NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS FOR TELE-THERAPY . CALL 718-305-1471 FOR AN APPOINTMENT.
Our Clinicians
Lorraine Litovsky, LMHC
Lorraine is a Russian speaking Licensed Mental Health Counselor experienced at helping clients steer through feelings of anxiety, depression, hopelessness, low self-esteem, social skills, and other life-limiting issues. Her knowledge and training may help you acquire the strength and skills necessary to overcome emotional and behavioral issues, and help set you on the path to a happier, healthier life.
Togetheryou will create a therapeutic alliance in our safe, judgement- free environment, and work towards problem-solving and goal-setting, for personal growth and development.
Michael Matasci, LCSW
Many clients come to therapy because they’ve reached a roadblock in their lives. Michael works with each person together, to help go beyond that impasse. Sometimes, it is helping to clarify and act on goals. Other times, there may be the need to understand one’s past before formulating a plan. A client who feels their therapist is there to work together and support their decisions, is more likely to achieve their goals. Michael works actively with each client to help them reach a happier place.
He offers an emphatic approach, based on realistic expectations with achievable goals tailored for each individual. Michael works collaboratively, able to readily offer his ideas and suggestions as benefits the client. He believe in continuous evaluation of therapy’s progress. Michael works with families and children and is experienced in play therapy.
Victoria Kalinina, LMSW
Victoria works with her patients to help them come to know themselves more deeply in order to reduce emotional distress, improve relationships, and gain insight into their current situations and struggles. She uses an integrated psychodynamic approach to help her patients feel empowered, more self-aware and more confident in their choices. Her therapeutic style is client-centered, strengths-oriented, and empowering. Victoria views each person as the expert of their own experience. It is her passion to see clients grow and heal through the therapeutic relationship, and she endeavors to help them come to a place where they can truly live their lives with independence and fulfillment. Victoria's approach is compassionate and non-judgmental aimed to create a self-empowered and self-directed experience. Victoria is bilingual in English and Russian.
Christine Zaychik, LMHC
Christine is a holistic Mental Health Counselor whose approach is founded upon her belief that the body, mind and spirit are all connected. She encourages exploration into these aspects alongside your personal history to identify where your challenges in the present day might derive from. She prioritizes a warm and safe environment to facilitate your work through identifying negative thought patterns, improving your every day communications and building your confidence to conquer life's hurdles. Christine has been trained in EMDR, LGBT, hypnotherapy, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) and perinatal mood disorders. She has also developed specialization around anxieties, trauma, grief and phobias.
Brithney Sandiford, LMHC
Brithney is a Spanish speaking, culturally sensitive, LGBT+ trained Mental Health Counselor, who believes that therapy can be a memorable journey. Her experience aiding clients from different walks of life who are dealing with a variety of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, cultural issues, and other challenging life stressors will help you gain insight and develop the skills needed to uncover and lift problematic thoughts and behaviors. Brithney will be happy to go on this therapeutic and memorable journey with you.
Anna Hanson, PhD, LCSW
Anna is a multilingual, culturally diverse, and LGBTQ+ informed clinician who works with adults, teens, and children, and specializes in Eating Disorders, Body Image issues, trauma work, complicated grief, and varied complexities of PTSD and stress-induced mental health issues. Anna’s methodology in treating Eating Disorders and related body image issues, in both women and men, adolescents and adults, is focused around Intuitive Eating approach, combined with body-positivity, parts work, use of metaphors, concept of self-compassion, and specialized EMDR protocols when necessary. In addition, Anna holds a PhD in Neurocognitive Science and has many years of experience in the fields of medicine and neurobiology. She is a Certified Health & Wellness Coach, and a trained EMDR clinician, who utilizes EMDR treatment in helping those who have endured traumatic experiences with long-lasting effects. Anna places a strong emphasis that no one should struggle alone! She is strongly committed to therapeutic process and allows her clients to develop awareness of the significant importance of mental health to their individual well-being and that each client owes it to themselves to live their best life!!
Ruslan Zukin, Therapist
Ruslan is a Russian speaking Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counselor, who believes that therapy is a mechanism for anyone to find an answer that is tailored to their terms and needs. The calm, clarity and comfort that anyone can achieve leads them to finding confidence in both themselves and their decisions. Ruslan specializes in working with individuals who experience anxiety, trauma and ongoing stress. In addition, Ruslan’s focus is emphasized in working with LGBTQ, minority and underserved populations with a focus on how to overcome day to day obstacles while establishing healthy and safe boundaries within their own lives and the community.
