Dr. Pia Holec received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. She received both her Master of Arts and Doctorate of Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York, New York. Here she received extensive training at the Addiction Institute of New York and the Center for The
Intensive Treatment of Personality Disorders. Prior to this, Dr. Pia trained at Rush University Medical Center, Marital and S*x Therapy Department in Chicago, Illinois where she gained specialized training in working with couples and treating sexual dysfunctions. As a Chicago native, Dr. Pia recognizes the importance of cultural competency in not only her clinical work, but in her personal life as well. Her passion for working with underserved, minority populations started with an early exposure to community mental health through her volunteer work in high school. This passion then translated to her aspirations to provide therapeutic services to individuals, couples, and families from varying ethnic, cultural, religious, financial, and sexual backgrounds whom display difficulties in seeking, obtaining, and utilizing treatment services. After receiving her B.A., Dr. Pia spent four years working in the field of psychology. Her job experiences consisted of working as a crisis intervention specialist in emergency rooms, clinic coordinator at a community mental health agency, and as a house manager in a group home. These experiences exposed Dr. Pia to the necessity of providing patients with a space to feel heard, understood, and validated. In her generalist training, Dr. Pia has worked with individuals, couples, and families presenting with a variety of clinical concerns including: anxiety, depression, mood disorders, personality disorders, psychosis, PTSD, complex trauma, obsessive compulsive disorders and addictions. Dr. Holec specializes in the successful treatment of Female Hyposexual Arousal Disorder, Dyspareunia, Vaginismus, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Premature Ej*******on, Erectile Dysfunction, unconsummated marriages, gender dysphoria, and LGBTQ+ concerns. Dr. Pia works with a number of professionals to ensure efficient care including: psychiatrists, primary care physicians, urologists, pelvic floor specialists, and OB/GYNs. Dr. Pia believes that her work is most effective when she is able to help her patients give a voice to the issues that they are so deeply struggling to work through. To that end, Dr. Pia’s down to earth style allows her patients the safety, support, knowledge, and ability to openly express themselves regarding sensitive topics. It's often uncomfortable and foreign to discuss personal problems, especially those pertaining to sexuality with a complete stranger. Dr. Pia is sensitive to this and understands that such concerns impact a person's life in many ways. As a therapist, she strives to provide interventions that are non-judgmental and culturally competent. Dr. Pia acknowledges that life has its challenges. Her therapeutic approach is to help patients navigate the process of overcoming difficulties within their lives. She enjoys working with individuals and couples who are apprehensive about starting treatment, are motivated for change, and are open to working outside of their comfort zone. In terms of her clinical style, Dr. Pia utilizes an integrative approach to tailor the best treatment for each patient and their presenting problems. Dr. Pia works with her patients to determine if they would prefer a more or less structured approach, and continues with a collaborative process from there. Though her primary therapeutic style is narrative therapy, Dr. Pia is well versed in cognitive-behavioral and dialectical behavioral interventions. Dr. Pia believes that establishing a good rapport with her patients is the “hallmark” of therapy. By building a strong working relationship with her patients, Dr. Pia is able to challenge them to examine the negative thought processes and patterns of behavior that are exacerbating their current symptomology. In doing so, Dr. Pia provides psychoeducation to help patients identify these patterns and learn coping skills to manage and overcome them. When she’s not working, Dr. Pia values quality time with her loved ones and community service. For fun she especially enjoys traveling and live entertainment. Dr. Pia believes in the necessity of gratitude and incorporates this into her daily life.
