Dr. Jessica Pomerantz specialized in cyclical patterns of trauma and abuse within the fields of domestic violence and workplace violence. She obtained her PhD in Clinical-Community Psychology at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Pomerantz has also worked in the food & beverage community as a bartender and various managerial positions, resulting in over a decade of experience in a wide variety of restaurant and bar settings in Florida, New York and now South Carolina.

 

Dr. Pomerantz also earned a Master’s Degree in Forensic Mental Health Counseling from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2018, concentrating in intimate partner violence, coercion and power imbalances. Throughout her masters program, as she learned more about relational power imbalances, Jessica began to rewire the lens she understood the hospitality industry through. It slowly became more clear that the hospitality industry was home to so many struggling with mental health challenges due to the familiarity that many experienced as a mirror to their home life. As Jessica gained clinical experience providing mental health services, it was a no-brainer that she could greatly contribute to strengthening the community through her unique expertise. She has a developed a strong commitment to education, training, advocacy and research devoted to the mental health of hospitality workers and.

Most recently, Jessica has relocated to St. Pete, Florida to pursue her psychology internship at Bay Pines VA with both clinical and research focuses on interpersonal violence with the long term goal to apply these intervention skills to individuals within the hospitality industry.

To date, Jessica has presented about mental health in the hospitality industry at Tales of the Cocktail, Heaven Hill Bartender of the Year Initiative, and Health Pour's yearly symposium. She has also provided sexual harassment training at Tales of the Cocktail and in various bar settings through OutSmartNYC.