Licensed Psychologist
About Dr. Jen Bielenberg
(she/her)
Welcome to my practice! I am a licensed psychologist providing therapy to California (PSY31402) and Washington State (PY61112207) residents. I have specialized training in evidence-based treatments, including:
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP)
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Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
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Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD
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Exposure Therapy, informed by the psychological flexibility model
I also incorporate elements of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). The future of my work is leaning towards somatic therapies, and I am pursuing continuing education in Internal Family Systems (IFS).
From 2019-2021, I served as a Clinical Instructor and Attending Psychologist at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Addiction Medicine/Dual Diagnosis Clinic. In 2021, I relocated to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to family, and opened my private practice as a member of The Seattle Clinic, a community of psychologists in independent practice dedicated to delivering empirically supported treatments and cultivating strong, connected relationships.
Beyond my work as a psychologist, I enjoy rock climbing, reading, cooking, interior design, painting, and contemplating the mysteries of the universe through music, writing, poetry, and deep conversations with my loved ones.
Why I Became a Psychologist
When I started my graduate training, I hoped that my education would teach transcendence - at the time, I secretly hoped that meant not having to feel anything uncomfortable. As my training progressed, and both past and present life struggles appeared, I employed all of my familiar strategies to fight them. The harder I worked to try and achieve my way out of my own discomfort, I experienced how unworkable that effort became, and transcendence began to take on a new meaning - letting go of the struggle for control, being in compassionate presence with difficult emotions, and allowing for deep vulnerability. As I opened up to the flow of my own experience and full humanity, I made changes I never would have thought possible at the beginning of the long road to becoming a therapist - and I'm here to help you do the same!
Both as a psychologist, and as a fellow human, I'm excited to support you with finding your own sense of freedom. I love working with adult high achievers who are grappling with long struggles with anxiety, trauma, grief, and/or substance use. And because those experiences usually don't occur in a bubble, I'm also well versed in working with unhelpful perfectionism, existential concerns, and managing overfunctioning/underfunctioning dynamics.
Education, Doctoral Training, & Post-Licensure Work Experience
2019-2021
Clinical Instructor & Attending Psychologist in the
Addiction Medicine/Dual Diagnosis Clinic
Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA
2018-2019
APA-Accredited Postdoctoral Fellowship: Substance Use, PTSD, and Co-Occurring Disorders Emphasis
San Francisco VA Health Care System/UCSF affiliate
San Francisco, CA
2018
Doctor of Psychology: Clinical Psychology
PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium at Palo Alto University
Palo Alto, CA
2017-2018
APA-Accredited Doctoral Internship
VA Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center
Los Angeles, CA
2015
Master of Science: Clinical Psychology
PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium at Palo Alto University
Palo Alto, CA
2009
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Research Experience
I have presented research at national conferences and published scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, with a focus on provider stigma in addiction treatment. I have also contributed to research at the intersection of substance use disorders, traumatic brain injury, cognition, and PTSD in Veterans.
Publication Record
To view the available abstracts of my peer-reviewed journal publications, please click here. If you would like free access to any of the articles or chapters, please email me.
Bielenberg, J., Swisher, G., Lembke, A., & Haug, N.A. (2021). A systematic review of stigma interventions for providers who treat patients with substance use disorders. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 131, 108486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108486
Pennington, D.L., Bielenberg, J., Lasher, B., Herbst, E., Abrams, G., Novakovic-Agopian, T., & Batki, S.L. (2020). A randomized pilot trial of topiramate for alcohol use disorder in Veterans with traumatic brain injury: Effects on alcohol use, cognition, and post-concussive symptoms. Drug and alcohol Dependence, 214, 108149. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108149
Pennington, D. L. & Bielenberg, J. (2019). Traumatic Brain Injury. The ASAM essentials of addiction medicine, 3rd Edition, Wolters Kluwer.
Haug, N.A., Bielenberg, J., Linder, S., & Lembke, A. (2016). Assessment of provider attitudes toward naloxone (Narcan) on Twitter. Substance abuse, 37, 35-41. DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2015.1129390
National Presentations
I have co-authored 37 presentations at national scientific conferences. Below is a selected list of first-authored presentations:
Bielenberg, J., Haug, N. A., Linder, S., & Lembke, A. (2015, March). Assessment of provider attitudes toward naloxone (Narcan) on Twitter. Poster presented at APA Division 50 Society of Addiction Psychology Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction 3rd Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
Bielenberg, J., Haug, N.A., & Lembke, A. (2017, March). A systematic review of stigma among addiction treatment providers. Poster presented at the APA Division 50 Society of Addiction Psychology Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction 5th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM.
Bielenberg, J., Pennington, D.L., Muquit, L.S., Cano, M., Fong, F., Bautista, N., Pothier, H., Tersakyan, A., Lasher, B., & Batki, S.L. (2018, June). The effects of duration of loss of consciousness following traumatic brain injury on alcohol use and cognitive functioning among Veterans. Poster presented at the Research Society on Alcoholism, 41st Annual Scientific Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Bielenberg, J., Pennington, D.L., Muquit, L.S., Cano, M. Fong, F., Bautista, N., Pothier, H., Tersakyan, A., Lasher, B., & Batki, S.L. (2019, June). Post-concussive symptoms mediate the relation between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and alcohol craving among Veterans with traumatic brain injury. Poster presented at the Research Society on Alcoholism, 42nd Annual Scientific Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.
