Ann Phillips Browning, LMSW
Licensed Masters of Social Work
Call 269-345-0909
Email Ann
Location: Kalamazoo

Specialties:

  • Sexual Abuse Victims (females and children)
  • Panic Attacks/Disorder
  • Anxiety
  • Grief
  • Depression
  • Trauma Recovery

Experience:

  • Worked for 8 years with a christian ministry for people who had been abused as a children.
  • Led small groups for victims of abuse in various churches for 5 years.
  • Went through training to lead Trauma Recovery Groups.
  • Interned at a local Catholic church for 9 months. Worked with families who had just lost a loved one in planning funeral arrangements and being with them the day of the funeral and providing follow-up grief care. I made hospital visits, home visits and nursing home visits to church members who were psychologically or physically ill. Gave presentation on dealing with Seasonal Affect Disorder.
  • Interned for 9 months and continue to volunteer at the Response Care Center, Richland, MI providing individual therapy for assigned clients.

Education:

  • BS – WMU, Major: Sociology
  • MSW – WMU, Masters in Social Work – Interpersonal Practice
  • Trauma Recovery Associates, Inc. – Trauma Recovery Small Group Leader’s Training. Open Hearts Ministry, Inc. – Small Group Leader’s Training for Abuse Survivors

Personal statements:

Life is hard. Life is filled with hurts and heartaches. But how do we navigate all of these ups and downs on a emotional level? That question is what has led me to want to help others navigate life’s painful experiences. I consider it a privilege to walk alongside someone who feels life is overwhelming and struggles with anxiety and/or depression. I use faith-based principles, along with traditional cognitive behavioral therapy to work with you in finding coping mechanisms that help you view life in a more positive light. I thoroughly enjoyed a course on using humor to help promote healing, and I find using humor during therapy helps to make the time together more relaxing and enjoyable.

In my free time, I love being with my adult daughter who is an elementary school teacher, and with my husband of 38 years! Our favorite pastimes are eating out, laughing together, watching Disney movies and comedies, playing Disney Trivia, and going to Disney World. I love playing and snuggling with our 12 year old rescued corgi-sheltie mix dog.

I spent about 8 years working at a ministry for people who had been abused. I first went through a 12 week group as a participant, then went through their leadership training, led small groups and then was a trainer of future leaders. It was my experience with survivors of abuse that I learned so much about panic disorder and anxiety. After attending a training seminar on Trauma Recovery I developed a passionate interest in working with trauma survivors. As part of my MSW degree I took courses specific to recovering from traumatic experiences.

I enjoy working with young children, tweens and teenage girls, as well as adult women. I also have a lot of compassion for women that are senior citizens and struggling with depression from experiencing a lot of loss as they age. I have had some very positive experiences with couples that are going through a rough time in their relationship. I feel that if both persons are strongly committed to wanting to stay in the marriage, and make the marriage work, marriage therapy is extremely effective.