Photo of Cassandra J. Holinka, PsyD

Cassandra J. Holinka, PsyD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Clinical Psychologist
NPI Number:
1730506767
Academic Office Location:
Psychiatry
UConn Health
263 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT 06030

Dr. Holinka is the Director of the Outpatient Addictions Psychotherapy Services. These services are comprised of a number of psychotherapy options for patients seeking collaborative, person-centered and goal-oriented treatment for problematic substance use and related issues. Currently, psychotherapy options offered include: standard individual psychotherapy, brief individual psychotherapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD, Relapse Prevention group, and Seeking Safety group. New offerings may be developed in the future. Clinicians may include: Clinical Psychologists, Clinical Psychology trainees (PhD students in their 4th year+, Clinical Psychology interns (PhD students in ther last year of training), and Psychiatry Residents.  Additionally, patients may be referred to any number of other psychotherapy or adjunctive services outside of the addictions clinic if collaboratively determined to be in their best interest.

Education
DegreeInstitutionMajor
BAUniversity of ConnecticutPsychology
MASouthern Connecticut State UniversityPsychology
MAUniversity of Hartford Graduate Institute of Professional PsychologyClinical Psychology
PsyDUniversity of Hartford Graduate Institute of Professional PsychologyClinical Psychology

Post-Graduate Training
TrainingInstitutionSpecialty
InternshipYale School of MedicineConnecticut Mental Health Center Adult Outpatient/Forensic Drug Diversion Clinic
FellowshipYale School of MedicineForensic Drug Diversion Clinic
Professional TrainingCPT for PTSDCognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD (Workshop & Follow-up Phone Consultation)

Awards
Name of Award/HonorAwarding Organization
2024 Distinguished Alumni AwardPsychology Doctoral Internship, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine
2023 Outstanding UCHC Externship Supervisor of the YearUConn Department of Psychological Sciences
2023 General Adult Psychiatry Residency Psychology Supervisor AwardUConn Health
2022 General Adult Psychiatry Residency Psychology Supervisor AwardUConn Health
2021 General Adult Psychiatry Residency Psychology Supervisor AwardUConn Health
2020 General Adult Psychiatry Residency Psychology Teaching AwardUConn Health
Psi Chi National Honor Society in PsychologyUniversity of Hartford
New England ScholarUniversity of Connecticut
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor SocietyUniversity of Connecticut

Dr. Holinka enjoys drawing from evidence-based cognitive behavioral and mindfulness-based psychotherapies. She has a particular interest in co-occurring substance use disorders and trauma/PTSD, and is a trained Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD provider. She seeks to engage many of her patients in time-limited, collaborative, and person-centered therapeutic work in order to facilitate a sense of self-efficacy and recovery. Dr. Holinka also has experience working with patients involved in the legal system. 

In addition, Dr. Holinka is interested in improving clinician well-being and reducing burnout, while encouraging clinicians to take a critical look at how systems of care and institutions can change policies and procedures to do the same.

Seminars/Courses taught: The Psychology of Substanse Use: Helping Patients with Behavior Change (Medical & dental students), Personality Disorders Conference (Medical students), Evidence-based Psychotherapies for Substance Use Disorders (Psychiatry residents), Cognitive Processing Therapy (Psychiatry residents), Mindfulness (Psychiatry residents), Forensic Addictions (Psychiatry residents), Substance Use Assessment (Psychiatry residents), Person-Centered Recovery Planning (Psychology interns)


Psychotherapy supervision provided: Clinical psychology (PhD) clerkship supervisor, Outpatient Addictions rotation offered in the Greater Hartford Clinical Psychology Internship Consortium, Cognitive Behavior Therapy supervisor for PGY-3 psychiatry residents, on-site supervisor for PGY-2 psychotherapy clinic

Name & DescriptionCategoryRoleTypeScopeStart YearEnd Year
Psychotherapy Planning Committee, UConn Health Psychiatry Residency ProgramEducation CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity2023
Grand Rounds Planning Committee, UConn Health Department of PsychiatryEducation CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity20202024
Admissions Committee Member, UConn School of MedicineOtherMemberUConn HealthUniversity2019
Psychotherapist, Student Behavioral HealthOtherPsychotherapistUConn HealthUniversity20172019
Admissions Committee Interviewer, UConn School of MedicineInterviewerUConn HealthUniversity2017

