Jane Prelinger, MSW, LICSW

Psychotherapist
Jane Prelinger, MSW, LICSW

Jane Prelinger, MSW, LICSW

Psychotherapist

 

Jane Prelinger is a psychotherapist in private practice in Washington, DC, offering individual and couple psychotherapy and clinical supervision. She works primarily with adults and couples who struggle with relationship issues, challenges to self-esteem, trauma, infidelity, anxiety, depression, and physical illness. She is the founding Co-Director of The Center for Existential Studies and Psychotherapy. In addition, Jane is a faculty member of  The Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, The International Psychotherapy Institute, and The Washington School of Psychiatry.

She also has a special interest in the effects of social isolation in an increasingly isolating culture, what constitutes a meaningful life for a particular person, and anxiety around death and dying. Jane’s stance is mainly psychodynamic and existential, but she tailors her approach to her client’s best interests.

Jane is a sought-after presenter in the Washington, DC area and is invited to teach nationally and internationally.

Education and Experience

EDUCATION

LICENSES

  • LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER: District of Columbia

MEMBERSHIPS

  • International Psychotherapy Institute
  • National Association of Social Workers
  • Washington School of Psychiatry

SELECTED EXPERIENCE

CURRENT

  • Founding Co -Director at the Center for Existential Studies and Psychotherapy
  • Faculty at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis
  • Faculty at the International Psychotherapy Institute
  • Faculty at the Washington School of Psychiatry
  • National and international teaching and presenting

PREVIOUS

  • Director of the Washington School of Psychiatry Treatment Centers
  • Training Program Chair at the Washington School of Psychiatry
  • Associated Staff Psychotherapist at the Eugene Meyer III Treatment Center

POLICIES

All the following policies are included in the Statement of Understanding, which can be downloaded from the forms tab below.

Payment is expected at time of service. Payment may be made by check,cash or credit card. (Mastercard/Visa/American Express). Statements showing dates of visits, charges, and payments will be provided monthly. I ask that all clients, including those who prefer to pay by check and cash provide me with credit card information so that in the event that payment is not made at the time of service, I can apply the appropriate charge to your credit card. If for any reason, your account has an outstanding balance at the end of the month, that balance will be charged to your credit card.

We will arrange a regular weekly appointment time. I do my best to be flexible if you wish to reschedule your appointment. If you need to cancel or change an appointment, please provide a minimum of 24 hours notice. For example, if your appointment is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, you must cancel by 9:00 a.m. on Monday. If you do not give 24 hours notice you will be charged for the missed session. The time you schedule for your session is being reserved for you; if you do not attend or give me 24 hours notice, I am unable to use this time to see another client. However, if I am able to reschedule you within the same week, there will be no charge for the missed session.

I may be out of the office from time to time and in such cases will strive to provide you advance notice and if desired, the name and contact information for a colleague providing coverage in my absence. Likewise, if you have vacation and or travel plans, I appreciate as much advance notice as possible.

Inclement Weather

If there is snow or other poor conditions, please call me to determine if we are going to meet. If driving conditions prevent you from coming to your appointment, we can try to make other arrangements.

Communications

Communications regarding appointments may be done using cell phone or email and you should be aware that these systems may not be secure, and your use with me of these means constitutes an acknowledgement of this threat to confidentiality and waiver of that protection on my part.

I am not always available by phone, though I try to answer voicemail in a timely fashion. I will return messages to my voicemail during normal business hours. If I do not return your voicemail and you need assistance or you are faced with an emergency, it is your responsibility to seek assistance. If you feel unsafe and are experiencing an emergency, dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Confidentiality

I will maintain our conversations in strict confidentiality. Use or disclosure of your protected health information (PHI) will be for ‘treatment’ and ‘payment purposes’ only. An example of ‘treatment’ would be if another health care provider were consulted. An example of ‘payment purposes’ is considered to be when authorizations for treatment (when required) and/or reimbursements are obtained from your health insurer.

No information regarding any aspect of your treatment will be released to anyone without your prior consent. The only exceptions are:

  • Child Abuse: If I have reason to believe that a child has been subject to abuse or
    neglect, I must report this belief to the appropriate authorities.
  • Adult and Elder Abuse: I may disclose PHI regarding you if I reasonably believe
    adult or elder abuse, neglect or exploitation is occurring.
  • Health Oversight Activities: If I receive a subpoena because my practice is being
    investigated, I must disclose PHI.
  • Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: If an evaluation is court ordered, the
    information must be released. You will be notified in advance if this is the case.
  • Serious Threats to Health and Safety: If you communicate to me a specific threat of
    harm to self or others, I am required to notify the police and the potential victim to
    ensure safety.
Forms

SERVICES

I offer psychotherapy for individuals and couples, and clinical supervision and consultation for psychotherapists. I value my work with the greater DC community, both in my former role of Director of the Washington School of Psychiatry Treatment Centers, and currently in my full-time private practice. I am committed to the development of fellow psychotherapists, and dedicate a number of practice hours to clinical supervision and consultation. My faculty appointments at the International Psychotherapy Institute and the Washington School of Psychiatry, as well as presentations in the US and abroad allow me to interact with a wider group of colleagues and clients.

