By Sarah J. Watson

The University at Buffalo School of Social Work welcomed two new faculty members this fall: Johanna Caplan, LMSW, clinical assistant professor for practicum education, and Kathryn Miller-Procknal, DSW, clinical assistant professor.

In introductory interviews, both share their professional interests, areas of expertise, passions and self-care practices. Meet Kathryn (Kat) Miller-Procknal.

Tell us about your research or professional interests. What are you working on now?

Most of my career has been in clinical social work. My first several jobs included working in crisis prevention and intervention, a field I am still very connected to and interested in. This work evolved into working with children, adolescents and their families utilizing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).

My professional interests have remained in crisis prevention/intervention work with a focus on self-injury and suicidality. Still, more recently I have also focused on supporting individuals with dually diagnosed intellectual/developmental disabilities as well as mental health disorders. 

What would you consider yourself to be an expert on?

I have extensive training in the use of DBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).In addition to my clinical training in social work, I have training in applied behavioral analysis (ABA) which makes me well-suited to treat individuals with co-morbid ID/IDD and mental health diagnosis. The majority of my professional experience has been with children, adolescents and families. 

What are you passionate about?

I am deeply passionate about providing high-quality, evidence-based practices to individuals and families experiencing mental health or behavioral health challenges. This passion also includes teaching and supporting the next generation of social workers. We need social workers more than ever, and I take the responsibility of teaching very seriously. I greatly enjoy watching my students grow in their understanding of clinical practice and become more confident in their skills. 

What do you like to do for fun or self-care?

Spending time with family is a very important part of my self-care routine. My partner and I have a two-year-old son at home, so he is keeping us very busy! As a family, we like to go camping, take walks in Delaware Park and travel. I also enjoy reading and love spending a cozy day at home with a book. I recently started exploring pottery as a new hobby.