Dr. Pam Kaczmarek, PsyD, MA, BA, AS
About Me
I specialize in working with complex trauma, PTSD, relational betrayals, and difficult clinical presentations—particularly when symptoms have persisted despite previous treatment or when the full picture has been misunderstood or misdiagnosed. My work often involves trauma complicated by dissociation, attachment wounds, chronic anxiety, grief, somatic symptoms, OCD, and deeply ingrained survival responses.
I integrate EMDR therapy and Somatic Experiencing within an individualized approach that recognizes trauma as more than a memory of what happened. Trauma can become embedded in patterns of emotion, behavior, relationships, and the body’s nervous system. Treatment therefore goes beyond simply talking about the past; we work toward helping the brain and body process what has remained unresolved and develop healthier, more adaptive responses in the present.
My style is active, direct, compassionate, and collaborative. I believe effective therapy should be clinically sophisticated without feeling clinical. I bring authenticity, appropriate humor, and genuine human connection into the room while remaining focused on meaningful change—not simply managing symptoms, but helping people reclaim parts of their lives that trauma has occupied for far too long.
Education & Experience
Dr. Pamela “Pam” Kaczmarek earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) from Roosevelt University’s APA-accredited program in Chicago, following graduate training in Clinical Professional Psychology and undergraduate study in psychology. Her advanced clinical education included year-long externships at the University of Chicago Memory Center in adult neuropsychology and Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Stone Institute of Psychiatry, followed by a full-time clinical psychology internship and postdoctoral training within a Wisconsin nonprofit hospital consortium.
Her professional experience spans complex trauma and PTSD, psychological assessment and diagnostic clarification, OCD and related disorders, forensic psychology, expert-witness consultation, and critical-incident work with first responders. She has pursued extensive postdoctoral training in trauma treatment, EMDR, Somatic Experiencing®, exposure-based interventions, and complex clinical presentations.
This combination of rigorous doctoral training, multidisciplinary hospital experience, advanced specialty education, and years of clinical practice allows Dr. Kaczmarek to approach difficult cases from a broad perspective—integrating psychological, neurobiological, behavioral, and somatic understanding rather than viewing symptoms in isolation.
Professional & Volunteer Affiliations
● The University of Chicago
● Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
● Northwestern University
● Northwestern Memorial Hospital
● The University of Chicago Medicine Memory Center — Adult Neuropsychology
● American Psychological Association (APA)
● International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS)
● International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
● International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)
● EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)
● Somatic Experiencing International (SEI)
● University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
● Roosevelt University
● Behavioral Therapy Training Institute (BTTI)
● PESI
● Columbia
Specialty Area
- Abuse/Neglect
- Anxiety/Panic Attacks
- Birth Trauma/Pregnancy Loss
- Chronic Illness/Medical Issues
- Chronic Pain
- Depression
- Dissociative Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Family Issues
- Grief/Loss/Mourning
- Headaches/Migraines
- Marriage/Relationship Issues
- Moral Injury
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
- Performance Enhancement
- Phobias
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Sexual Abuse
- Stress Management
- Traumatic Incident
Population Served
- Adolescents (13-17)
- Adults
- First Responders
- Seniors
- Veterans/Military
Language
- English
Insurance
- Does Not Accept Insurance
Out of Network Provider
