About Me

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Education:

  • Certificate in Psychoanalysis from the William Alanson White Institute, New York City

  • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) from The George Washington University

  • Pre-Doctoral Internship at NYU-Bellevue

  • Masters of Science (M.S.) in Clinical Psychology from Barry University

  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from Boston College

Clinical Experience:

I have garnered my experience working in large, metropolitan, city hospitals as well as smaller clinics, agencies, schools and now, private practice. I have worked with 9/11 survivors, people struggling with addictions and emotional problems, people with cancer, people with severe mental illness, people charged with domestic violence, people working on weight loss and/or struggling with food issues, and people with global identity and relationship difficulties. I have also worked extensively with Spanish-speaking clients. Read on if you would like a more specific breakdown of my past training and work history.

In the year 2000, I had my first supervised clinical experience as a master’s level psychology student working at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. At that time, I conducted therapy both in English and in Spanish with people with cancer and their relatives.

In 2002, I worked at a weight-loss clinic leading groups regarding weight-loss, managing emotions, and dealing with triggers to overeating.

That year, I also worked providing treatment in English and Spanish to: people charged with driving under the influence of substances, men charged with domestic violence, and people mandated to attend anger management treatment. In that setting, I received specialized training to work with people charged with domestic violence.

2004-2006: During my doctoral training I conducted psychotherapy with adults as well as children. I also conducted play therapy with English and Spanish-speaking children aged 7-9 years at a public school in Washington, DC.

2006-2007: I completed my pre-doctoral internship at New York University-Bellevue Hospital in New York City. During my internship year I completed rotations working at the psychiatric emergency room, the clinic for Spanish-speaking patients, and the neuropsychological assessment service at Bellevue Hospital. In all rotations, I conducted treatment and assessment in both Spanish and English. I garnered experience in several areas, including working with: the very emotionally disturbed, people in crisis, people with global identity and relationship difficulties, as well as those with mild emotional difficulties. I also worked with children, adolescents, couples, families and groups in Spanish and English.

2007-2009: I worked with people struggling with substance use problems and emotional difficulties, ranging from mild emotional problems to schizophrenia, at Bellevue Hospital.

2009-2012: I worked at Bellevue's World Trade Center Program for survivors of the 9/11 attacks. I worked with patients aged 19 to 76 with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, as well as those with global identity and relationship difficulties, who were emotionally affected by the 9/11 disaster. I conducted group and individual psychotherapy both in Spanish and in English.

2007-2012: I supervised other mental health professionals (psychology externs, psychology interns, third-year psychiatry residents, social work interns, licensed clinical social workers, and unlicensed doctors in psychology) in individual psychotherapy as well as group psychotherapy at Bellevue Hospital. Between 2010 and 2012 I was a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine.

2012: I departed from Bellevue Hospital to dedicate myself to my Private Practice.

I have been involved in two weekly peer supervision groups with other licensed mental health professionals and psychoanalysts—one since 2013, and one since 2019 (The Young Freuds).

In 2015 I completed a yearlong training at the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis and Psychology in intensive psychoanalytic psychotherapy. At Bellevue Hospital, I received specialized training in working with survivors of trauma (2009-2012) and I completed a yearlong course in short-term dynamic psychotherapy (2008-2009).

In October 2019, I received my certificate in Psychoanalysis from the Division 1 Program at the William Alanson White Institute after four years of training. This training involved weekly classes, extensive supervision, and my own psychoanalysis in order to be able to offer psychoanalysis—an intensive form of therapy which entails at least 3 times a week sessions—to interested patients in my private practice.

I HAVE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH PEOPLE WITH:

  • Depression/Sadness

  • Anxiety/Nervousness

  • Trauma

  • Difficult childhoods (whether from abuse, neglect, or loss of loved ones)

  • Persistent relationship difficulties and global identity instability

  • Substance use problems

  • Issues related to culture, immigration, or adjusting to a new place