Meet Our Therapists
Joey Ackerman - Founder
Joey Ackerman, LCSW-R is a psychotherapist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral and Psychodynamically Oriented Therapy. Her work is focused on creating client-centered goals that are collaborative, constructive, and aligned with the client’s overall sense of well-being.
Joey works with a broad array of young adults, professionals, and creatives providing a safe space f or treatment. Her therapeutic approach addresses various clinical issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, attachment issues, bereavement, relational issues, OCD, and various phobias.
Joey graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a B.A. and received her MSW from the Silver School of Social Work at New York University. She has also completed Post Master Trainings in Mindfulness, Eating Disorder Treatment, Motivational Interviewing, DBT, CBT, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Suicidality in Children and Adolescents
Emily Jacobs - LCSW
Emily Jacobs, LCSW is a psychotherapist whose clinical practice is strength-based and trauma-focused, blending Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, and Relational approaches. With a background in social justice, she supports a broad range of clients through life transitions, feelings of depression and anxiety, relational and communication challenges, and trauma survival and healing. Through safety and collaboration, she assists clients in learning from their experiences and developing the skills needed for change. She believes that every person deserves the opportunity to find the support necessary to heal, transform, a nd live a more fulfilling life.
Emily graduated from Appalachian State University with a B.S. in Psychology and received her MSW from Smith College’s School for Social Work in Northampton, Massachusetts. She completed Post Master trainings in Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Violence Prevention, DBT, CBT, Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and Motivational Interviewing.
Julie Beynenson - LMHC
Julie Beynenson, LMHC is a psychotherapist who uses evidence-based interventions to meet each client’s unique set of therapeutic goals and needs. Her approach to therapy is warm and collaborative, allowing the client to explore their thoughts and feelings without judgment and develop new insights to move away from maladaptive patterns of behavior.
Julie works with each client to learn how to better cope with life stressors and develop the necessary tools and life skills to create meaningful and substantive change.
Julie has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland and a double master’s in Psychological Counseling from Columbia University.
She has experience working with individuals across the lifespan to address a variety of mental health concerns, including but not limited to anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, issues of self-esteem, low motivation, interpersonal difficulties, and other life stressors. She has extensive clinical experience working with children and adolescents and uses a combination of cognitive-behavioral and person-centered techniques in her therapeutic work.
Lauren Shampan - LMSW
Lauren Shampan, LMSW is a Brooklyn-based therapist who takes both a Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioral approach to her work. The focus of Lauren’s practice is to help others overcome a sense of disconnection, lack of confidence, difficulties with career, and relationship issues.
Therapy is a deeply personal experience, and Lauren became a therapist because she believes in the healing and growth that can result from having a trusting environment in which to process emotions.
Lauren also has specialized training in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and enjoys working with new parents to navigate the complexities of personal identity and parenthood. She graduated from American University with a B.A. and received her MSW from Fordham University’s School of Social Work.
Tristanne Walliser - LCSW
Tristanne Walliser, LCSW is a psychotherapist who specializes in providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to treat anxiety and depressive disorders. Tristanne works with clients of all ages—adults, adolescents and children. Her work is strength-based, skill-based, collaborative, goal-oriented and supportive. She has over ten years of experience providing individual and group therapy. With a warm and direct style, Tristanne is interested in helping her clients find what makes them feel most happy, purposeful and connected in their lives. To help clients develop their own toolkit of coping skills, she draws upon a wide range of evidence-based practices, mindfulness and relaxation techniques from DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), and active guidance and strategies for cultivating peace of mind, compassion and self-compassion. She supports clients with issues related to relationships, anger management, life changes, work stress, parenting, identity, grief and loss, self-esteem, and spirituality.
Tristanne received her Masters Degree in Social Work from New York University, Silver School of Social Work and her B.A. from Harvard College in Social Studies. She has completed Post Master trainings in CBT and TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused CBT), and has a certification in teaching meditation.
Elena Podell - LCSW
Elena Podell, LCSW is a psychotherapist specializing in providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Elena treats a variety of clinical issues including anxiety, depression and trauma in adolescents and adults.
She also supports clients navigating relationship concerns, identity development, self-esteem, family conflict, and loss. Her work incorporates mindfulness-based techniques to help individuals strengthen awareness within themselves and their environment.
Elena maintains a collaborative treatment approach and understands the importance of a strong therapeutic alliance in facilitating growth and healing.
Elena graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Psychology and received her MSW from NYU Silver School of Social Work. Elena completed an intensive DBT training offered by Behavioral Tech. She also received post graduate training in treating PTSD.
Sasha Hedaya - LMSW
Sasha Hedaya, LMSW, is a psychotherapist practicing in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Sasha’s clinical approach is centered around psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapies. Sasha works by pulling from different modalities in order to best meet her clients’ needs, and specializes in treating young adults and adults of all ages who are struggling with anxiety, depression, self-image, life transitions, relational issues, and more; Sasha also focuses on treating couples.
Sasha strongly believes in the importance of a therapeutic alliance and works hard to provide a trusting, safe environment for people can process, heal and grow. Sasha graduated from Duke University with her BA in Psychology and Political Science and received her MSW from the Silver School of Social Work at New York University. Sasha is completing Post Master training in Family and Couple’s Therapy at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy.
Raquel Behar - RMHCI
Raquel Behar, RMHCI, is a Master’s Level Psychotherapist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, Supportive Therapy, Mindfulness, Art and Sandplay. Raquel works with a broad range of clients, from children and parents, teenagers, and adults up to the geriatric community.
She believes in utilizing a holistic approach to treating patients, with emphasis on environment, health, nutrition and safety. Raquel’s therapeutic approach supports a variety of clinical issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, phobias, and career development.
She received training in therapy for developmentally delayed children as well as parent coaching. Raquel graduated from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida with a Masters in Mental Health Counseling. She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology with minors in Behavioral Science and History at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. While completing her degree at McGill, she studied abroad at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, where she received training in trauma and resilience. Additionally, she has worked in Alzheimer’s Research in Miami Beach for the past five and a half years.
Nitasha Kang - LCAT
Nitasha Kang, LCAT, is a psychotherapist based in Brooklyn, specializing in Art Therapy. Her clinical approach is rooted in a transformative and person-centered methodology, incorporating talk therapy, group therapy, and art therapy to support healing and growth. Nitasha works with clients of all ages, including those who are neurodivergent, couples, and individuals. She draws on her background in art therapy to address issues such as PTSD, depression, ADHD, discrimination, and anxiety while integrating cultural and narrative therapies informed by social justice and trauma awareness.
Committed to building a strong therapeutic alliance, Nitasha creates a safe and inclusive environment where clients can explore, heal, and thrive. With a Master’s in Counseling and Art Therapy from Drexel University, she is dedicated to helping clients embrace self-care, self-love, and new ways of belonging and expression.
Anna Kismaric, LCSW
Anna Kismaric, LCSW, is a compassionate therapist based in Brooklyn, New York, who views therapy as a path to healing and growth. She works collaboratively to help you achieve your goals, develop healthier relationships, find relief from distress, and feel more comfortable with yourself and your life.
With extensive experience in individual and group counseling for adults, seniors, couples, adolescents, and children, Anna creates a safe, non-judgmental space for exploring feelings and experiences. She blends relational, psychodynamic, and cognitive behavioral approaches to address a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, relationship struggles, career transitions, self-esteem, grief, and trauma.
Anna holds specialized training in family and couples therapy from the Ackerman Institute for the Family and earned her MSW from Simmons University, along with a B.A. in Psychology from Curry College. She also has post-master’s training in CBT and TF-CBT, with certification in the Foundations of Family Therapy.