Tiffany Spisak

Background

I am a doctoral candidate at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and I am currently in progress of completing my dissertation. I work at an outpatient private practice setting in Ohio where I provide holistic, narrative, and postmodern approaches to assist adolescent and young adult clients in improving their mental health and wellness. I am currently an adjunct instructor at JCU in the counseling department where I utilize a narrative-informed lens to teach, support, and mentor new generations of counselors.

Areas of Expertise

I have completed extensive research on clinical techniques to address maladaptive perfectionism, provide holistic and advocacy focused clinical interventions in the counseling setting, as well as utilize narrative informed approaches within the education and leadership settings. I currently work in an outpatient private practice and identify as trauma-focused within my work with clients. I have provided holistic and effective counseling practices in the outpatient setting for over 3 years. I have passions for working with young adults to rewrite their story through narrative approaches and effectively decrease experiences of perfectionism. I have extensive experience in clinical work and consultation on this topic area surrounding areas of holistic and narrative approaches of teaching, counseling, leadership, and mentorship. In clinical work, I have provided both telehealth and in-person counseling to young adults struggling with perfectionism, anxiety, and self-worth challenges through use of creative narrative, mindfulness-based, and trauma-informed interventions to promote self-compassion and self-awareness among this population of focus.

Research Interests

Presented at state, national, and organizational conferences including the following:

Spisak, T. (2026). Re-Authoring the Never Good Enough Story: Narrative Approaches to Help Young Adults Break Free from the Voice of Perfection. Accepted to present at the South Carolina Counseling Association Conference, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Spisak, T. & Rusoke, C. (2026). Rewriting the College Experience: Creative Virtual Group Counseling Strategies for Undergraduates Navigating the Life Transitions of College and Young Adulthood. Accepted to present at the Association for Specialists in Group Work Conference, Chicago, Illinois.

Spisak, T. & Hicks, G. (2025). Whole Self Over Perfect Self: Creative and Holistic Interventions for Perfectionism in Young Adults. Presented at the All Ohio Counselors Conference, Dublin, OH.

Spisak, T. & Johnson, W., J. (2025). Understanding Eating Disorders Beyond the Surface: Teaching Counselors a Holistic Approach to Disordered Eating Symptomology. Presented at the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Nice, M., L., Spisak, T., Fields, A., & Schneider, K. (2025). Emerging Adulthood Counseling Research: A 25-Year Content Analysis. Presented at the Association for Assessment and Research Counseling Conference, Daytona, FL.

Spisak, T., Johnson, W., J., & Roberts, H. (2025). The Impact of Perfection: Using Quantitative Surveys to Assess Perfectionism and Eating Behaviors. Presented at the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling Conference, Daytona, FL.

Roberts, H., Johnson, W., J., & Spisak, T. (2025). Rewiring Recovery: Exploring Vagus Nerve Stimulation as an Innovative Counseling Intervention. Presented at the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling, Daytona, FL.

Spisak, T. & Clause, F. (2025). A Humanistic Look Beyond the Depths of Disordered Eating: Using Holistic Approaches for Eating Disorder Treatment. Presenting at the annual Association for Humanistic Counseling Conference, Safety Harbor, FL.

Clause, F. & Spisak, T. (2025). Chronic Illnesses and cPTSD: The Importance of Somatic Approaches in Healing. Presenting at the annual Association for Humanistic Counseling Conference, Safety Harbor, FL.

Clause, F. & Spisak, T. (2025). Supporting your LGBTQIA+ Clients and Peers After the 2024 Presidential Election. Presenting at the annual Association for Humanistic Counseling Conference, Safety Harbor, FL.

Spisak, T. (2025). The Story Behind the Eating Disorder: Using Narrative Approaches to Dive Deeper Into the Client's Story Influencing Disordered Eating Patterns. Presented at the South Carolina Counseling Association Conference, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Protivnak, J. J., Yensel, J., Spisak, T., & Kress, V. E. (2024). Rewriting Stories: Letter Writing Techniques in Counseling. Presented at the 2024 All Ohio Counselors Conference, Columbus, OH.

Kress, V. E., Yensel, J., & Spisak, T. (2024). Creative Interventions for Addressing Non-Suicidal Self-Injury. Presented at the 2024 All Ohio Counselors Conference, Columbus, OH.

