Clinical Staff

Click on a name below to get more information

Rebecca Barber, PhDSenior Psychologist

Venice Bruno, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Leslie Daly, PhDStaff Psychologist

Siobhan Donnelly, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Jocelyn Fraum, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Ronald Hanover, PhDStaff Psychologist

Nicole Heitler, PsyDSenior Psychologist

Pamela Jones, PhDStaff Psychologist

Elspeth Kelly, PhDStaff Psychologist

Zoe Leary, LMSWSocial Worker

<strong>Brooke Schuster Monaco, PhD</strong>

Brooke Schuster Monaco, PhDStaff Psychologist

Jarell Myers, PhDStaff Psychologist

Jeremy Novich, PsyDStaff Psychologist

<strong>Rachel Proujansky, PsyD</strong>

Rachel Proujansky, PsyDTrauma Team Coordinator

Dan Rayhill, PhDStaff Psychologist

Marc Shuldiner, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Amy Sugarman, PhDSupervising Psychologist

Jami Wolf, PsyDSupervising Psychologist

At CMC we take great pride in the amount of training, supervision and development that we provide our clinicians. Every clinician at CMC is extensively trained in our core treatment modalities and receives weekly supervision by senior clinicians (8+ years at CMC). Many of our clinicians receive additional supervision for specific treatment modalities (e.g., CRAFT, trauma protocols) and group programs (e.g., Day Program). We also provide our clinicians with a yearly stipend so that they can attend conferences and additional trainings in evidence-based treatments. The majority of our clinicians also have psychodynamic and relational therapy backgrounds. All of our clinicians use a harm reduction approach and work with clients at all levels of motivation to change.

Our intake therapists go to great lengths to try and match up new client with a therapist that will be a good “fit.” To that end, your input is very valuable to this process! If there is a staff member who you think you would like to work with, we encourage you to bring this up when you begin your intake process. At the same time, we can not guarantee any particular therapists has availability, or that they will, in fact, be the best fit for any particular case.

Rebecca Barber, PhD

Rebecca Barber, PhDSenior Psychologist

Dr. Rebecca Barber is a licensed clinical psychologist who has worked with CMC for over 15 years. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The New School and her Master’s Degree in Developmental Psychology from Harvard. Dr. Barber received advanced training in the treatment of substance use disorders at The Addiction Institute of New York and has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Barber has extensive experience working with individuals, couples, families and groups and integrates psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, motivational, and contemplative practices into her work. Dr. Barber also has worked extensively with couples and leads groups at CMC.

Core Modalities: Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA), Relapse Prevention/Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for Substance Use Disorders (CBT), CBT for mood disorders (depression and anxiety), Motivational Interviewing (MI), mindfulness-based strategies, Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) and the Invitation to Change Approach (ITC).

Debaki Chakrabarti, PhD

Debaki Chakrabarti, PhDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE)

Dr. Debaki Chakrabarti is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her degree from Columbia University. She has conducted therapy with diverse populations and has integrated mindfulness and motivational techniques in both English and Bengali. Dr. Chakrabarti completed her internship training at the Center for Motivation and Change and had previously externed at Gouverneur Hospital, The Addiction Institute of New York, and the Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services.

Justina Dillon, PhD

Justina Dillon, PhDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Prolonged Exposure (PE), Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy

Dr. Justina Dillon is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in evidence-based treatment for addiction, trauma, and eating disorders. She obtained her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at CMC. She has provided psychotherapy to adults, adolescents, and children in inpatient, outpatient, and intensive day program settings as well as in schools and community clinics. Her research interests include trauma narrativization and intergenerational transmission of historical trauma, with a focus on Stalinist deportations to Siberia and the Arctic.

Jocelyn Fraum, PsyD

Jocelyn Fraum, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Jocelyn Fraum, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her degree from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. She provides present-focused, collaborative, and evidence-based treatment for adults, adolescents, couples, and families. She has worked in a range of settings including a residential addiction program for veterans, a psychiatric hospital, and a college counseling center. She serves on the Board of Directors of Moderation Management, a national support network of people looking to reduce their alcohol use. Additionally, Dr. Fraum serves on the Advisory Board of BigVision, a non-profit supporting substance free community for young adults.

