Dr. Brinen believes that people have the ability to recover from the distress in their life. He is first and foremost a clinician. He understands that mental disorders are painful and take people away from their desired life. Dr. Brinen’s main focus in treatment is helping his patients move toward the goals in their life in a time-sensitive fashion.
In addition to his private practice, Dr. Brinen is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He conducts workshops and consultations in Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) both nationally and internationally, including Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, Kuwait, China, and Switzerland. Dr. Brinen is a developer of CT-R, having helped formalize and systematize the treatment. Additionally, he has adapted the treatment approach to group therapy, inpatient units, treatment teams, and adults with early episode psychosis. He is a co-author of the forthcoming Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy for Serious Mental Health Conditions.
He employs evidence based treatments for a range of disorders. Dr. Brinen practices cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). He received his doctorate at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s APA-approved Clinical PsyD program. Dr. Brinen completed a practicum at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania, under the direction of Dr. Edna Foa and the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Hembree. Dr. Brinen honed his skills with evidence based treatments for anxiety disorders (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Social Phobia, Specific Phobias, Generalized Anxiety Disorder). He went on to complete an APA-approved clinical internship at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Coatesville, PA. At his internship, he continued refining his work with PTSD, problems with drugs and alcohol, and broad ranges of comorbid disorders.
Following graduate school, Dr. Brinen was fortunate to complete a fellowship with Aaron T. Beck, M.D.. Dr. Brinen remained on at Aaron Beck Center and worked with Dr. Beck on CT-R for 7 years. Dr. Beck originated cognitive therapy and championed its research. Dr. Brinen has worked under Dr. Beck’s guidance disseminating recovery oriented cognitive therapy for those struggling with schizophrenia to community therapists across the country.
Dr. Brinen is a Diplomate and certified trainer for the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. He is a member of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. He is an active member of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. And a founding member of the North American CBT for psychosis network
Dr. Brinen was an adjunct faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. At the Beck Institute, Dr. Brinen conducted Recovery-Oriented CBT for Schizophrenia trainings and the CBT for PTSD trainings. He has been an adjunct faculty at Temple University. Additionally, Dr. Brinen is a project director, with Dr. Hembree, for a National Institute of Mental Health trial of the effectiveness of Prolonged Exposure therapy for PTSD.
In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, baking, gardening, and spending time with his wife, two children, and dog, Bonnie.
He feels it is his greatest gift to work with his patients and strives to provide the highest quality treatment.
Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy 