Professional Training, Vera Dragonchuck, MA, LMHC

Training and Professional Experience

My education preparation in counseling includes both a Masters and Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Northwest University. I am a licensed mental health counselor in the State of Washington and have been in practice since 2003.

Active Professional Membership Affiliations
  • Puget Sound Group Psychotherapy Network (PSGPN)
  • American Group Psychotherapy Network (AGPA)
  • System Centered Therapy (SCT)

Employment History
  • 01/2018-present. Owner of Renton Counseling Group. Renton, WA.
  • 07/2013-present. Treasurer. Puget Sound Group Psychotherapy Network. Seattle WA.
  • 2003-present. Owner/Psychotherapist. Bellevue/Renton Area. Private Practice: individual and group therapy. Specializing in depression, anxiety, and various other mood disorders.
  • 2008- 2010. Emergency Department Social Worker. Evergreen Hospital. Kirkland WA. Experienced with crisis work, death and bereavement, chemical dependency assessments, elderly assistance and discharge planning.
  • 1/2009 - 6/2009. Mental Health Therapist. Domestic Abuse Women's Network. Tukwila WA. Experienced with trauma informed care and short-term mental health services for women who are survivors of domestic violence.
  • 3/05- 07/09. Psychiatric Assessment Team, Intake Admission, Utilization Review, Program Coordinator. Fairfax Behavioral and Medical Psychiatry- Kirkland WA. Intake clinician duties include psychiatric assessments, phone crisis services, and case-collaboration.
  • 1996-2005. Manger. Licensed Property/Casualty Insurance Producer. Sav-On Insurance Agency. Des Moines WA.

 

Education and Training Background


Review of Seminars and Trainings.

Please be patient as I update my training for 2016, 2017, and 2018. I love to grow and evolve in my practice as a psychotherapist. My long term patients can attest to the varied interventions we have worked on in my practice.

  • 11/9-11/10/2018. Working with Transference in Group Treatment: TECHNICAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES OF WORKING WITH TRANSFERENCE IN THE GROUP SETTING. ELLEN L. WRIGHT, PH.D. & PUGET SOUND GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY NETWORK. 8.5 CEUs.
  • 06/29-06/30/2018. Working with Resistance in Group Treatment. ELLEN L. WRIGHT, PH.D. & PUGET SOUND GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY NETWORK. 8.5 CEUs.
  • 01/12-01/13/2018. Modern Analytic Group Theory. ELLEN L. WRIGHT, PH.D. & PUGET SOUND GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY NETWORK. 8.5 CEUs.

02/23/2015-02/27/2015. "Promoting Secure Attachment Through Group Therapy." Seventy-Second Annual Conference.American Group Psychotherapy Association. San Francisco, CA. 28 hours of continuous education credits.

02/23/2015. "The Therapist As a New Attachment Figure." David J. Wallin Ph, D.

02/24/2015-02/25/2015. "Systems-Centered's Functional Subgrouping and its Neurobiology. SusanP. Gantt, PhD, ABPP, CGP, FAGPA, FAPA. System Centered Website.

02/26/2015. "System Centered Phases of Group Development in Small and Median Groups." Yvonne M. Agazarian, EdD, DLFAGPA, APA, Founder, Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute.

02/27/2015. "Family Genograms, Family Mapping & Family Sculpture: Promoting Secure Attachment through Group." Frederic La Belle, MFA, CGP. Co-Director of Professional Training, Pagase Processus, Rennes, Frence

02/06/2015-02/09/2015. "Somatic Experiencing Training with Steven Hoskinson, MA, MAT." Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute. Seattle, WA.

01/22/2015-01/25/2015. "Advanced, small-group, intensive training in Ericksonian Therapy." Jefferey Zeig, Ph.D., director of The Milton H. Erickson Foundation. New York, New York. 28 hours of continuing education credits.

10/24/2014-10/26/2014. "Psychotherapy, Spirituality and the Soul with Thomas Moore, PhD." New England Educational Institute. Sante Fe, NM. 15 continuing education credits.

10/06/2014-10/10/2014. "Fundamental Intensive Training in Ericksonian Approaches to Hypnosis." Milton H. Erickson Foundation Inc. Pheonix, AZ. 30 hours of continuous education credits.

04/05/2014-04/06/2014. "An Intersubjective Approach to Containing Turbulence in Group." Sara Emerson, LICSW, CGP, FAGPA. Puget Sound Group Psychotherapy Network.

03/03/2014- 03/08/2014. ''Group: Creating Connections in Turbulent Times.'' Seventy-First Annual Conference American Group Psychotherapy Association. 2014 Westin Copley Place Hotel. Boston, MA.

03/03/2014. "Systems-Centered's Functional Subgroupingand its Neurobiology: Lowering Scapegoating and Enhancing Emotional Regulation." SusanP. Gantt, PhD, ABPP, CGP, FAGPA, FAPA. System Centered Website.

03/06/2014. "Single-Session Design Groups." Travis J. Courville, LCSW, CGP, FAGPA and Cindy Hearne, PhD, CGP.

03/07/2014. ''Co-Therapy: Harmonizing Two Distinct and Equal Partners." Barbara Kidder, MA and EugeneKidder, MDiv, CGP, FAGPA. Seattle Area Website.

03/07/2014. ''Creating Connection: Mindfulness-Based Groups for Veterans Coping with PTSD.'' Gabrielle Dawn Lawhon, PhD. and Susan Maxwell, PsyD.

03/07/2014. ''Therapeutic Authenticity - Finding the Courage to Brave Uncertainty and Vulnerability as We Support Our Clients Move Toward Connection.'' Michelle DeCola, MS, CGP.