Spisak, T. & Nice, M., L. (2024). Awareness of Need for Counseling Emerging Adults: Results and Practical Implications from a Content Analysis. Presented at the 2024 Pennsylvania Counseling Association Conference, Harrisburg, PA.

Spisak, T. & Johnson, W., J. (2024). Finding Strength Beyond Sport: Counseling Approaches to Enhance Athletic Identity. Presented at the 2024 Pennsylvania Counseling Association Conference, Harrisburg, PA.

Spisak, T. & Johnson, W., J. (2024). A Holistic Narrative Approach Towards Teaching Eating Disorder Symptomology. Presented at the NARACES Conference, Atlantic City, NJ.

Spisak, T. & Johnson, W., J. (2024). Using Qualitative Interviews with Adolescents in Eating Disorder Research. Presented at the AARC Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Pollard-Kosidowski, B. & Spisak, T. (2024). Every Picture Tells a Story: Encouraging Advocacy through Photovoice. Presented at the 12th Annual Chi Sigma Iota Statewide Conference, Slippery Rock, PA.

Spisak, T. & Johnson, W., J. (2024). Providing Advocacy and Support to Students Struggling with Diverse Eating Disorder Behaviors on College Campuses. Presented at the 12th Annual Chi Sigma Iota Statewide Conference, Slippery Rock, PA.

Spisak, T. & Johnson, W., J. (2024). How to Provide Advocacy and Support to Adolescents Struggling with Eating Disorders. Presented at the Counselors for Social Justice 2024 Conference, Monroeville, PA.

Spisak, T. & Johnson, W., J. (2024). Providing Advocacy and Support to Students Struggling with Diverse Eating Disorder Behaviors on College Campuses. Presented at the American College Counseling Association 2024 Conference, Orlando, FL.

Spisak, T. & Clause, F. (2023). Promoting sexual health awareness & breaking sexual/LGBTQ+ stigmas in adolescence. Presented at the annual Association for Humanistic Counseling Conference, Denver, CO.

Protivnak, J. J., Kress, V. E., Spisak, T., & Clause, F. (2022). Supporting Struggling Supervisees: Strength-Based Support and Remediation Strategies. Presented at the 2022 All Ohio Counselors Conference, Columbus, OH.

Stargell, N., Kress, V. E., Clause, F., Spisak, T. (2022). Planning and HEALing: A relational approach to safety assessment. Presented at the annual Association for Humanistic Counseling Conference, Nashville, TN.

Spisak, T., & Clause, F. (2022). Suffering in silence: Encouraging equity for all types of eating disorders. Presented at the annual Association for Humanistic Counseling Conference, Nashville, TN.

Kress, V. E., Frazeskos, F., McAllister, C., Smith, J., Strollo, R., Spisak, T., Walker, T. R., & Ylinniemi, J. (2021). Hidden burdens: Using humanistic, experiential counseling techniques to address transgenerational trauma. Presented at the Association for Humanistic Counseling (AHC) Virtual Conference

Strollo, R., Spisak, T. (2021). Maslow’s Hierarchy: Assessing the effects of a pandemic on the needs of society. Presented at the Association for Humanistic Counseling (AHC) Virtual Conference.

Education

• Doctoral Candidate in CES PhD Program
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania
• Dissertation is currently in progress with estimated completion in spring 2026.

• Master of Science in Education in Counseling
• Youngstown State University
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling Track (CACREP accredited)

• Bachelor of Science in Psychology Minor in Cognitive Science Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA

Courses Taught

• Orientation to Counseling and Ethical Practice
• Counseling Theories
• Counseling Group Practicum

Publications

? Spisak, T., Kress, V. E., Shannonhouse, L., & Woloch, C. M. (in preparation). Multicultural diagnosis and conceptualization. In D. Hays & B. T. Erford (Eds.), Developing multicultural counseling competence: A systems approach. diagnosis and conceptualization. (5th ed.). Pearson.

? Nice, M., L. Spisak, T. (2025, in press). Awareness of Need for Counseling Emerging Adults: Results and Practical Implications from a Content Analysis. Journal of Mental Health Counseling.

? McAllister, C., A., Kress, V., E., Reider, A., Spisak, T., & Strollo, R. (2024). Hidden burdens: The use of creative activities in counseling transgenerational trauma survivors. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health.

? Protivnak, J. J., Tessmer, S. S., Lockard, N. L. & Spisak, T. (2024). Unrecognized grief: Counseling interventions for injured student-athletes. Journal of Counselor Practice.