Karen Szurek

Karen Szurek, LCSW, a graduate of NYSPP, is a NYSPP Board of Trustees and faculty member. Her work includes extensive experience in varying capacities at an outpatient drug treatment clinic in Manhattan. She began as a clinical social worker/therapist and eventually became the director of the facility, responsible for the clinical services and supervision, as well as the operation of the site. Ms. Szurek led a team of substance abuse counselors and clinical social workers,and collaborated with site psychiatrists, to provide therapy to clients presenting with a wide variety of co-occurring mental illnesses, including depressive and anxiety disorders subsequent to chronic deprivation, childhood physical and sexual abuse, and domestic violence. NYSPP’s psycho dynamic developmental approach is critical to effective treatment as it looks to the strengths as well as the weaknesses and conflicts patients bring and to the context within which they developed. Its goal is always to promote growth and resiliency.