Rachel Proujansky, PsyD

Rachel Proujansky, PsyD Trauma Team Coordinator

Additional Specialization: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), STAIR (Skills Training and Affective and Interpersonal Regulation)

Dr. Proujansky a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her doctorate from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. She completed her internship at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West Hospitals. Her post-doctoral fellowship in DBT with adolescents, adults, and family members was at the Center for Cognitive and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, where she worked with adolescents and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, emotion dysregulation, and addictive and compulsive behaviors. Dr. Proujansky also served as a therapist on an NIH-funded study examining the use of LGB-affirmative CBT for substance use and compulsive sexual behavior in sexual minority men. She is instrumental in managing and supporting the clinicians on CMC’s trauma team at CMC. She is an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology and a member of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the New York City Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Association.

Marc Shuldiner, PsyD

Marc Shuldiner, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), CBT for Social Anxiety and Selective Mutism

Dr. Marc Shuldiner is a licensed clinical psychologist committed to the use of empirically supported interventions. He earned his doctorate from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University and completed his pre-doctoral clinical psychology internship at Nassau University Medical Center, where he worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Shuldiner received specialized training in anxiety disorders and OCD at the Child Mind Institute. He has run workshops and presented on the treatment of OCD at the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation (IOCDF), as well as presented on mindfulness at the national conference for Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). He utilizes an integrative approach, drawing from his experience with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, family systems, and insight-oriented approaches. He is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT).

Leslie Daly, PhD

Leslie Daly, PhDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, Certified Yoga Therapist

Leslie Daly is a clinical psychologist with over 15 years of clinical experience. After receiving a Master’s degree at Pratt Institute she worked for 8 years as a creative arts therapist, using movement, yoga and mindfulness in addiction and psychiatric settings. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Long Island University (LIU), Brooklyn and worked in addiction treatment at Bellevue Hospital Center and in psychiatry at NY Presbyterian Weill Cornell. She had advanced training at Beth Israel Hospital, Gouverneur Hospital, and The Institute for Psychoanalytic Therapy and Research (IPTAR), and completed her pre-doctoral internship at Kings County Hospital Center. Her research interests include the impact of yoga, mindfulness, and body awareness on emotion regulation and well being. She taught yoga for over 19 years and is certified as a yoga therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). She trained at Integral Yoga Institute and studied LifeForce Yoga with Amy, author of Yoga for Depression. She conducts a mindfulness yoga based group at CMC for people with substance use issues and trauma and completed an EMDRIA-approved 3-part basic training in EMDR with Laurel Parenell, PhD.

Siobhan Donnelly, PsyD

Siobhan Donnelly, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR), Trauma Focused Cognitive Therapy

Dr. Donnelly is a licensed psychologist who earned her Masters degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College and her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from George Washington University. She spearheads CMC’s satellite program in Washington, DC and has experience working in psychiatric emergency rooms, inpatient and outpatient settings, mobile crisis teams, addiction treatment facilities, and correctional settings providing brief and long-term individual, couples, and group psychotherapy. Dr. Donnelly has specialized training in crisis intervention as well as suicide and risk assessment. She has worked extensively with individuals and families that are in crisis, pose an imminent risk to themselves or others, have complex histories of trauma and abuse, substance dependence, behavioral problems, and severe emotional disturbances.

Julie Jarvis, PhD

Additional Specialization: Exposure-Response Prevention (ERP), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Dr. Julie Jarvis is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing for over 20 years in the treatment of substance use disorders as well as mood and anxiety disorders. Dr. Jarvis obtained her PhD in clinical psychology from Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, and went on to complete a post-doctoral fellowship in Addictions Psychology from Mt Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Jarvis has worked with individuals, groups, couples and families in a variety of treatment settings, including outpatient, intensive outpatient, and long term residential care. Dr. Jarvis serves as a consulting psychologist for CMC:FFC, a non-profit organization providing evidence-based skills training to family members who have a loved one struggling with substance use issues.

