Takako Suzuki, PhD joined PCOM full time in February 2005 as assistant professor, assistant director of clinical services (Center for Brief Therapy) and clinical coordinator for the Center for Academic Resources and Educational Services (CARES). One course that she regularly teaches is Multicultural Competence, which is one of her research interests. As the assistant director of the Center for Brief Therapy (the training site for the Psychology Department), Dr. Suzuki takes part in training and supervising practicum students and interns whose patients include the underserved and those from diverse cultural backgrounds. In her role as clinical coordinator of CARES, Dr. Suzuki organizes programs such as study skills workshops and academic tutoring for PCOM students. Dr. Suzuki also serves as one of the faculty advisors to the Culturally Aware Psychology Students committee (CAPS) at PCOM.
Dr. Suzuki was born and raised in Japan, and after the completion of her undergraduate studies in psychology at Chuoh University in Tokyo, she pursued her graduate studies in psychoeducational processes at Temple University where she earned her masters and doctoral degrees. There, she studied systems theories and their application to therapy, training, group processes, organizational development and socio-cultural dynamics. During her doctoral studies, she served as assistant director for international training and research programs of the Management and Organizational Development Center at Temple.
Dr. Suzuki is a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania and New York. Prior to her appointment at PCOM, she was in group practice at the Agoraphobia and Anxiety Treatment Center in Bala Cynwyd for fifteen years where she interned and trained in cognitive behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders, and practiced full time. Since then she has been in private practice for eight years. Her practice in New York (2001-2006) began as a volunteer service following the 9/11 tragedy, and she saw clients exclusively from the Japanese community. Locally, Dr. Suzuki sees clients of various cultural backgrounds.
Maintaining relationships with the Japanese community is important for Dr. Suzuki. She serves as vice-president and director of mental health for the Japanese Association of Greater Philadelphia. For a number of years she has been writing a column entitled, “Managing stress while living in America” for the association’s newsletter. Through this column, she attends to the special problems of Japanese expatriates and sojourners, as well as interracial married couples. Dr. Suzuki consults with the Japanese Language School of Philadelphia, where she addresses challenging issues that derive from the ever-changing needs of parents who are raising Japanese and biracial children in the United States while aiming to keep Japanese cultural connections. As a consultant for the employment assistance program at Nationwide Insurance, International SOS Assistance, Inc., she assists Japanese employees who work for American corporations and their families with adjustment issues related to a new environment and with mental health issues. Also, through an online forum, she advises Japanese mothers who struggle with their own acculturation, marital issues, and the challenges of raising children in another culture.
Dr. Suzuki’s research interests include anxiety and stress-related disorders and culturally sensitive treatments of complex issues with broadly defined multicultural populations. Religion, spirituality, emotional intelligence, and development of empathy are related interests, as are quality of life issues with geriatric populations.
Dr. Suzuki has been an active member of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies where she chairs the special interest group for Asian American Issues in Behavioral Therapy and Research. Locally, she is a board member of the Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists. She is a member of the Asian American Psychological Association, the Japanese Association of Behavior Therapy, the Japanese Association of EMDR, the American Psychological Association’s Division 45, and the International Association of Cross Cultural Psychology. She has made numerous professional presentations at meetings and conferences in the United States and Japan.
On a personal note, as a “Trekie” she plans to develop workshops using “Star Trek” as an analogy for learning about multicultural relations and competencies.
Recent Presentations:
Division of Child Mental Health Services, Delaware Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, Dover, DE (January 20, 2006) & New Castle, DE (June 16, 2006). Workshop: On becoming a Culturally Competent Mental Health Professionals.
Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Summer Institute (July 27, 2005). Workshop: On Becoming a Culturally Competent Therapist.
Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists, Chestnut College, PA (May, 2003). Workshop: On Becoming A Culturally Competent Clinician: An Ongoing Developmental Process.
International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology, XVI Congress Yoyakarta, Indonesia (July 16, 2002). Paper presentation: “World Peace” as a Complex Local-global Co-learning Endeavor. Co-authored with Larry J. Krafft, Ph.D.
Japanese Association of Behavior Therapy, Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan (November, 2002). Workshop: Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Anxiety Disorder.
Japanese Weekend School of Long Island, New York. (September, 2001). Emergency Workshop: Dealing with Trauma of 9-11.
Japan Society, Manhattan, New York (September, 2001). Emergency Workshop: Dealing with Trauma of 9-11.
The Japanese Center for Quality of Life Studies, Annual Symposium, NY (August, 2000). Presentation: Issues in the Newly Established Homecare System in Japan: Case of Emphysema Patient and His Family.
Hospice Reikouen, Chiba, Japan (July, 2000). Workshop: Caring for Elders with Empathy (for Visiting Nurses and Helpers).
Anxiety Disorders Association of America, 20th National Conference, Washington, DC (March, 2000). Presentation: Thinking Diversity: Socio-cultural Dynamics.
