SONYA LOTT, PHD
I have been licensed as a psychologist in Pennsylvania since 1991 and since 2020, licensed to practice telepsychology in the District of Columbia and forty U.S. states through PSYPACT.
Early in my career, I blended clinical work with my love of teaching. I initially maintained a small private practice and taught at the undergraduate level part-time. After several years, I became a full-time tenured professor and gave up clinical work. After 18 years, I did not imagine that I would return to clinical work. I loved teaching!
However, after many profound life changes, including the unexpected death of my mother, my journey led me back to clinical practice, specifically to help individuals transform their own experience(s) prolonged grief (formerly referred to as complicated grief).
It is important to know that our lived experiences are never enough to make us an “expert” in or “specialist” in anything. A grief specialist is grounded-first and foremost-in the theory, research, and practice of grief and related conditions such as PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder. In addition, a grief specialist who is also a practitioner must be able to hold the intense grief of their clients without becoming triggered around their own grief and know how to strategically use their own experiences with grief to facilitate the healing of others.
I am this type of practitioner and more specifically I identify as a Prolonged Grief Disorder Specialist. I am especially grateful that I get to help individuals transform their experiences of grief.
In addition to my clinical private practice, I am an affiliate of the Center for Prolonged Grief at Columbia University, where I co-facilitate continuing education workshops for mental health professionals focused on the diagnosis and treatment of PGD. Additionally, I am a former adjunct lecturer in the Columbia University Online Master of Social Work (MSW) program in which I taught the advanced clinical Prolonged Grief Disorder course.
Blending my love of teaching and clinical work, I am also the founder and CEO of CEMPSYCH, LLC, a company dedicated to providing continuing education in multicultural psychology for licensed mental health professionals. CEMPSYCH, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.