Other

  • Re-evaluating the Volitional Test for Criminal Responsibility
    Holinka, C. & Cipriano, T. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 2016 Mar;44(1):126-128
Title or AbstractTypeSponsor/EventDate/YearLocation
Physician SuicideTalkRush Medical College Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health's Grand Rounds2024Chicago, IL (Virtual)
Preventing and Treating Clinicians' Empathy-Based StressTalkRoot Center's Social Work Appreciation Day2024Manchester, CT
Physician SuicideTalkTriStar Centennial Psychiatric Residency Program Grand Rounds2024Nashville, TN (Virtual)
Managing Burnout in Clinicians Working with Substance Use DisordersTalkRoot Center's Clinical Grand Rounds2023Connecticut (Virtual)
Physician Wellness: Attending to Issues of Burnout & Mental HealthTalkJefferson Health, Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds2023Philadelphia, PA (Virtual)
Psychologists as Medical School Educators: Opportunities to Impact Future PhysiciansTalkConnecticut Psychological Association, 37th Annual Convention2023New Haven, CT
Co-occurring PTSD and Substance Use in Transitional Age Youth: Assessment and Treatment PlanningTalkAmerican Psychological Association 2023 Annual Convention2023Washington DC
Motivational Interviewing: Skills & Considerations for Family Medicine (parts 1 & 2)LectureFamily Medicine Residency Program, Trinity Health2022Hartford, CT
A Co-occurring Conundrum: Treating PTSD in Transitional Aged Youth with Active Substance UseTalkConnecticut Psychological Association, 36th Annual Convention2022New Haven, CT
SuicideTalkUConn Health DOEM Colloquium Series2022Farmington, CT
Facing Our Fears: Treating PTSD in the Context of Active Substance UseTalkDept. of Psychiatry, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital2022Park Ridge, IL (Virtual)
Psychological Interventions for Chronic Pain in a Medical SettingTalkUConn Health DOEM Colloquium Series2021Farmington, CT (Virtual)
Self-Care for the Trauma Therapist: Turning Our Therapeutic Tools InwardTalkUplifting Voices: Conversations on Trauma & Recovery with the Consortium2021Hamden, CT (Virtual)
Surviving and Thriving: Resilience-Building in AcademiaTalkUConn Health Postdoc Research Week2020UConn Health, Farmington, CT
The Psychology of PTSD and Substance Use in Medical Practice: What You Need to KnowTalkUConn Health Internal Medicine Grand Rounds2020UConn Health, Farmington, CT
Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder & Substance Use Disorders: Clinical & Treatment ImplicationsTalkWestern Connecticut State University Addiction Studies Graduate Program2020Western CT State University, Danbury, CT (Virtual)
Beyond Bubble Baths and Beaches: Practicing Evidence-Based Self-CareTalkUConn Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity2020Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, Hartford, CT (Virtual)
Facing Clinician Fears: Treating PTSD in the Context of Active Substance UseTalkOffice of Community & Continuing Medical Education & Dept of Psychiatry2020UConn Health, Farmington, CT
Face Your Fears: Treating PTSD in the Context of Active Substance UseTalkCT Women's Consortium's 2020 Trauma & Recovery Conference2020CT Women's Consortium, Hamden, CT (Virtual)
Managing Mental Health and Imposter Syndrome: Considerations for ScientistsTalkThe Jackson Laboratory2019Farmington, CT
Barriers, facilitators, and solutions to implementation of evidenced-based practices in public behavioral health systems: A look at DBT and addictions treatmentTalkNewington VA Psychology Department2019Newington & West Haven VA
Trauma, PTSD, and Treatment for AdultsTalkUConn Health EMS Meeting2019Farmington, CT
Opioid Addiction in Pregnancy: Using Psychology to Enhance Care Across DisciplinesTalkUConn Health's Opioid Use in Pregnancy Symposium2018Farmington, CT
Smoking Cessation Treatment in a Reentry PopulationTalkAmerican Correctional Conference’s 146th Congress of Correction2016Boston, MA
Reliability of Two Measures of Gender Discrimination and Sexual Harassment of Female Clinicians: A Pilot StudyPosterNew England Psychological Association's Annual Meeting2014Lewiston, ME
Exercise, Sports Participation, and Self-Esteem in College StudentsPosterEastern Psychological Association's Annual Meeting2013New York, NY