Melanie Btesh, LMHC
Melanie is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who believes that there is a unique approach for each person tailored to accomplishing goals and experiencing personal growth. Through the use of CBT techniques, Melanie can help you work towards changing negative and destructive thought patterns and replacing them with positive and productive ones. She has helped children and adults along a path where change is possible.
Melanie invites you to work together to achieve the best possible you!
Diana Ryzhik, LMSW
Diana is a Russian Speaking therapist and a certified case manager who specializes in working with children, teens, families, and adults. She is very passionate about helping people realize their true potential and helping them gain the necessary skills, knowledge, insight, and coping mechanisms to live their best life. She believes in the importance of building a therapeutic alliance with each one of her patients to help them reach their common goal. She believes that every patient deserves the opportunity to be heard, listened to, and understood and wants to be there to help navigate all of life’s tough obstacles with you. Diana understands the hesitancy that some people feel when reaching out for help and she wants to be there with you every step of the way to help you navigate these murky waters. Her biggest goal is to see her patients be happy, healthy and obtain the necessary skills and coping mechanism to manage their well being in the best way possible.
Daria Mokhnach, Therapist
Daria a Russian and Ukrainian speaking Mental Health Counselor that centers her work on facilitating self-growth, emotional well-being, and autonomy through the therapeutic process. Daria believes in approaching psychotherapy through a holistic, collaborative perspective to foster a safe and socially just, non-judgmental, and meaningful interpersonal experience.She has experience working with clients suffering from trauma, anxiety disorders, ADHD, depressive disorders, relational dynamics, vocational development, culture, and identity. Daria incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psychodynamic approach, art and play therapy.
Tricia Sewell, Therapist
Tricia Sewell is a Caribbean-American Mental Health Counselor who utilizes a culturally sensitive, holistic and integrative approach in the therapeutic process. Using various techniques such as CBT, Psychodynamic and Person- Centered, Tricia connects with her clients based on their needs and goals and works with them in a warm, engaging and collaborative relationship. She has knowledge and experience in treating clients with Anxiety, Trauma, Dual Diagnosis, Relationship Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Depression, ADHD, and Bipolar disorders. Tricia understands that therapy can be the hardest step in one’s journey towards healing and welcomes all of different faiths and backgrounds who seek a safe space for them to explore different aspects of themselves, gain perspective on internal/external conflicts and experience growth towards being their most authentic self. She believes that like seeds, we all deserve a chance to grow.
Irina Yegorov, LMSW
Irina is a Russian speaking therapist who believes that at times we all need some help navigating through the complexity of life and our emotions and we need to have the correct tools to deal with life. She is dedicated to help to better understand ourselves from within through guidance and support.
Irina works with individuals, couples and families.
Natalia Leider, Therapist
Natalia provides a collaborative approach to therapy and believes that the therapist-client relationship is essential. She provides a supportive, compassionate, and nonjudgmental environment, while also motivating and challenging clients to explore new perspectives.
Natalia integrates a holistic mind, body, and emotion approach to therapy where she guides her clients to reconnect with their bodies, adaptively reorganize their autonomous nervous systems, and learn to form meaningful connections with themselves and others. Through a focus on the limbic system, mindfulness-based techniques, EMDR- informed techniques, and traditional cognitive talk therapy, she provides offerings that encourage growth, healing, self-confidence, and self-agency. Natalia speaks Russian.
Candy Garcia, LMSW
Candy is a Spanish speaking Licensed Social Worker who enjoys the process of seeing her clients reach their goals. Candy is trained in cultural diversity, CBT, DBT and TF-CBT. She understands life gets hard and will use her clinical expertise to help you unpack that which is heavy in your life. Candy listens with a solution focused ear and will help you gain insight on the origin of feelings, thoughts and emotions. Candy will create a safe space you can use to unload when life happens. Come achieve you goals with her!
Galina Savinkin, Therapist
Galina is a Russian speaking therapist, who believes that sometimes, we all need someone to stand beside us and be heard. Galina is dedicated to walking this journey with her clients. She is an advocate for her clients’ growth and prosperity. Born in Ukraine, Galina emigrated to NYC with her family and has grown up in South Brooklyn. At a young age, Galina experienced a great family tragedy, when her older brother was taken in the WTC on 9/11. This horrific event taught Galina the significance of loss, grief, bereavement, healing, and family dynamics. Her life’s goal is to help people of all ages and backgrounds to gain perspective, resilience, peace, and self-love. For Galina, happiness is accepting the ups and downs of life, respecting and loving yourself, and living without judgment towards yourself or others. By using therapeutic techniques tailored to each individual, Galina is determined to help her clients be productive in the often-challenging journey of therapy.