Nicole Heitler, PsyD

Nicole Heitler, PsyDSenior Psychologist

Additional Specialization: CBT-I (insomnia)

Dr. Nicole Heitler is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her degree from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University and her Master’s degree in Developmental Psychopathology from Teacher’s College at Columbia University. She has worked in the addiction field for over a decade and spearheads CMC’s satellite office in Roslyn, Long Island. She is a member of our evaluation team and provides collaborative and evidence-based treatment for adults, couples, and families at both CMC sites. Prior to CMC, Dr. Heitler worked as a research coordinator and therapist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University’s Substance Treatment and Research Services (STARS), and as a therapist at their Buprenorphine Program. She has also worked as a supervising psychologist at a community mental health center, where she specialized in developmental disabilities and teaching social and interpersonal skills to children and adults on the autism spectrum.

Pamela Jones, PhD

Pamela Jones, PhDStaff Psychologist

Dr. Jones is a licensed clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst. She has worked at CMC for twelve years treating individuals, couples, and family members and running groups. Prior to working in substance use, she worked in inpatient and outpatient settings treating individuals for depression, anxiety, mood, and personality disorders integrating psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, motivational and stress reduction approaches. She earned her doctorate from Adelphi University’s Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies and completed an internship and fellowship at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and post-doctoral work at New York University. Her research interests are in the intergenerational transmission of attachment patterns and the influence of those patterns on cognitive and interpersonal functioning. She is a professional trainer for CMC:FFC, a non-profit organization providing evidence-based skills training to family members who have a loved one struggling with substance use issues. She is a supervisor for Pace Psychology graduate students and also has a private practice.

Amy Sugarman, PhD

Amy Sugarman, PhDSupervising Psychologist

Dr. Amy Sugarman is a licensed clinical psychologist with 20 years of experience. She earned her degree from Temple University and has been with CMC since 2009. She is a member of our evaluation team and provides collaborative and evidence-based treatment for adults, couples, and families. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in substance use disorders at the Addiction Institute of New York and to complement her evidence-based treatment approach, Dr. Sugarman completed the One Year Introductory Program in Relational Psychotherapy at the Stephen A. Mitchell Center for Relational Studies. Prior to joining CMC, she was a clinician at the New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University’s Substance Treatment and Research Services (STARS) where her work focused on integrating cognitive-behavioral and motivational enhancement therapies. She is a member of the Women’s Mental Health Consortium.

Jami Wolf, PsyD

Jami Wolf, PsyDSupervising Psychologist

Dr. Wolf is a supervising psychologist at CMC. Dr. Wolf specializes in the evaluation and treatment of PTSD, trauma, and co-occurring disorders. Dr. Wolf is certified in (PE) Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD and trained in Complicated Grief Treatment. At CMC, Dr. Wolf heads the trauma treatment program which focuses on utilizing evidence based treatments, PE and STAIR (Prolonged Exposure, and Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation), to work with PTSD and other trauma related disorders. In clinical practice, Dr. Wolf works with both individuals and family members, and leads a mixed gender process group. Dr. Wolf utilizes a CRAFT informed approach with family members. She also incorporates DBT and mindfulness-based interventions and a focus on wellness in her approach to treating individuals with addictive and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Wolf has extensive experience working in the inpatient milieu and outpatient services, providing cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamically informed psychotherapy to individuals and groups across the lifespan. She also has specialized training and experience helping individuals who struggle with severe and persistent mental illness, mood disorders, self-harming and suicidal behaviors, life crises, and personality disorders. Dr. Wolf is New York State Psychological Association’s (NYSPA) Division on Addictions President- Elect 2017.

Neta Tal, PhD

Neta Tal, PhDStaff Psychologist

Dr. Tal is a licensed psychologist who obtained her clinical training at The City University of New York (CUNY), where she provided long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy to adults and children for four years. During this time, she also completed a year-long externship at CMC, where she was trained in Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Following this, she did her clinical internship at the New Jersey VA hospital, where she obtained additional experience treating individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring PTSD. Dr. Tal completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Columbia University Counseling and Psychological Services Center, where she worked with a broad range of undergraduate and graduate students and co-led a harm reduction group for students. Dr. Tal works collaboratively with her patients to help guide them to a deeper understanding of their personal history, to the kind of life they desire, and to obtain the skills they need to achieve it. Dr. Tal is a many year member of the executive committee of the division on addictions to the New York State Psychological Association. She is fluent in Hebrew.

