acquired knowledge within psychology and across different disciplines. I have the same passion for research and supervision. As a clinician with interest in trauma I derive many of my research interests from my clinical practice. I study impact of adversity on psychological wellbeing and coping. I am particularly interested in trauma (acute and chronic) in the context of affect regulation, object relations and somatic memory in children and adults. My research addresses mechanisms behind traumatic responses as they affect self-structures and interpersonal relating. I also do qualitative and quantitative analysis of processes of recovery, resilience and growth from a developmental perspective and look at individual differences and risk factors pertaining to emotion regulation in the aftermath of trauma. Currently my work with doctoral students includes the following topics: consequences of combat trauma in Israeli soldiers, mental health functioning of a parent-child dyad in 9/11 families, burnout in international rescue workers, consequences of unacknowledged rape, projective assessment (Rorschach) of sexual abuse in hospitalized children, somatic awareness and trauma, trajectory of posttraumatic growth in trauma survivors, mortality salience and creativity among many others. Some of my students are also involved in implementation of the psychodynamic group intervention for traumatized adolescents that I’ve developed. I’m interested in mediating impacts of attachment, developmental stages and social networks on reaction to trauma.
Teaching Specializations/InterestsChronic and Acute Trauma, Trauma Treatment and Coping, Terror Management and Mortality, Psychopathology and Poverty, Interpersonal Therapy, Creativity, Social/Clinical Interface
Research InterestsTrauma and Resilience in Children, Adolescents and Adults
Chronic Trauma (Sexual Abuse)
Parental Loss and Object Relations
Psychodynamic Treatment of Traumatized Adolescents and Children
Family Systems and Trauma
Trauma and Body
Assessment of Trauma via Projective Techniques
Trauma of Mental Illness
Suicide and Personality
Posttraumatic Growth
Depression and Creativity
Poverty and Mental Health
Grants/Sponsored Research2000 – President’s Faculty Development Grant, “Longitudinal Study of Single Mothers Welfare Recipients”.
1987- Biomedical Research Support Grant (with S. Harkins), Northeastern University, “Increased Motivation Means Better Performance: Social Loafing Revisited”.
BooksCecchetto, V., Stroinska, M., Szymanski, K. (Eds) (2012). Expressions of the Unspeakable:Narratives of Trauma. New York Bergham Books.
Book ChaptersSzymanski, K., Rosenfeld, N (2012). Trauma Narrative: Recovery and Posttraumatic Growth. In Cecchetto, V., Stroinska, M., Szymanski, K. (Eds.). Expression of Unspeakable: Narratives of Trauma. New York, NY: Bergham Books.
Szymanski, K. (1991). The potency and fragility of self-evaluation. In Curtis, R.C. (Eds.). The self in relationship: Convergences in social, personality and clinical psychology. (pp. 51-72). New York Guilford.
Refereed ArticlesSanders, A., & Szymanski, K. (2012 in press), Siblings of people diagnosed with mental disorder and posttraumatic growthe. Community Mental Health Journal.
Sanders, A., & Szymanski, K. (2012 in press), Emotional intelligence in siblings of patients diagnosed with mental disorder. Social Work in Mental Health.
Conway, F., Oster, M., Szymanski, K. (2011), ADHD, complex trauma and mentalization. Journal of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychology, 10.
Szymanski, K., Sapanski, L., Conway, F. (2011), Trauma and ADHD: Association or diagnostic confusion? A clinical perspective. Journal of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychology, 10.
Szymanski, K., Fleishman, J., Harkins, S. (2001), The contribution of the potential for evaluation to coaction effects. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 3, 269-283.
Invited Presentation/LectureShowing first 5 of 6.
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Szymanski, K. (2011, November). Tips for Healthy Grieving. Adelphi University.
Szymanski, K. (2011, August). Witnessing Trauma and Recovery - Myths and Misconceptions. Department of Linguistics and Languages, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Szymanski, K. (2011, May). On the Edge of Trauma: The Journey to Posttraumatic Growth. Adelphi University.
Szymanski, K. (2010, June). Trauma of Parental Loss - A Guide to Interacting with Traumatized Adolescents. Tuesday's Children, Project Common Bond, Staff Training, New York, NY.
Szymanski, K. & Rosenfeld, N. (2010, May). Trauma Narrative: Recovery and Posttraumatic Growth - A Clinical Perspective. West Dean College, England.
Szymanski, K. (2009, November). Common Bond: Group Treatment of Traumatized Adolescents. MercyFirst, Residential Treatment, Syosset, NY.
Conference Presentations/PapersShowing first 5 of 22.
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Sanders, A., & Szymanski, K. (2012). Emotional Intelligence in Siblings of Patients Diagnosed with Mental Disorder. In American Psychological Association. Orlando.
