Dr. Jesus A. Salas, Psy.D. ABPP A-CBT BICBT-CC
Board Certified Psychologist
Director of Center for Integrative Psychotherapy, PC.
Philosophy of Care
We all go through difficult experiences in life. For many people, the anxiety and/or depression triggered by those adversities become overwhelming and difficult to cope with. Sometimes, however, the distress seems to come on for no apparent reason, which makes it even more difficult for patients to understand why they are feeling that way and what they can do manage it effectively. The therapeutic approach I use, called Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT), has proven to be very effective to help in most of those cases. CBT is a structured and goal-oriented treatment approach that focuses on problem-solving, skill-building and monitoring progress. The general goal is to challenge patterns of unhelpful thinking and behavioral habits that maintain anxiety and depressive disorders, and substitute them for more useful and realistic ones. I seek to offer the best empirically based cognitive-behavioral treatment available, adjusted to the unique circumstances of each patient. For me, to practice psychotherapy represents the privilege of helping people go through the learning process of transforming their adversities, psychological problems and distress into opportunities to feel better, increase their resilience and improve the quality of their lives.
Education
- BS - Psychology, 1977 Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Caracas, Venezuela
- MA - Social Psychology, 1986 Carleton University Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Psy.D. - Clinical Psychology, 2002 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Philadelphia, PA
Training
- Pre-doctoral Psychology Intern, 1999 Center for Brief Therapy Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Philadelphia, PA
- Post-doctoral Psychology Resident 2000-02 Clinical Psychology Center for Integrative Psychotherapy Allentown, PA
Additional Specialized Training
- Cognitive Therapy and Supervision in Cognitive Therapy at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia.
- Exposure and Response Prevention for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder at the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
- Prolonged Exposure for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Competency-Based Certifications
- Diplomate, American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) - Behavioral & Cognitive Psychology
- Diplomate, Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (A-CBT) – Certified cognitive-behavioral therapist (A-CBT)
- Diplomate, Academy of Cognitive Therapy (A-CBT) – Certified consultant and trainer in Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
- Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy certified clinician (BICBT-CC)
Psychology Licenses
PA Board of Psychology, License # PS 015605
Specialties
Individual and group therapy for anxiety and stress related disorders and depressive disorders in adolescents, adults and seniors.
Languages
English, Spanish
Books by Dr. Jesus Salas Psy. D. ABPP A-CBT BICBT-CC
Getting Better Every Day. The Client’s Guide to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Treatment (2020). Meadville, Pennsylvania: Fulton Books.
Panic Disorder. Assessment and Treatment Through a Wide-Angle Lens (with F.M. Dattilio) (2000). Phoenix, Arizona: Zeig, Tucker & Co.
Inteligencia Social [Social Intelligence] (1986). Caracas, Venezuela: Editorial Planeta
Recently Conducted Workshops & Webinars
- Cultural Adaptations of CBT Practice. Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy [Virtual training], Bala Cynwyd. Pennsylvania. September 2021.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder, Suicidal Behavior, and Anxiety Disorders. A 2-day workshop representing the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, at San Jose, Costa Rica, April 21-22, 2018
- Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder, Suicidal Behavior, and Anxiety Disorders. A 6-day workshop representing the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, at Quito, Ecuador, April 17-22, 2017
- Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder, Suicidal Behavior, And Anxiety Disorders (Representing the Beck Institute), Mental Health Research Group in Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, October, 2016
- Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder, XVI Latin American Congress of Behavior Modification (CLAMOC), Panama City, Panama, July 2016
- Fundamentals of CBT for Depression, Suicidal Behavior and Anxiety Disorders (Representing the Beck Institute), Universidad de San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador, March, 2016
- Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Mood Disorders, Instituto Panameño de Terapia Cognitiva Conductual, Panama City, Panama, July 2015
- Advanced Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Anxiety Disorders (Representing the Beck Institute), Instituto Mexicano de Terapia Cognitiva Conductual, Mexico City, Mexico, 2015
Current Additional Professional Work
- Supervisor for Lehigh Valley Health Network/University of South Florida Psychiatry Residency Program, Allentown, Pennsylvania, 2021-
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychology Department, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Clinical Supervisor and Adjunct Faculty Instructor, Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Bala Cynwyd, PA
- Credentialing committee, Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy, Philadelphia, PA
Recent Presentations in International and National Meetings
- Adquisición de las destrezas clínicas necesarias para obtener certificados de competencia en Terapia Cognitivo Conductual a través de una formación en línea. II Simposio Internacional de la Federación Latinoamericana de Psicoterapias Cognitivas y Conductuales (SIALAPCCO). Brazil. February 2021.
- Papel de la Psicología en la Salud Mental [Role of psychology in mental health]. Foro Académico International, Panamá City, Panamá. April 2021
- Avances en la Terapia Cognitiva Conductual [Advances in Cognitive Behavior Therapy]. Psychologists’ National Day Conference. Universidad Rafael Urdaneta. Maracaibo, Venezuela, November 2021.
- Optimizing the Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Anxiety Disorders at the XVI Latin American Congress of Behavior Modification (CLAMOC), Panama City, Panama, July 2016
Future Workshops & Webinars
Cultural Adaptations of CBT Practice. Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. June 2nd., 2022. This two-hour webinar presents a rationale for cultural adaptations of CBT and the most common focus of transformation. It also describes the multicultural competencies needed to adjust and provides examples of various culturally responsive modifications to CBT practice. Please visit the Beck Institute’s website, www.beckinstitute.org (2022 Virtual Training Center), to register.