Brooke Schuster Monaco, PhD

Brooke Schuster Monaco, PhDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy ) CPT for PTSD, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dr. Brooke Monaco is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her degree from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in San Diego. Her work has focused on the dissemination of evidence-based treatments for PTSD, including Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE). She has led SMART Recovery meetings and was the President and Treasurer for the San Diego Regional Advisory Board for SMART Recovery. Dr. Monaco also has experience working in the Substance Dependence Research Group at the New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University administering and adapting structured clinical interviews for DSM-5 substance use disorder assessment. Dr. Monaco has worked as a Clinical Interviewer with the San Diego Veterans Affairs Healthcare System assessing PTSD in active duty Marines before and after their deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Dr. Monaco is a trainer for CMC:Foundation for Change and has co-led multiple weekend-long trainings to intensively train parents in CRAFT and MI skills.

Dan Rayhill, PhD

Dan Rayhill, PhDStaff Psychologist

Dr. Rayhill is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience who completed his doctorate at Adelphi University, Derner Center for Advanced Psychological Studies. He has training in cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of depression and anxiety as well as addiction and compulsivity. He has experience providing individual, group and family therapy treatments within several different clinical settings including inpatient psychiatric care, a hospital based outpatient mental health clinic, school based clinic and private practice. Prior to joining CMC, Dr. Rayhill was a clinician and supervisor at a community mental health center, where he specialized in the treatment of ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders among adolescents and young adults. He also specializes in the treatment of the developmental issues specific to emerging adulthood and the challenges faced in the post college years. He has worked extensively with the gay community and the issues specific to gay identity.

Ronald Hanover, PhD

Ronald Hanover, PhDStaff Psychologist

Dr. Hanover is a licensed psychologist with over 40 years of experience working with clients struggling with effects of substance use and trauma. He completed his doctorate at Syracuse University and completed a 4 year internship with the Veterans Administration during graduate school. He worked at the Princeton University counseling service and went on to serve as Chief Psychologist at the New York State Narcotic Addiction Control Commission. From there he moved to the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Manhattan where he worked for 36 years as a psychologist. During that time he opened one of the first of 15 outpatient PTSD programs in the country in 1986. He supervised interns (135) for over 25 years in PTSD and did individual and group counseling as well as assessment, training and teaching of PTSD.

Steven Freed, PhD

Steven Freed, PhDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

Steven Freed is a clinical psychologist specializing in evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders and trauma. He obtained his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research where he implemented a protocol to enhance the motivation of college students to change substance use behaviors and worked as a clinical interviewer on an NIMH funded study looking at the effects of trauma on the body. Dr. Freed completed his internship at Bellevue Hospital Center and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai West working with adults struggling with substance misuse who often had co-occurring mood, anxiety, personality, or psychotic disorders. Dr. Freed is a member of American Psychological Association, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), and the Society for Psychophysiology (SPR).

Jarell Myers, PhD

Jarell Myers, PhDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)

Jarell R.O. Myers, PhD is a clinical psychologist, licensed in both New York and Massachusetts, with training in cognitive-behavioral and dialectical behavioral approaches to treatment. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and completed an APA-accredited internship at Mt Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital on the child and adolescent track. He also completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in child and adolescent psychology at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center in White Plains, New York where the focus was on treatment for anxiety. Dr. Myers used that experience at McLean Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts where he worked with children and adolescents diagnosed with Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders in an intensive outpatient clinic. He has expertise and has worked with adolescents and young adults with comorbid anxiety and substance use disorders and adopts a harm reduction approach when appropriate.

