ABOUT ME


CERTIFICATION

New York State License to practice as a psychologist,

September 2008, No. 017818

 

AREAS OF SPECIALTY

Individual and Group Psychotherapy With Adults And Adolescents

Couples and Family Psychotherapy

Anxiety and Depressive Disorders

Mood Disorders

Personality Issues

Substance Use Issues

Trauma

LGBT Issues

Adjustment Issues

Working with Artists

Crisis Management

Harm Reduction Psychotherapy

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

 

 

WORK HISTORY

Clinical Psychologist – Private Practice, New York, NY | 2005-Present

Provide individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy for patients with substance use issues, affective disorders, and personality disorders.

Supervising Psychologist - Adelphi University, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, New York, NY: 2016-Present

Provide supervision to graduate level students who conduct individual psychotherapy through the University's Psychological Services

 

Behavioral Consultant- LA PALESTRA, New York, NY | 2008-Present

Member of a multidisciplinary team consisting of mental health, medical, physical therapy, exercise, and nutritional health providers. Conduct behavioral evaluations and make appropriate mental health referrals.Provide eclectic psychotherapy for members in the weight management and diabetes program. Provide individual psychotherapy to members with eating disorders and co-morbid affective and personality issues. Educate staff on the bi-directional relationship of the mind-body connection. Conduct in-service presentations on behavioral contributions to wellness goals.

 Supervising Psychologist – The Center for Optimal Living, New York, NY | 2010-2017

Provide integrative harm reduction psychotherapy for patients with substance use issues, affective disorders, and personality disorders. Provide supervision to psychology interns and fellows.

Psychologist – Health and Hospitals Corporation, Brooklyn, NY | 2006-2010

Provide individual and group psychotherapy to dually-diagnosed adults and adolescents. Conduct intake assessments and provide crisis management interventions. Coordinate services with Buprenorphine Program at Woodhull Hospital. Provide supervision to chemical dependency staff and psychology interns. Develop treatment protocols for group therapy of dually-diagnosed patients. Assist in the development of quality control protocols and ensure compliance with OASAS regulations

 

Adjunct Professor – Pace University, New York, NY |  2004-2008

Introduction to Psychology, Psychological Testing

 

Program Director – Youth Dares, Brooklyn, NY| 2004-2006

Managed $500K budget for SAMHSA-funded adolescent research and clinical intervention program. Developed program marketing campaign. Implemented IT systems for tracking patient care and clinical program budget. Trained staff in data collection and supervised implementation of treatment protocols. Hired, trained, and supervised staff consisting of two social workers, two addiction counselors and one administrative assistant. Participated in ongoing, federally funded performance improvement initiatives. Coordinated services with chemical dependency programs and offsite educational facilities. Developed relationships with referral agencies (treatment courts, ACS, community boards, etc.)

 

Psychology Fellow – Roosevelt Hospital Out-patient Clinic, New York, NY | 2003-2004

Conducted individual and group psychotherapy utilizing psychodynamic, CBT and DBT interventions. Co-led process, social anxiety, and DBT skills groups. Participated in multidisciplinary meetings consisting of mental health, medical, nursing and nutritional providers. Administered psychological testing. Collected and analyzed testing data, wrote testing reports and provided feedback and treatment recommendations to patients, families and referring providers

 

EDUCATION

- PhD in Clinical Psychology|  2007

Adelphi University, Garden City, NY

- MA in Psychology|  2000

Adelphi University, Garden City, NY

- BA in Psychology|  1998

Hunter College, New York, NY

 

AWARDS AND HONORS

Leopold Schepp Foundation Scholarship, New York, NY|  1999-2002

Glass Institute Scholarship, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY|  1999-2001

Dean’s List, Hunter College, New York, NY|  1996-1998

 

PRESENTATIONS

- Innovations in Addiction Treatment Panel Discussion/Harm Reduction Psychotherapy: A Collaborative Treatment Approach, Greek-American Behavioral Sciences Institute, Fordham University, New York, NY 2017

- Negotiating the Artist Temperament and its Appetites: Using Compassion and Empathy in Substance Use Treatment, MusicCares, Grammys Foundation, New York, NY 2016

- An Interdisciplinary Approach to Pain Management, La Palestra, New York, NY 2014  

- A Primer on Substance Misuse Issues and Treatment Approaches, La Palestra, New York, NY 2013

- In Vogue Substances and College Student Culture: What's Hot, What's Not and What To Do About It, New School for Social Research, New York, NY 2012

- On Aging, La Palestra, New York, NY 2011

- Psychotherapeutic Contributions to the Management of Diabetes, La Palestra,

New York, NY 2010

- Treatment Alliance, Creative Impasses and Transitional Issues in the Treatment of Artists, Woodhull Hospital, Brooklyn, NY 2010

- Harm Reduction and the Biopsychosocial Model in the Treatment of Chemical Dependency Issues, Woodhull Hospital, Brooklyn, NY 2009

- Implementation of the Mental Status Examination in Chemical Dependency Assessment, Cumberland Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Brooklyn, NY 2008

- Harm Reduction Interventions in the Treatment of Dually-Diagnosed Individuals, Woodhull Hospital, Brooklyn, NY 2008

- Motivational Interviewing and Co-Occurring Disorders, Woodhull Hospital, Brooklyn, NY 2007

- Substance Use and the Creative Process, New School for Social Research, New York, NY, 2006

- Motivational Interviewing in Time Limited Treatment of Adolescents, Brooklyn Treatment Court, Brooklyn, NY 2005

- Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions in the Treatment of Chemically Abusing Adolescents, Brooklyn DA Office, Social Work Division, Brooklyn, NY 2005

- Time Limited Treatment of Chemically Abusing Adolescents, CASES, Alternative to Incarceration Program, New York, NY 2004

- Aggression, Creativity, and Adolescence, Division 39 Conference, New York, NY 2002

- Hip Hop Music Group Treatment for Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disordered Adolescents, Society for Psychotherapy Research, Santa Barbara, CA 2001

 

AFFILIATIONS

American Psychological Association, Member|  2007-Present

New York State Psychological Association 

Division on Addictions, Executive Committee|  2005-2007