My theoretical approach is best described as psychodynamic and existential.

The psychodynamic approach presupposes that the way we feel and act today is shaped by events and relationships in our earlier life, which we may or may not be aware of.

Existential psychotherapy is above all grounded in our awareness of our mortality, and what it means to be human. Existential concerns include freedom, responsibility, aloneness, guilt, and the search for meaning. I find that an awareness of these universal concerns adds depth to our therapy, and to our
lives.

 

My style is participatory and collaborative. I strongly believe that our working relationship is paramount. The process of psychotherapy can be invigorating and deeply challenging, and is a journey that we will take together.

Psychotherapy with an individual client:

It can feel scary or intimidating to start the process of psychotherapy, and we will work together to create a safe and consistent space to explore the issues that bring you to my office. My approach is open-ended; as we go along we will decide together what is the most helpful duration of our work. There is no one answer to this, just like there is no one sort of client. Of course my experience will inform my thoughts about what approach will be most helpful for you.

Psychotherapy with a couple:

Couples come to me for a wide variety of reasons. Couples who come for help are married and unmarried, gay or straight. Some are struggling with an affair or the aftermath of an affair. A couple might have issues around personal or sexual intimacy. Couples come with parenting concerns, difficulty with the decision about whether to have children, or challenges related to infertility. For me the couple is the client; there is no “good” or “bad” member of a couple, only issues to be understood.

Clinical supervision for psychotherapists:

Individual and group supervision and case consultation are an active part of my practice. I currently co-facilitate a clinical and experiential existential therapy consultation group.

Jane Prelinger, Speaker: Selected Presentations by Invitation

Jane is a sought after speaker in the Washington, DC area and is invited to teach nationally and internationally. Following are events at which she has been invited to speak:

  • Presenter: “Transference and Countertransference,” June, 2015, International Psychotherapy Institute.
  • Presenter: “The Swimmer,” May, 2015, Center for Existential Studies.
    Presenter: “Becoming a Couple,” March, 2015, NASW and IPI Metro.
  • Presenter: “Le Passe,” February, 2015, Psychoanalytic Takes on Cinema 2014-2015, Washington Center for Psychoanalysis.
  • Presenter: “Implications of Existential Philosophy for Psychotherapy,” February 2015, Washington School of Psychiatry.
  • Presenter: “Live Clinical Supervision,” June, 2014, International Psychotherapy Institute.
  • Presenter: “Tuning Our Therapeutic Instrument Using Transference and Countertransference,” April, 2014, IPI Metro and NASW DC.
  • Presenter: “Midlife: Existential Challenge and Potential Opportunity,” April, 2014, DC Academy of Collaborative Professionals.
  • Presenter: Affective Group Leader Training, March, 2014, International Psychotherapy Institute.
  • Teacher and Presenter: Psychodynamic Couple and Family Training Program, March, 2014, Beijing, China.
  • Discussant: “Black Swan”, Psychoanalytic Takes on Cinema 2013-2014, February, 2014, Washington Center for Psychoanalysis.
  • Psychodynamic Couple Therapy Training Program, Week long program with lectures, discussion and intensive group process, Beijing, China, 2013.
  • “The Group Affective Model: Challenges for the Group Leader,” Beijing, 2013.
  • “Becoming a Couple: A Case,” Beijing, 2013.
  • “Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Supervision,” NASW, Washington DC, 2013.
  • “Manifestations of the Unconscious in Supervision,” 3 hour lecture/training at The John L. Gildner Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA), Rockville MD, 2013.
  • “Existential Issues in Mid phase and Midlife,” Washington School of Psychiatry, Washington DC , 2013.
  • “Object Relations?” Washington School of Psychiatry, Washington DC, 2013.
  • “The Supervisory Relationship,” RICA.
  • “When the Supervisor is also the Boss,” NASW, Washington DC.
  • “Being the Spouse: A Question of Identity,” International Monetary Fund, Washington DC.
  • “Post-Partum Depression: Out in the Open,” Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC.
  • “Sex and Sexuality in Contemporary Psychotherapy”: Co-chair of 1 year Training Program, International Institute of Object Relations, Bethesda, MD.
  • “Phantasy, Fantasy and Relationship in the Work of D.W. Winnicott,” 3 part lecture, Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, Washington DC.
  • Additional chairing, group leading and teaching in Denver, Indianapolis, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Sarasota, China and Panama.