Amanda Lytle, PsyD

Amanda Lytle, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD

Dr. Amanda Lytle is a licensed clinical psychologist who works in our NYC and Long Island offices. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Long Island University-Post with a concentration in substance use and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Dr. Lytle completed an APA-accredited internship at the VA New York Harbor Healthcare, Brooklyn Campus, where she worked with veterans suffering from PTSD and substance use. While at the VA, she worked in an intensive outpatient day program for veterans with a variety of psychological diagnoses including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Jeremy Novich, PsyD

Jeremy Novich, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Additional Specialization: Unified Protocol for Emotional Disorders, Harm Reduction Psychotherapy

Dr. Jeremy Novich is a licensed clinical psychologist who brings expertise in working with college students and members of the LGBTQ population. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Long Island University, Post Campus, with a concentration in serious mental illness. Dr. Novich completed an APA-accredited internship at Pace University Counseling Center in lower Manhattan and a postdoctoral fellowship in Student Counseling and Disability Services at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. Before coming to CMC, Dr. Novich worked as a psychologist in employment settings with a focus on providing assessment for employees in safety-sensitive jobs (e.g., transportation workers) who test positive for one or more substances. He has published research on gay Jewish men in the Orthodox community.

Mike Tamburino, PhD

Mike Tamburino, PhDSenior Psychologist

Dr. Tamburino is a clinical psychologist with specialized training in relational psychodynamic psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). He has experience working with child, adolescent, and adult patients in both outpatient and inpatient settings, including providing community based treatment for persons with dual substance use and psychiatric disorders. Prior to joining CMC, Dr. Tamburino was a consultation-liaison psychologist at Jacobi Medical Center where he provided brief psychotherapy to patients on medical units and supervised clinical psychology interns. He completed his pre-doctoral clinical internship at North Central Bronx Hospital with additional training at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, Nassau University Medical Center, and Pathways to Housing, Inc.

Elspeth Kelly, PhD

Elspeth Kelly, PhDStaff Psychologist

Dr. Elspeth Kelly is a licensed clinical psychologist committed to providing comprehensive evidence-based treatment for individuals with substance use disorders. She obtained her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, and completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship at Elmhurst Hospital Center, with additional training at Bellevue Hospital, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Maimonides Hospital, and Pathways to Housing. She has experience working in intensive outpatient addiction treatment settings, inpatient psychiatric units, psychiatric emergency rooms, correctional facilities, and outpatient clinics, and has provided psychotherapy to adults and adolescents in both individual and group settings. Elspeth utilizes psychodynamic, CBT, DBT and mindfulness-based therapeutic interventions, and strives to cultivate a warm and collaborate environment when working with clients.

Venice Bruno, PsyD

Venice Bruno, PsyDStaff Psychologist

Venice Bruno, PsyD is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her doctorate from Antioch University, Santa Barbara. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Long Beach Reach Inc., through the Derner Internship Consortium – Adelphi University, working with substance use disorders, co-occurring disorders, and those impacted by the substance use of others. Prior to joining CMC, Dr. Bruno was the Project Director of a community treatment center, overseeing the facility, outpatient program, and supervising staff. Dr. Bruno has worked with a diverse range of individuals, groups, couples, and families in a variety of treatment settings, including outpatient, intensive outpatient, and court mandated programs, as well as schools, community, and government clinics. Dr. Bruno is also a certified yoga teacher for children, adults, and prenatal populations. She utilizes her training in movement and psychology to bring a strength-based, exploratory approach to wellness. She is a member of the Women’s Mental Health Consortium and American Psychological Association.

Zoe Leary, LMSW

Zoe Leary, LMSWSocial Worker

Specialized training in CBT-I

Zoe Leary, LMSW received her masters degree from Simmons College in social work with a focus on substance using populations. Her clinical experience includes addiction treatment throughout all levels of care and working with adolescents. Zoe has specialized training in CBT-I and Unified Protocol while also using core concepts of motivational interviewing (MI) and a strengths based approach in her work. Zoe’s main role at CMC is to work with clients who are returning to NYC after their stay at CMC:Berkshires. Zoe helps them set goals to ease back into their busy lives and to help them maintain the connection with the skills and resources that they found effective while in inpatient care.