Dr. Robin L. Carosella, Psy.D.
Assistant Director of Center for Integrative Psychotherapy, PC.
Dr. Robin L. Carosella is a licensed psychologist, specializing in the area of clinical health psychology, mood and anxiety disorders, and couples therapy. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a Post Doctoral Residency at the Center for Brief Therapy on the Campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, specializing in clinical health psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Carosella also holds a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Chestnut Hill College and a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has extensive training and experience in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that has included services delivered in a hospital, rehabilitation centers, and various outpatient settings. Dr. Carosella offers consultation and treatment across the lifespan and has experience working with both young people and adults of all ages.
Dr. Carosella completed her pre‐doctoral internship at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. During her time at the VA Medical Center, Dr. Carosella demonstrated her clinical proficiencies as a member of several diverse treatment teams. As a member of the Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder team, Dr. Carosella became proficient in empirically validated prolonged exposure treatment for PTSD. As a member of the Primary Care Integration team, Dr. Carosella was assimilated into the primary care clinic and provided exam room consults with physicians. On site, she conducted brief treatments for pain management and facilitated stress management groups. Dr. Carosella was also trained in Integrated Behavioral Couples Therapy with experience in couples and family treatments.
Dr. Carosella believes that providing integrated health care services and collaborating with the medical community provides the best possible care for all individuals. Mental health and physical health are not separate, unique entities. As an ardent advocate of integrating health care, Dr. Carosella has a passion for assimilating the biological, psychological and social aspects of each individual to develop a comprehensive conceptualization of presenting difficulties. She believes in the mind‐body connection, hence her passion for the specialty of clinical health psychology. In addition to the above experiences with integrated care, pain treatments and working within the brief medical model, Dr. Carosella has had experience conducting bariatric evaluations, pain management surgical evaluations, memory disorders evaluations, and hospital bedside evaluations.
In addition to her work at Center for Integrated Psychotherapy, Dr. Carosella is an adjunct professor at Cedar Crest College in Allentown.
Dr. Melanie Bass, Ph. D.
Dr. Melanie Bass is a licensed psychologist who has experience working in various settings utilizing evidence based practices, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, exposure and response prevention, and acceptance and commitment therapy among others. She focuses her work on adults and diagnoses related to anxiety disorders, mood disorders, adjustment disorders, and stress.
Dr. Bass has extensive experience working within university counseling centers and the college student population. In addition of this, she has also worked at a center focused on anxiety and anxiety related disorders with individuals of all ages. Other experience has included working within a drug and alcohol outpatient center, a partial hospitalization program, and within the public school system. She completed her Bachelor of Arts from Maryville College in Maryville, TN. She earned her Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN and went on to complete her Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA
Cheryl Hilbert-Gonzalez MA, LPC, CBIS
Cheryl Hilbert-Gonzalez is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania. Ms. Hilbert-Gonzalez graduated Magna cum laude with a Master of Arts degree from Moravian Theological Seminary where she studied Clinical and Pastoral Counseling. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from DeSales University.
Ms .Hilbert-Gonzalez has received specialized training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy and specialized training in Mindfulness. Ms. Hilbert-Gonzalez has received training in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and holds a certification as a Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS).
Ms. Hilbert-Gonzalez’s clinical experience has included work with adults, youth and families, and couples. Clinical areas of focus include Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Grief and Loss, Adjustment Disorders, and recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury. Ms. Hilbert-Gonzalez works successfully with couples to heal from challenging relational issues to improve communication and develop a stronger partnership. Ms. Hilbert-Gonzalez works closely with families who have suffered relational struggles and emotional disconnection within the family system.
Ms. Hilbert-Gonzalez is a member of the Lehigh Valley Psychological and Counseling Association.
Tibor baukal, ma, lpc
Tibor Baukal is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania. Mr. Baukal graduated from La Salle University with a Master of Arts degree in marriage and family therapy. At La Salle, he was twice awarded the Minority Fellowship from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The fellowship allowed Mr. Baukal to receive advanced training in using the person-of-the-therapist as a tool to facilitate clients' change. It also allowed him to work with various client populations and presenting problems. He is a Certified Advanced Drug and Alcohol Counselor and worked as a drug and alcohol counselor in outpatient and inpatient settings. In addition, Mr. Baukal was trained in eco-systemic structural family therapy. He earned the Three-Year Family-Based Mental Health Training Program certificate through the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center, where he also completed an externship. He has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and families in outpatient, residential, and hospital settings. As a systemic therapist, he knows how to identify dysfunctional interpersonal patterns and facilitate changes in distressed individuals, couples, and families.
Mr. Baukal has successfully treated individuals experiencing distress from neurodevelopmental disorders and medical problems such as strokes and TBI's, autism, attention and executive functioning problems, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, and adjustment disorders. His specialty areas include working with clients with complex trauma, addiction, issues with intimacy, attachment, emotional regulation, loss, and bereavement. His favorite metaphor for understanding the human condition is life as a shipwreck, of being thrown or cast into a world, not of our choosing or making, but one that we must learn to make our own.