03/08/2014. ''Research in Group Psychotherapy: “A Comparison of How Different Group Leaders Respond and Utilize GQ Feedback with their Group Members.” Racheli, Lazar, PhD.; Kaitlyn Whitcomb, BS,; Sean C. Woodland, BS.

03/08/2014. ''Not Again!! Why People Repeat Relationships with Abusive Partners and How Group Therapy Can Help.'' Mary Nicholas, LCSW, PhD, CGP, FAGPA.

12/11/2013-12/14/2013. Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference Sponsored by The Milton H. Erickson Foundation. Anaheim CA.

12/11/2013. REACH: “Pushing your Clinical Effectiveness to the Next Level.’’ Scott Miller, PhD . International Center for Clinical Excellence.

12/11/2013. “Successful Weight Loss and Maintenance: A CBT Skills Building Approach”

Judith Beck, PhD and Deborah Beck Busis, LCSW.

12/11/2013. “The Craft of Family Therapy.” Salvador Minuchin, MD, The Minuchin Center for the Family.

12/12/2013. “Treatment of Individuals with Anger-Control Problems and Aggressive Behaviors: A Life-Span Treatment Approach.” Donald Meichenbaum, PhD

12/12/2013. “Toward the Couples’ Treatment of Infidelity: A Gottman Method Therapy.” John Gottman, PhD and Julie Gottman, PhD.

12/12/2013. “Brain Wars: How Not Looking at the Brain Leads to Missed Diagnoses, Failed Treatments and Dangerous Behaviors.’’ Daniel Amen, MD

12/12/2013. “Love in a Time of Illness.” Diane Ackerman, PhD

12/13/2013. “Clinical Demonstration: Chain Analysis of Dysfunctional Behaviors.” Marsha Linehan, PhD (Live).

12/13/2013. “Frontier of Trauma Treatment.” Bessel van der Kolk, MD

12/13/2013. “Clinical Demonstration: Couples Therapy.” Jon Carlson, PsyD (Live)

12/13/2013. “Clinical Demonstration: Transforming Trauma: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing.’’

12/13/2013. “Topical Panel: Transference/Countertransference.” Otto Kernberg, MD, Peter Levine, PhD, Erving Polster, PhD

12/14/2013. “Guerrilla Divorce Busting: Working with Couples in the Trenches.” Michele Weiner-Davis, MSW.

12/14/2013. “Trauma, Spirituality and Recovery. Presenter: Donald Meichenbaum, PhD, Discussant: Erving Polster, PhD.”

12/14/2013. “Teaching Psychotherapy through Narrative.” Irvin Yalom, MD

09/28/2013. "Learn How to Construct Profitable Groups in Private Practice." Elana Clark-Faler, LCSW, CSAT-S, CGP. RecoveryHelp Now.

04/26/2013-04/27/2013. "Clinical Supervision: Theory and Practice." Marshall Jung, DSW. http://nasw-wa.org/

11/30/2012. "Working with Attachment and Temperament in the Development of Adult Personality.'' Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. http://drdansiegel.com/.

05/28/2012. "WA Personality Disorders: The Challenges of the Hidden Agenda.'' PESI.

3/31/11. ETHICS Necessary and Essential Information for Mental Health and Related Healthcare Professionals. Samara C. Kezele Fritchman, LMHC, JD, PhD. CME Education Institute.

4/10/2010. Spring Conference: "From Fear to Desire in the Group." Morris Nitsun, PhD. Puget Sound Group Psychotherapy Network.

04/24/2009. "Leadership at the Edge" Hillel Swiller, MD, CGP, FAGPA. Puget Sound Group Psychotherapy Network.

03/28/2009. "50 Hour of domestic violence advocacy training." Alicia Glenwell, Director of Community Programs. Domestic Abuse Womens Network.

2/7/2009. “LATE STAGES OF DEMENTIA A Creative Approach to Clinical Practice with Aphasic Individuals” JUTTA ATAIE, MSW & JOHN CASTER, MSW. Society of Social Leadership in Healthcare.

1/30/2009 “Group Therapy Through the Lens of Trauma: the Brain, the Body and the Therapeutic Window” Diane Nakamura, Ph.D. and Rik Muroya, M.Ed. Puget Sound Group Psychotherapy Network.

2006. Developmental System Approach on treating psychiatric disorders in adolescents, Dr. Charles Wang, M.D. Fairfax Behavioral and Medical Psychiatry.

12/2/2006. "The Use of Self in Psychotherapy- Narcissistic Injury and the Negation of the Therapist." Rikki Ricard, Psy.A. Northwest Family Development Center

09/20/2006. Alcohol and Opiate Detoxification Process, Dr. Adam Rosen, M.D. Fairfax Behavioral and Medical Psychiatry.

07/12/2004. Counseling for Gay Couples William Stanley, MSW Valley Counseling Training Center

05/17/2004. International Marital and Family Counseling by William & Carol L. Stanley, PhD Valley Counseling Training Center

4/19/2004. ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Training by Carol L. Stanley, PhD Valley Counseling Training Center; Harlan R. Gephart, M.D. Clinical Professor of Pediatrics University of Washington.

03/15/2004. Privacy, Disclosures, Confidentiality and Privilege of HIPAA by Carol L. Stanley, PhD Valley Counseling Training Center

12/07/2003. Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment, by Carol L. Stanley, PhD Valley Counseling Training Center

11/17/2003. Using Community Resources by William B. Stanley, MSW Valley Counseling Training Center

10/13/2003. Psychoanalytic Object Relations Therapy by Lisa H. Vila, Psy.D - Valley Counseling Training Center