Dr. Kathryn Ziemer

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and the Clinical Director at Old Town Psychology. My goal is to provide you with a welcoming environment where you can feel supported.

I have been providing psychological services to clients for over 10 years. I specialize in depression, anxiety, relationship issues, life transitions, stress and coping, and sleep issues. My approach incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, relational therapy, and mindfulness. The specific focus of our sessions and the techniques used will depend on your needs and preferences. There is no one size fits all and every client is unique.

I also conduct IQ tests with children for gifted and talented programs and private school admissions. I help kids feel comfortable taking tests so they can perform their best.

I received my PhD from the University of Maryland. I previously conducted clinical work at the National Institutes of Mental Health, the DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the University of Maryland Counseling Center, and the George Mason Cognitive Assessment Program.

My experience includes teaching undergraduate and graduate classes at the University of Maryland and supervising the clinical work of psychologists-in-training. I’m on the board of the Health Psychology Section of the Society of Counseling Psychology, and I’m also a member of the American Psychological Association and the Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

Published Books:

Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy

Springer, 2023

Old Town Psychology has partnered with researchers at the University of Zaragoza to publish a self-guided version of Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy. This intervention can be used by anyone – either self-guided or with the support of a therapist.

We recommend it for individuals who would like to increase their self-compassion and improve their relationships with others. Through this intervention, individuals will gain a better understanding of how they relate to other people and address any harmful or negative patterns. The book also includes exercises, handouts, and links for downloadable audio files and meditations to make the experience fully self-applied.

Polls, Pollsters, & Public Opinion

Cambridge University Press, 2024

Dr. Kathryn Ziemer (Clinical Director, Old Town Psychology) & Dr. Cliff Young (President of Polling & Societal Trends, Ipsos) explore the convergence of behavioral science and public opinion in Polls, Pollsters, and Public Opinion.

Why are the polls so frequently wrong, and what’s really on voter’s minds? Polls, Pollsters, and Public Opinion presents a systematic analytical approach for understanding, predicting, and engaging the minds of the voters. It tells the story through the eyes of the pollster and draws an analytical road map for examining public opinion, both conceptually and practically. Providing a theoretical and conceptual foundation, as well as debunking popular myths, this book delves into the science of polling, offering tools analysts can use to assess the quality of polls.

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PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA

Article: How to ‘keep calm and carry on’ during uncertain times, Alexandria Times, November 26th, 2024

Commentary: The Moving in Together Checklist: How to Blend Your Styles and Make It Work, ApartmentGuide, November 19th, 2024

Ziemer, K., Palma, B., Chui, H., & Hill, C. E. (2024). Finding meaning during COVID-19: the experiences of single millennial women. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 1–19.

Article: Gifted and talented: A double-edged sword, Alexandria Times, September 25th, 2024

Interview: How to cope with empty nest syndrome when teens leave home, WTOP News, September 2nd, 2024

Article: Happiness curve: look forward to old age, Alexandria Times, April 25th, 2024

Article: How to manage stress on your big day, Alexandria Times, March 21st, 2024

Interview: City cracks down on swatting with new ordinance, Alexandria Times, March 14th, 2024

Raque, T. L., Lamphere, B., Motzny, C., Kauffmann, J., Ziemer, K., & Haywood, S. (2023). Pathways by Which Self-Compassion Improves Positive Body Image: A Qualitative Analysis. Behavioral Sciences, 13(11), 939.

Raque, T.L., Ziemer, K., & Jackson, J. (2023). Attachment and Self-Compassion: Associations Across the Lifespan. In A. Finlay-Jones, K. Bluth, & K. Neff (Eds.), Handbook of Self-Compassion. (pp. 71-88). Springer.

Pires, B., Goldstein, J., Molfino, E., Ziemer, K., Orr, M., & Jimenez, J. (2023). Knowledge sharing in a dynamic, multi-level organization: An agent-based modeling approach. Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory.

Ziemer, K. (2021). Making the most of endings and new beginnings: Tips for early career psychologists. Psychotherapy Bulletin, 56(1), 11-13.

Aiken, K., Betts, K., Keisler, A., & Ziemer, K. (2019). Market claims and efficacy information in direct-to-consumer prescription drug print advertisements. Psychology and Marketing.

Aiken, K., Betts, K., Ziemer, K., & Keisler, A. (2019). Consumer tradeoff of "#1 Prescribed" advertising claim versus efficacy information in direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.

Ziemer, K., Lamphere, B.R., Raque-Bogdan, T.L., & Schmidt, C.K. (2018). A randomized controlled study of writing interventions on college women’s positive body image. Mindfulness.

Ziemer, K., Pires, B., Lancaster, V., Keller, S., Orr, M., & Shipp, S. (2018). A New Lens on High School Dropout: Use of Correspondence Analysis and the Statewide Longitudinal Data System. The American Statistician.

Chui, H., McGann, K., Ziemer, K., Hoffman, M., & Stahl, J. (2018). Use of Supervision for Therapy with Sexual Minority Clients: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 65(1), 36-50.

Ziemer, K., & Korkmaz, G. (2017). Using Text to Predict Psychological and Physical Health: A Comparison of Human Raters and Computerized Text Analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 76, 122-127.

Ziemer, K., Fuhrmann, A., & Hoffman, M. (2017). Effectiveness of a Positive Writing Intervention for Chronic Pain: A Randomized Trial. MYOPAIN: A Journal of Myofascial pain and Fibromyalgia, 143-154.

Garriott, P., Raque-Bogdan, T., Yalango, K., Ziemer, K., & Utley J. (2017). Intentions to seek counseling in first-generation and continuing-generation college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64(4), 432-442.

Raque-Bogdan, T., Piontkowski, S., Hui, K., Ziemer, K., & Garriott, P. (2016). Self-compassion as a mediator between attachment anxiety and body appreciation: An exploratory model. Body Image, 19, 28-36.

Ziemer, K., & Korkmaz, G. (2016). Human vs. automated text analysis: Estimating positive and negative affect. HT ‘16 Proceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on Hypertext & Social Media, 309-314.

Schmidt, C.K., Piontkowski, S., Raque-Bogdan, T., & Ziemer, K. (2014). Relational Health, Ethnic Identity, and Well-Being of College Students of Color: A Strengths-Based Perspective. The Counseling Psychologist, 42, 473-496.

Chui, H., Ziemer, K., Palma-Orellana, & Hill, C.E. (2014). Peer relationships in counseling psychology training programs. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 27, 127-153.

Ziemer, K., & Hoffman, M. A. (2013). Beliefs and attitudes regarding HPV vaccination among college-age women. Journal of Health Psychology, 18, 1360-1370.

Schmidt, C.K., Raque-Bogdan, T., Piontkowski, S., & Ziemer, K. (2011). Putting the positive in health psychology: A content analysis of three journals. Journal of Health Psychology, 16, 607-620.

Ziemer, K., Baumann, J., Rich, B., Luckenbaugh, D.A., & Zarate Jr., C.A. (2010). Perception of facial emotion in adults with bipolar or unipolar depression and controls. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 44, 1229-1235.