Kathryn (K.C.) Conely, PhD

Dr. Conley is a psychologist whose work is informed by cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic perspectives. Dr. Conley’s predoctoral internship at the VA New Jersey Health Care System provided her with specialized training through the Substance Abuse Outpatient program. She also completed rotations in psychological assessment, the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders Outpatient Program, and geropsychology. As a postdoctoral fellow at Pace University’s Counseling Center, Dr. Conley offered individual psychotherapy and co-led a group for students with concerns about the substance use of loved ones and an interpersonal process group. Some of her previous experience includes working motivationally with adolescents to achieve their weight loss goals, with college students to change their substance use behaviors, and work with college student-athletes. Additionally, Dr. Conley has experience as a clinician in clinical trials of medications intended for the treatment of various substance use problems. She served as an adjunct instructor for an upper-level undergraduate course on stress and coping at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Conley earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Emory University, her master’s degree in psychology from Teachers College Columbia University, and her doctorate in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Sharon Chien, PsyD

Sharon Chien, PsyD, is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Motivation and Change (CMC) in Manhattan. Dr. Chien has used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategies, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), to understand and treat patients at inpatient, partial hospitalization, outpatient, and integrated health care facilities. Prior to joining CMC, Dr. Chien assessed and treated children and adults at Chicago Lakeshore Hospital, Hartgrove Hospital, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Services, and Pillars at Community Nurse. Her research interests include better understanding how individuals interpret and respond to their environments, as well as how these perceptions impact goal-oriented behaviors.

Laura Shapiro, PhD

Dr. Shapiro is a clinical psychologist with advanced training in psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), with a focus on treating trauma, depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. Additionally, she has specialized training in evidenced-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dr. Shapiro has trained at Bellevue Hospital Center, Jacobi Medical Center, and the Metropolitan Center for Mental Health, providing individual and group psychotherapy to children, adolescents, adults, and families in inpatient, outpatient, and day treatment settings. Additionally, Dr. Shapiro completed clinical training on an inpatient detox unit and provided short-term psychotherapy with adults with substance abuse and co-occurring psychiatric conditions. She is interested in the impact of childhood and adult-onset trauma on substance abuse, emotion regulation difficulties, and interpersonal problems.

Kelly Bertand, PhD

Dr. Bertrand specializes in the treatment of trauma, addiction, mood and anxiety disorders. She has worked at Bellevue Hospital with patients in acute crisis and also in the intensive outpatient program for the treatment of personality disorders. Prior to joining the Center, Dr. Bertrand worked at the Manhattan VA Medical Center with veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and related conditions. She is a supervising psychologist at the Psychological Service Center at Long Island University and faculty at the International Masterson Institute. In addition to her work at CMC, Dr. Bertrand is a registered provider for Give an Hour, a non-profit organization that provides free mental health services to U.S. military personnel affected by the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Brian Sherman, PhD

Dr. Sherman is a clinical psychologist with specialized training in relational psychodynamic psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with a focus on treating anxiety, depression, personality disorders, and substance abuse. Dr. Sherman has experience working with diverse populations in individual and group formats integrating treatment approaches to meet patient needs. Prior to joining CMC Dr. Sherman completed clinical training at North Central Bronx Hospital, Jacobi Medical Center, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute on inpatient, outpatient, and emergency services treating patients experiencing acute crises as well as chronic conditions. Dr. Sherman has also worked on several NIH-funded research studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University’s Teachers College. His research interests include the association between temperament and psychopathology, and the effects of family environment on adolescent mental health.

Lisa Singer, PsyD

Dr. Singer is a psychologist who has specialized training in Mindfulness based therapies, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and Psychodynamic Therapies. Prior to joining CMC, Dr. Singer was the Training Coordinator at the Wellness and Counseling Center at City College and continues to enjoy teaching and supervising. She has worked extensively on the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders in a variety of clinical settings.

November 2010 Solution Focused Brief Therapy Training Conference
May/June 2010 CUNY – Motivational Interviewing , Two Day Intensive, Jonathan Fader, PhD
May 2009 LEHMAN COLLEGE- Solution Focused Brief Therapy
January/February 2009 CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK- QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Program
August 2008 OMEGA INSTITUE- Professional Training in Mindfulness and Mind-Body Therapy for Health Care for Professionals, John Welwood, Ph.D.
January 2008 SHIVINANDA ASHRAM- Mediation and Mindfulness for Health Care Professionals, Paul Epstein, ND.
September 2006 NY STATE- DBT Training, The Bridge of Central MA, Inc

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