After spending two decades as a broadcasting industry executive, I obtained my Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work and received my LMSW. After three years of supervised clinical experience including the requisite number of hours of clinical practice, I obtained my Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work and received my LMSW from Fordham University. I subsequently obtained my LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) from the NYS Education Department and was later granted the “R” privilege, which requires insurance carriers to provide reimbursement whenever a health insurance contract includes reimbursement of qualified psychologists and psychiatrists.

Prior to expanding my practice to fulltime in 2008, I held the position of Director of 9/11 Mental Health Programs for Safe Horizon, Inc, which made use of my managerial skills from the corporate world as well as my experience as a psychotherapist, working with trauma and supervising a team of therapists. The Safe Horizon programs provided counseling and support groups to individuals and families affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks including rescue and recovery workers, those who were injured, evacuated or witnessed the 9/11 events, lost a loved one, or were displaced from homes or jobs. The programs also included the Community Trauma Response Team, a Tier 1 disaster response team that provided crisis assistance and trauma support services. The work in these programs broadened my group work experience and strengthened my work with trauma, accidents, chronic illness, job displacement and bereavement. Before joining the 9/11 programs, I worked with survivors of domestic violence, and volunteered with Mt. Sinai Hospital’s Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention program. These several years of intense focus on trauma issues form an important segment of my current work.

During my tenure in the media and entertainment industry, I was a corporate communications and investor relations executive. In this capacity, I was a senior officer of several New York, American Stock Exchange and NASDAQ-listed companies. This corporate experience has been invaluable in private practice, especially in my work with several international EAP (Employee Assistance Providers), who have referred many of my clients from the corporate and academic arenas. It provides a depth of understanding of our turbulent economic and political climate, as well as credibility in working with clients from the business world, law firms, investment banking institutions, financial service organizations and technology companies, and many challenging workplace issues.

I also became an institute-trained practitioner and completed post-graduate work in couples and family therapy at the internationally recognized Ackerman Institute for the Family, one of the early innovators in family therapy. I am also a Mediator, Certified EMDR Practitioner and Certified EMDR Consultant (supervisor). I maintain offices in New York City and New Paltz, New York.

In addition to my private practice, I have been involved as a clinical affiliate in counseling projects with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Ackerman Institute for the Family and, until September 2009, Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy’s Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia program. In 2010, I was elected president of the Ackerman Institute Alumni Association.

My educational credentials are:
State University of New York, New Paltz, BA, Psychology
Fordham University, Lincoln Center, MSW
Ackerman Institute for the Family, Post-graduate certificate
EMDR Institute, Certified EMDR Clinician, Certified Consultant
Safe Horizon, Inc., trained mediator
Columbia University, SIFI Certificate – approved to supervise other social workers in training as they complete post-graduate MSW degrees.
Licensed by the State of New York as an LCSW-R

Extensive post graduate training in the following areas:
Couples and Family Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Trauma
EMDR – Certified Practitioner and Certified EMDR Consultant
Meditation and Stress Reduction
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
Grief and Bereavement
Disaster and Emergency Response
Neuroscience and Psychotherapy
Diversity