You’re not stuck.

You’re playing an old role.

You can be doing well and still want something to change. I work with adults, many raised around drinking or chaos, who are ready to repair what they keep repeating.

In person in Philadelphia (Fishtown) and Malvern, PA | Online

Inquire

About

Haydn Briggs, LCSW, therapist in Philadelphia

I’m Haydn Briggs, a therapist and licensed clinical social worker in Philadelphia and Malvern, Pennsylvania, and someone who’s been in both chairs.

I see individuals in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood and in Malvern, and online across Pennsylvania and beyond. My work is psychodynamic and experiential. I’m a psychodramatist, so I think a lot about roles: the ones we were handed growing up, and the ones we keep playing long after they stopped fitting. I think of the therapy room as a laboratory for making new choices.

I’m also a researcher and educator. I’m completing my doctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania, where my research focuses on family recovery and codependency: how childhood experiences shape it, and how spontaneity, our capacity to meet a moment freshly instead of on autopilot, might help loosen it. I’ve also published on men’s group work, addiction treatment, psychodrama, PTSD and CPTSD, and experiential group work for trauma survivors.

Outside my practice, I co-direct the Philadelphia Area Psychodrama Institute, where I train therapists and help groups and organizations work through conflict. I’m also a guide at Onsite Workshops.

LCSW in Pennsylvania | DSW candidate, University of Pennsylvania | Board-certified psychodramatist (CP, PAT) | Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) | IFS Level 3 | Certified EMDR Therapist

  • Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Candidate, University of Pennsylvania

    Master of Social Service (MSS), Bryn Mawr College

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Pennsylvania

  • Practitioner Applicant for Trainer (PAT) of Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy, American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy

    Certified Practitioner (CP) of Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy, American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy

    Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP), American Group Psychotherapy Association

    Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist Level 3, IFS Institute

    Certified EMDR Therapist, EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)

  • Giacomucci, S., Marquit, J., Gupta, R., & Briggs, H. (2025). Spontaneity’s relationship to PTSD, depression, anxiety, and traumatic grief: An analysis of psychodrama’s curative agent. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 102407.

    Giacomucci, S., Marquit, J., Briggs, H., & Gupta, R. (2025). Psychodrama’s effects on PTSD, depression, anxiety, traumatic grief, prolonged grief disorder, and spontaneity: A mixed methods study in inpatient addiction treatment. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 93, 102293.

    Giacomucci, S., Marquit, J., Saccarelli, R., & Briggs, H. (2025). Psychodrama group psychotherapy as an effective treatment for PTSD and depression in inpatient substance use treatment: A mixed methods study. Social Work with Groups, 48(1), 6–21.

    Giacomucci, S., & Briggs, H. (2024). Experiential group work with adult survivors of relational trauma and childhood sexual abuse. In C. Knight & G. L. Greif (Eds.), A Handbook of Contemporary Group Work Practice (pp. 220–235). Oxford University Press.

    Giacomucci, S., & Briggs, H. (2024). Trauma-focused psychodrama. In Experiential Therapies for Treating Trauma.

    Briggs, H. A. (2021). The group worker becoming: Moving from anxiety to spontaneity with the guys. Social Work with Groups, 44(1), 91–95.

  • Therapist, Private Practice

    Co-Founder, Philadelphia Area Psychodrama Institute

    Guide, Onsite Workshops

    Research Consultant, Be a Part of the Conversation

  • American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy (ABE)

    American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA)

    American Society for Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama (ASGPP)

    Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research (GSSWSR)

    EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)

    Internal Family Systems (IFS) Institute

    National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

    Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW)

    Philadelphia Area Group Psychotherapy Society (PAGPS)

    University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2)

Work with me

Black and white illustration with abstract shapes and geometric patterns.

Therapy

Individual therapy for adults. In person in Philadelphia (Fishtown) and Malvern, PA, or online. Longer sessions by arrangement.

Inquire
Black-and-white illustration of a sun.

Clinical Supervision

One-on-one supervision for therapists, including hours toward licensure in Pennsylvania.

Inquire
Black and white image of a compass.

Training & Consulting

Psychodrama trainings, workshops, and sociometric organizational consulting through the Philadelphia Area Psychodrama Institute.

Visit PAPI

FAQs

What’s your approach to therapy?

My work is psychodynamic and experiential. Much of therapy is conversation. We look at the patterns you keep repeating and where you learned them. I’m also trained in psychodrama, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and EMDR, which we integrate into your work as we go.

What does it cost, and do you take insurance?

Sessions are $200. I don’t work directly with insurance, but I can provide a monthly superbill if you have out-of-network coverage. Some clients get partial reimbursement that way. If you’re not sure, check with your plan.

Do you offer online sessions?

Yes. I see clients online as well as in person in Philadelphia (Fishtown) and Malvern, PA. All of my methods work in both formats.

What kinds of clients do you work with?

Mostly adults who are doing well on paper and still want something to change. Many are adult children of alcoholics, or grew up in homes where you had to read the room to stay safe. The roles we learn in families like that tend to follow us into work and love. So the work is often about anxiety and codependency, or a relationship that keeps going the same way. I also see people in long-term recovery, and therapists who want their own therapy.

How do I know if this is right for me?

Send me a short note about what’s bringing you in, and whether you’d like to meet in person or online. If it sounds like a fit, we’ll set up a brief phone call before a first session. If it doesn’t, I’ll try to point you somewhere better.

Do you offer clinical supervision?

Yes. I offer one-on-one supervision for therapists, including toward licensure, in person and online. It’s a good fit if you’re interested in bringing experiential or group methods into your work, want a steady place to think about the cases that stick with you, deepen your understanding of psychodynamic therapy and relational psychoanalysis, or navigate the challenges of private practice.

Do you offer intensives?

Occasionally, by arrangement. They’re longer sessions built around one piece of work, and I set them up case by case. If that interests you, mention it when you reach out.

Can I book you for speaking, consulting, or training?

Yes. I lead psychodrama trainings and experiential workshops, and consult with teams and organizations, mostly through Philadelphia Area Psychodrama Institute (PAPI), which I co-direct. I travel for this work. Reach out with what you have in mind.

Get in touch

I read every message daily. Drop me a brief note and I’ll reply to set up a short call. If you’re in crisis, call or text 988 or your local crisis hotline.

The occasional email

I don’t send a regular newsletter, but if you’d like to hear from me now and then about upcoming workshops or new writing, leave your email here.