Experience
I am a licensed psychologist who has been in practice for 35 years. I provide confidential, Cognitive Behavior Therapy for:
Depression and anxiety
Fears and phobias
Relationship issues
Pregnancy loss and infertility issues
Stress management
Eating Disorders
Coping with illness
Milan Federal Correctional Institution, Milan, MI. Utilized behavior modification to allow inmates in a low security prison to complete their high school requirements. Students were able to complete their GED or high school equivalency test and some enrolled in college courses.
South Florida State Hospital, Pembroke Pines, FL. Trained developmentally delayed and autistic clients in differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) and differential reinforcement of interval behavior (DRI) under the supervision of Nathan Azrin, Ph. D. These strategies are part of Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA. This training brought about a decrease in self-harming and destructive behaviors for this particular population. Dr. Azrin created treatment procedures for nervous habits like nail biting and hair pulling, star chart or token economy for toilet training, improving productivity with employees, and parenting. He trained with the noted behaviorist, B.F. Skinner.
Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL. Participated in research to addressing patients’ fears toward anesthesia. Determined that addressing patients’ concerns prior to undergoing their surgical procedures lowered their anxiety levels and facilitated their recovery post-surgery.
Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Was a member of a multi-disciplinary team on an inpatient psychiatry unit for acute care. Helped to design treatment plans for patients on the unit. Attended grand rounds led by the Dept. of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Assisted a team of researchers exploring the effects of multiple infarct dementia for the Dept. of Behavioral Neurology. Interviewed patients, collected data and engaged in neuropsychological assessment.
Boston VA Healthcare System, Jamaica Plain, MA. Pre-doctoral internship training included inpatient psychiatry, intellectual and neuropsychological assessment, emergency room department triage and psychological intake, pain clinic and individual and group psychotherapy including cardiac rehabilitation. Dr. Sircus’ supervisors at the VA included Edith Kaplan, Ph. D. for neuropsychological assessment. Dr. Kaplan’s observations and assessment methods evolved into a philosophical school of neuropsychological assessment known as the “Boston Process Approach”. Dr. Sircus was also trained by Terrence Keane, Ph. D. for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Dr. Keane is currently the Director of the Behavioral Science Division of the National Center for PTSD.
Boston Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapies, Boston, MA. Learned the mechanics of cognitive behavior therapy including exposure, response prevention, rational responding, and exposure to interoceptive cues. Practice included individual and group psychotherapy, exposure groups, relaxation, and diaphragmatic breathing. We often treated clients of colleagues for the stress management or relaxation piece. Dr. Sircus was trained by Joel Becker, Ph. D. who is currently Clinical Director of Cognitive Behavior Associates and the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Institute in Beverly Hills, CA.
Beaumont Health System, Preventive and Nutritional Medicine, Royal Oak, MI. Part of a multidisciplinary team at a hospital based weight loss and preventive medicine program. Created modules and led behavior modification weight loss groups, engaged in ongoing research including smoking cessation, individual and group psychotherapy, Dr. Sircus ran groups and met with clients for individual support throughout their weight loss journey.
Lecturer at the University of Michigan- Dearborn, Dearborn, MI. Taught undergraduates abnormal psychology.
Corporate Crisis Interventionist, Cigna Behavioral Health, Eden Prairie, MN. Crisis intervention and conflict resolution for corporate clients including Fortune 500 companies. Address and contain various kinds of crises occurring at work or after work hours affecting employees and the work environment including sudden death, armed robbery, and downsizing of companies.
Adjunct faculty, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. Have taught elements of psychology, abnormal psychology, personality, social psychology,psychology of gender, and psychology of everyday living to undergraduates.
Producer and Host
Watch Dr. Linda Sircus as she hosts her weekly television program, “Managing the Problems of Daily Living” on Bloomfield Community Television. Conceive, create and produce a weekly cable television program, “Managing the Problems of Daily Living.” Mission of the program is to impart information, tools and strategies to allow people to help themselves and their friends and families cope with a wide range of medical, relational, and psychological difficulties including: drug and alcohol addiction, rehabilitation and treatment, responding to a cancer diagnosis and how to ask for and receive help, grieving for the death of a child, caring for the aged, responding to cognitive impairments and limited mobility, increasing awareness for neglected and abused children, advice for improving love and other relationships, eating disorders and medical and other issues specific to adolescents, holistic and spiritual paths to recovery from devastating medical diagnoses, miscarriage, sudden infant death, pregnancy loss, definition of bipolar disorder and facilitating treatment and support for a loved one with the illness, adult ADHD inattentive type and issues specific for women with ADHD, sexual wellness and and enhancing one’s sexual relationships, adaptive yoga for people with limited mobility and illnesses like multiple sclerosis, psychological and physiological benefits of mindfulness, self-empowerment of women, weight loss and enhancing self-concept and self-esteem, LGBTQ and issues of coming out, acceptance and inclusion, elevating resiliency, self-esteem and bullying prevention with school aged children, status of the mental illness in our society and community based support and housing available for the mentally ill and otherwise challenged, society’s response to women an aging, maintaining a youthful appearance, personality and healthy engaged relationships, living with disabilities and maintaining a positive outlook on life and a future focus, cognitive behavior therapy of anxiety disorders including OCD and simple phobias, impact of children whose parents are divorcing, dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder, financial, medical and psychological issues that our veterans are facing transitioning back from active duty, Imago or marital and relationship counseling, power of animals like horses to rehabilitate or treat client vulnerabilities.
Education
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Boston Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapies, 1986-9
Pre-doctoral internship, Boston VA Medical Center, 1985-6, (Inpatient Psychiatry, Pain Management, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Consultation/Liaison, Neuropsychological Assessment)
Nova Southeastern University, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, 1988
Honors College at the University of Michigan, B.A. Honors Sociology and Psychology, 1981
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Psychological Association
Michigan Psychological Association
University of Michigan Alumni Association
Nova Southeastern University Alumni Association
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
Vice-President, Michigan State University Hillel, East Lansing, Michigan, 2009-2017
Temple Beth El, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, 2003-9
Founder, Circle of Friends, Care House-Child Abuse and Neglect Council of Oakland County, Pontiac, Michigan, 1993
LICENSED
State of Michigan since December, 1991
State of Florida since December, 2015