Hi! I’m Dr. Dannel Petgrave
I’m a licensed psychologist, and I offer online counseling for medical students and medical residents/fellows in Ohio. I help medical trainees learn new ways of handling difficult thoughts and feelings so they can overcome challenging situations that show up in their lives.
What makes me different from general counselors is that I understand the medical system you work in. I have direct clinical experience with medical trainees, and I’ve worked alongside medical students, residents, and attendings as a primary care psychologist. I’ve had honest conversations with medical trainees about how medical culture can contribute to the stigma around mental health and make it harder to ask for help.
On a personal note, I’m also a MedSpouse. I’ve been with my spouse through her journey from premed student to attending. In my free time, I enjoy playing video games, watching anime, reading, traveling, playing soccer, and playing the saxophone.
My personal values are: adventure, freedom, fun, growth, humor, and self-care.
My Therapeutic Style
My therapeutic approach is collaborative, respectful, empathic, and goal-oriented. I primarily approach my work through a framework called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In a nutshell, the goal of this approach is to teach you helpful ways of responding to difficult thoughts and feelings so they are less likely to get in the way of doing what matters to you.
During our first visit, I will take the time to understand you, your background, and your current concerns. We will also discuss your goals for counseling, clarify what a successful outcome looks like, and identify concrete steps to help you move in that direction.
My therapeutic approach is also active and skills-focused. I often end visits with clients with an action plan—something for them to do between visits. This may involve monitoring something, reading/watching something, or practicing a skill introduced during the visit. This is a critical part of treatment.