Agata Freedle

Assistant Professor, Counseling

Eastlick Hall
afreedle@lindenwood.edu

Biographical Information

Agata Freedle, Ph.D. is a board certified, Licensed Professional Counselor. She received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Stirling, Scotland and her M.A in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Valparaiso University. In 2020, she earned her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She holds a certificate in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), a model of clinical problem solving for individuals who have experienced trauma. NMT allows for better understanding of the impact traumatic events have on individuals’ brain development and informs treatment that is developmentally and neurobiologically sensitive. She has used this model in clinical practice working with children, adolescents and emerging adults who were at risk of placement disruption. Dr. Freedle also has expertise and passion for helping individuals with reproductive trauma and associated mental health concerns, especially those related to perinatal loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss), postpartum adjustment and adjustment to life with young children. Dr. Freedle holds the Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) that she utilizes in her clinical work and research.

Dr. Freedle has presented her research at multiple national and international conferences and published several papers in the field of trauma. Her current research focuses on exploring the psychological impact of reproductive trauma on families as well as counselors’ competency in supporting families who have experienced perinatal loss. She is passionate about engaging students in research and collaborating with students on projects in the area of trauma, grief and loss.

Dr. Freedle is an active member of several professional organizations including the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Alliance (PLIDA), an organization that serves as a leader in perinatal and neonatal bereavement care and is currently serving as a committee member on the Diversity and Equity committee to improve experiences following perinatal loss for diverse families.

Publications

• Freedle, A. & Oliveira, E. (2022). Interpersonal and intrapersonal factors contributing to women’s posttraumatic growth following perinatal loss. Psychological Trauma: Research, Policy, and Practice. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001395
• Freedle, A., Iyer, D.D, & Miller, M. (2022). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s adjustment following pregnancy loss. Journal of Loss and Trauma. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2022.2051390
• Brown, E. C. & Freedle, A., Hurless, N.L., Miller, R.D., Martin, C., & Paul, Z.A. (2022). Preparing teacher candidates for trauma-informed practices. Urban Education, 57(4), 662-685. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085920974084
• Freedle, A. & Wahman, C.L. (2022). A systematic review of the literature on families’ lived experience with young children with challenging behavior: A call for mental health support. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 42(3), 269-281. https://doi.org/10.1177/02711214211036924
• Freedle, A. & Oliveira, E. (2021). From isolation to connection: Prosocial behavior and growth after pregnancy Loss. Illness, Grief & Loss. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10541373211063427
• Freedle, A. & Oliveira, E. (2021). The relationship between disclosure, social reactions, rumination and posttraumatic growth following miscarriage. Traumatology. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000360
• Freedle, A. & Kashubeck-West, S. (2021). Core belief challenge, rumination and posttraumatic growth in women following the pregnancy loss. Psychological Trauma: Research, Policy, and Practice, 13(2), 157-164. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0000952
• Zelechoski, A.D., Buckman, H., Luehrs, R., Freedle, A., Bruick, S., Harrison, K., Hayrynem, A., Hrebic, L., Dibley, E., & Will, K. (2021). Trauma assessment in juvenile justice: Are we asking the right questions in the right ways? Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma, 30(3), 324-346.http://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2020.1832167
• Yogan, L., Freedle, A. & Rinenberg, M. (2017). The impact of communication patterns between parents and first year college students on student academic, emotional and social adjustment to college. The Journal of the First-Year experience and Students in Transition, 29(2), 26-42.
• Freedle, A. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015). Evaluation of parenting capacity in child welfare cases: A descriptive comparison between the U.S. and Poland. International Journal of Forensic Psychology, 14(3), 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1080/14999013.2015.1085925
• Freedle, L.R, Altschul, D. & Freedle, A. (2015). The role of Sandplay therapy in the treatment of adolescents and young adults with co-occurring substance use disorders and trauma. Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 24(2), 127-145.