VA psychologist helps Veterans overcome PTSD and substance use

Pawlowicz is intimately familiar with the struggle some Veterans experience following their years of service as her father was an Army Veteran and scout dog handler who battled with addiction after returning from the Vietnam war. Her personal connection to the military makes her a great asset in helping Veterans. Through her inspiring work, Pawlowicz aims to empower Veterans to reclaim their lives by finding hope and healing.

I love working with Veterans in particular because it reminds me of my dad and I feel close to them in that way. It’s obviously very challenging, but it’s also very rewarding when I give PTSD treatments and see my patients getting better quickly,” Pawlowicz said.

Her transformative journey into psychology was inspired by her father’s death when she was just 20 years old.

“He never received any treatment,” Pawlowicz said.  

Being raised by a father who was a combat Veteran gave Pawlowicz a profound understanding of the effects of trauma and addiction on individuals and families. She’s made it her life’s mission to help others work through their pain.

Growing up in Chicago, Pawlowicz attended The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology, specializing in PTSD and substance use. After graduation she began working as a clinical psychology intern at Sharp HealthCare. She then moved on to a postdoctoral fellowship at the San Diego VA Health Care System. After the fellowship, she moved to DC and worked as a SUD Psychologist at the Massaponax Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC).

Most recently, she has taken on the role of SUD clinical psychologist at West LA VA Domiciliary (DOM), formally known as the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program.

Being that she has family in California and loved visiting as a child, she is pleased to work in a location that feels like home as she furthers her career.

“Dr. Pawlowicz is a fantastic addition to the Psychology Team at the Domiciliary,” said Pawlowicz’s supervisor, Dr. Beverly Haas, who is the Mental Health Lead in the DOM.

“She has only been at GLA a few months and she has already made significant contributions to our programming,” Haas added. “We have started implementing a relapse prevention group using a manual which she created.” Pawlowicz recently started an in vivo exposure group on her team to address PTSD. In vivo exposure is a type of psychological therapy that involves facing feared situations or stimuli in real life, rather than just imagining them.

Haas mentioned that Pawlowicz is extremely helpful to the DOM by assisting with the Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART), a science-based program designed to help individuals overcome addiction and achieve long-term recovery.

Most Veterans who enter Pawlowicz’s office ask about the vintage sepia toned photo of the man with the dog that she has sitting on her desk. When Pawlowicz warmly tells her patients it is a photo of her father with his scout dog in Vietnam, they are pleased to realize that she comes from a military family. Military scout dogs aid their scout handlers in the hunt for weapons, snipers, tunnels, hidden food, supplies, villages, and suspected enemy supply areas. There is history in the photo that establishes a connection between Pawlowicz and her patients. 

PTSD and SUD often co-occur. According to a national epidemiological study 46.4% of individuals with lifetime PTSD also met criteria for SUD.

“PTSD and alcohol use disorders may be even more closely related due to the legality of alcohol, which makes it more easily accessible than other substances,” the study states. A substantial majority of Veterans with PTSD have met criteria for comorbid substance use at some point. Comorbid is a word to describe two disorders or illnesses occurring in the same person, simultaneously or sequentially.

The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study, conducted in the 1980s, found 74% of Vietnam Veterans with PTSD had comorbid SUD,” wrote Richard Kuika, who authored the study.

Pawlowicz's interventions have been effective in helping Veterans manage their PTSD and substance abuse. She has observed that the key to successful treatment is building trust with the Veteran and developing a personalized treatment plan that meets their specific needs. Pawlowicz uses evidence-based treatments for PTSD, such as prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and a combination of prolonged exposure treatment and relapse prevention called Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and SUDs through Prolonged Exposure (COPE). These treatments aim to help individuals approach trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations and modify and challenge unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma.

“With the COPE treatment, I’ve seen a lot of the Veterans improve their lives drastically where they don’t want to use substances anymore,” Pawlowicz said.

PTSD treatment is becoming increasingly available for the general public, and PTSD treatment statistics indicate a positive outlook for recovery. A study in 2013 found that as many as 46% of people with PTSD improved within six weeks of beginning psychotherapy.

Pawlowicz discussed the challenges of avoidance in PTSD treatment, which can interfere with substance use treatment and cause patients to relapse. Sometimes a patient might relapse when they start treatment because they're having to remember people, places, and things that trigger them. So, to avoid the symptoms of PTSD, they may fall back to using drugs or alcohol, they might not show up to sessions, or they might drop out of the program completely.

“Avoidance can lead to burnout on the provider; one way avoidance can present is by Veterans not showing up to sessions , so we have to work hard to reduce these behaviors and use clinical skills to re-engage Veterans in treatment,” Pawlowicz said.

Pawlowicz loves staying active, which also helps her avoid “burning out”. Her hobbies, like hiking, longboarding, and exercising, create balance in her life.

“We always preach self-care to our Veterans, so it’s important for me to take my own advice - especially so I can continue to show up for my Veterans every single day,” said Pawlowicz. 

The Veteran patients often surprise Pawlowicz. For example, one of her enthusiastic patients completely transformed her plain office space. They burst into her office one day with a push pin and a painting, and without any explanation began affixing the artwork to her walls. Pawlowicz found this spontaneous and thoughtful act to be heartwarming and delightfully humorous. The impromptu interior decorating didn't stop there. The word spread that her walls needed help and other Veterans began bringing art pieces to add to the collection. Now her previously barren white walls are covered with the art of Veterans, making the once-boring office an inspiring and uplifting space.

For Pawlowicz, not only has working at VA been fulfilling, but Pawlowicz believes it has provided her with some of the best training a medical professional could ask for.

“I love working for the VA and I’ve had really positive experiences,” she said.

Pawlowicz's journey into psychology and her dedication to helping Veterans who are struggling with PTSD and substance use is a testament to her resilience and compassion. She is making a significant impact in the lives of Veterans and their families and is a shining example of the difference that one person can make.

Veterans who are interested in learning more about the DOM can call 310-478-3711, ext. 43129.

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