Szymanski, K., Gordon, A., & Clark, A. (2012). TAT Narratives as an Implicit Assessment of Trauma. In American Psychological Association. Orlando.
Sanders, A., & Szymanski, K. (2012). Siblings of the Mentally Ill: Impact on Attachment with Parents. In Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago.
Klein, M., Szymanski, K. (2012). Witnessing a romantic partner psychotic break: A clinical picture for adolescents. In Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) of American Psychological Association. Santa Fe.
Gordon, A., & Szymanski, K. (2012). A Fresh Perspective on Trauma: Survivors Define Their Experience. In Society for Personality Assessment (pp. 25). Chicago.
Szymanski, K., Springer, C., & Goldstein, C. (2011). Attachment Trauma and Interpersonal Relationships of Child and Adolescent Inpatients. In The International Society for Traumatic Stress (pp. 20). Baltimore.
de la Fointaine, N., Szymanski, K. (2010). A Cross-cultural evaluation of the effect of war trauma on the wellbeing of soldiers. In The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Montreal.
Jeanette, E., & Szymanski, K. (2010). Creativity in the collaborative arts: interpretive artists' unique personality profile. In American Psychological Association. San Diego.
Clavedesther, J., & Szymanski, K. (2010). Development of the Somatic Awareness Scale (SOMAS). In American Psychological Association. San Diego.
Baxter, A., Szymanski, K., & Springer, C. (2010). Rorschach assessment of aggression in child and adolescent inpatients. In Society for Personality Assessment. San Jose.
Szymanski, K., Andriano, L., Springer, C., Cloitre, M., Kamboukos, D., & Cucharo, C. (2009). Parent-child dyad and child's pathology in 9/11 families. In The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Atlanta.
Szymanski, K., & McCarthy, J. (2009). Early parental loss and interpersonal functioning in child and adolescent inpatients. In The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Atlanta.
Sapanski, L., & Szymanski, K (2009). Factors that influence the perception of blame in an acquaintance rape. In American Psychological Association. Toronto.
Andriano, L., Szymanski, K., Springer, C., Cloitre, M., Kamboukos, D., & Cucharo, C (2009). Parenting and psychopathology in bereaved 9/11 families. In Division 39 of American Psychological Association. San Antonio.
Shapiro, J., Szymanski, K., & Springer, C. (2009). Rorschach assessment of affect regulation in children and adolescents who self-injure. In Society for Personality Assessment. Chicago.
Steinberg, A., & Szymanski, K. (2008). Resilience, attachment and depression in bereavement. In American Psychological Association. Boston.
Sakowicz, K., Szymanski, K., & McCarthy, J. (2008). Rorschach assessment of trauma in a clinical sample. In Society for Personality Assessment. New Orleans.
Kopp-Smith, A., & Szymanski, K. (2007). Trauma of parental loss, fear of intimacy and adult attachment. In American Psychological Associatonn. San Francisco.
Rosenfeld, N., & Szymanski, K (2007). Factors associated with resilience in the aftermath of difficult life events. In Research Conference on Religion and Spirituality, Division 36 of American Psychological Association. Loyola.
Szymanski,K. (2006). The power of mutual healing, a clinical perspective. In Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) of American Psychological Association. Philadelphia.
Masteyeva, Y., & Szymanski, K (2004). The difference in self-concept between working and non-working single mothers of low SES. In New York State Psychological Association. Saratoga Springs.
Salgado, N., Szymanski, K. (2002). Unconscious processes and dream recall. In American Psychological Association. Boston.
Other Scholarly/Artistic WorkWORK IN PROGRESS
Szymanski, K (under revision). Power of Mutual Healing.
Szymanski, K., & Rosenfeld, N. (under review). Personal Narratives and Posttraumatic Growth - Clinical Perspective.
Szymanski, K., Springer, C., & McCarthy, J. (under review). Aggression and Object Relations in Inpatient Adolescents.
Honors and Accomplishments2010 - Professor of the Year , Psychology Club, Adelphi University
Professional ActivitiesAdelphi Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
American Psychological Association
Division 39 of APA (Psychoanalysis)
Division 56 of APA (Trauma Psychology)
Division 8 of APA (Personality and Social Psychology)
Reviewer: Journal of Applied Social Psychology
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Ad hoc reviewer for conventions of the Eastern Psychological Association, and American Psychological Association
Community and Corporate LeadershipLua Zoo Community Cooperative for Africa - fundraiser organizer
Tuesday's Children of 9/11 Families- member of Advisory Board
Project Common Bond, an international summer camp for children who lost a caregiver to an act of terrorism - psychologist
Child Activity Center (currently known as Alice Brown Learning Center)- board member
Brennan Inn Soup Kitchen - drive organizer
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