About Us
It is very difficult for most people to seek psychological care. As mental health professionals, our central belief is that such care be provided in a respectful, understandable and individually-oriented manner. Therapy is best focused on providing our patients with opportunities to learn and implement practical, effective skills to improve the quality of their lives and relationships. We strive to demystify the therapeutic process.
One of our primary orientations is to provide education and support to people who are interested in eliminating psychological symptoms and enhancing their happiness. We also frequently encounter people who are struggling with long-standing trauma from earlier periods of life. Helping people to acknowledge, validate and honor those wounds promotes genuine healing and freedom from trauma-related disorders.
At Jenkintown Psychological Associates, we strive to make the experience of seeing a therapist a safe and rewarding one. Our patients feel cared for as individuals. We are very personal and responsive to our patient's needs.
Our Staff
Michael K. Montanaro, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, Director of Jenkintown Psychological Associates and JPA Center for Integrative Health
- Dr. Montanaro received his BS "With Distinction" in 1976 from Penn State University in Individual and Family Studies, with an emphasis in Gerontology.
- He completed his Master's degree in Counselor Education with a specialization in Rehabilitation Counseling from Penn state in 1979.
- Dr. Montanaro received his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Temple University in 1990.
- As part of his doctorate, he completed a 12-month Pre-Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology at Norristown Sate Hospital from 1985-1986, where he received extensive training in Forensic Psychology at the Regional Forensic Psychiatric Center.
Since 1977, Dr. Montanaro has held professional positions in a variety of settings and with a diverse group of people. He has worked in inpatient psychiatric settings, community mental health treatment, residential programming and community-based treatment. Dr. Montanaro has been in private practice since 1988. He has extensive training and experience working with children, adolescents, adults and seniors. He is able to work with his patients in all modalities, including individual, group, marital and family psychotherapy. He has trained in and worked extensively with substance abuse treatment.
Over twenty years ago, realizing the inherent limitations in Western traditional psychology, Dr. Montanaro became interested in a more holistic and integrative way of working with mental health. Since then, he has trained in meditation, t'ai chi and yoga. His interest and training in a wide range of complementary theories and practices led to the development of the JPA Center for Integrative Health in 2010. His program is now able to help people to address stress- related problems and to work toward enhanced health through a variety of scientifically-validated holistic practices. A particular area of interest is in stress-related, or psychophysiological, medical problems. These disorders are extremely common in American society.
Dr. Montanaro believes strongly in working closely with medical doctors and other allied health providers toward a truly "integrated" process of healthcare.
Pamela Szczygiel, LCSW, CHHC, RYT-500; Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Holistic Health Counselor, Registered Yoga Teacher
- Pam graduated Magna Cum Laude from Villanova University in 2000 with Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Women’s Studies.
- Pam completed her Master of Social Work degree at University of Georgia in 2003.
- After receiving her MSW, Pam studied at the Integrative Institute of Nutrition where she received certification as a Holistic Health Counselor. In addition, she is a registered yoga instructor.
Since receiving her MSW in 2003, Pam has worked as an agency director in a child advocacy and rape crisis center, served as a coordinator for a mentoring program and has held positions as a therapist working with families, children, adolescents, and adults. Pam completed two years of training in structural family therapy at The Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center. She has received additional training in many areas of clinical practice such as trauma and PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression and integrative approaches to mental health.
As a therapist, Pam has experience working with a variety of treatment modalities though tailors her work to the individual needs of each person. She is heavily influenced by humanistic approaches and utilizes mindfulness concepts frequently. Her training in holistic health counseling allows her to help individuals make connections between their mental, physical (diet, exercise, lifestyle choices), and spiritual well being. Pam provides individual, group, and family therapy to children, adolescents and adults. She is delighted to work alongside a team of individuals that can provide a comprehensive approach to healing.