Tzirel Norman, Therapist
Tzirel is a Mental Health Counselor who views each client from a humanistic, person-centered perspective and believes in their ability to expand and grow. Her approach to counseling is informed by psychodynamic, CBT and somatic therapy methods. Adults at all stages of life dealing with issues such as academic and career issues, health and disability concerns and any life change, transition or loss are welcome as well as mood and anxiety disorders, trauma and other mental health problems. Tzirel trusts that the relationship between herself and her clients, characterized by genuineness, honesty and warm acceptance, is the most healing part of the therapy process.
Laila Siddiqui, Therapist
Laila believes that just like laughter is the best medicine, talking is the best thing you can do for your mind, body and soul. Let your words take over and clear your mind so it creates room for happiness and joy. Let’s solve problems together and learn about yourself and elevate your thoughts and energy. Let’s dive deep into life and expressions and just be ourselves in a nonjudgmental zone with someone who makes the effort to listen to you, so you can be heard. Let’s make that someone be Laila. Laila speak Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and English. She is a Muslim Mental Health Therapist who is expanding and learning everyday to help make therapy a safe and engaging place for you!
Vanessa Marroquin-Matias, LMSW
Vanessa is a Spanish speaking, culturally sensitive therapist who is committed to accompanying clients through their unique healing journeys. She believes that the client-therapist relationship is at the heart of the therapeutic process and in collaboration with her clients, facilitates a safe, compassionate, and empowering space. Vanessa’s approach is informed by psychodynamic, relational, strengths-based, and somatic elements integrated to ensure a holistic healing environment. She has experience working with clients from underrepresented communities and has worked with clients who have experienced relational/intergenerational trauma, migration-related trauma, and clients who experienced other traumatic events, anxiety, depression, and issues related to gender and sexuality. Vanessa welcomes you to work together and is excited to be a witness to your growth!
Jessica Kennedy, Therapist
Would you like someone to walk this healing journey with you as you transcend your pain and rediscover yourself? Dedicated to guiding her clients along their unique paths, Jessica Kennedy is a therapist who strives to gently awaken hope in her clients. She works from an integrated psychodynamic approach where she helps you identify the root of the problem and the core pain you have been experiencing. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Experiential, and Solution-Focused Therapy. As part of her approach, she incorporates elements of Guided Visualization, Inner Child Healing, Narrative Therapy, and Coaching. Embarking on the therapeutic journey with Jessica can help you grow, befriend your emotions, and find your inner glow.
Natasha Williams, LMSW
Natasha is a Black American psychotherapist of Caribbean descent. She works with individuals who experience behavioral and emotional issues, such as anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, trauma, depression, mood disorders, ADHD, and other emotional challenges. She also engages couples in counseling to resolve conflicts and strengthen relationships.
Natasha will offer you tools to enhance your wellbeing through a compassionate, warm, and non-judgmental therapeutic alliance by helping you to dissect, heal, and rebuild your self-image, improve interpersonal, and emotional behaviors, thus strengthening your ability to manage relationships outside of therapy.
Natasha strives to provide holistic approaches to psychosocial care. No matter how complex your situation may seem, she is committed to helping you reach your goals in therapy and will guide you on your journey to a healthier, happier life.
Yvonne Perez, LMSW
Yvonne is a Spanish speaking therapist. Yvonne believes that veryone deserves a safe space to talk about their thoughts and emotions. To be heard. To be prompted into their own realization of what is happening in their present for guidance on what to do next. The daily hustle filled with demanding expectations from work, family, school, friends, or loved ones can make one feel lost and/or hopeless. But it should not be that way. She believes that most things happen with reason. It is a matter of taking a pause to listen and tap into our bodies and minds to realize the reason to bring peace and joy to our lives.
Yvonne is an empathetic listener and will take your lead. She takes a person-centered, strength-based approach with a keen appreciation to your cultural and historical perspective and experiences. Yvonne uses principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to empower you to realize that you have control of yourself and the power to make transformational changes to improve your lifestyle. Hablo español!
Karina Babina, MHC-I
Karina (she/her) is a Ukrainian and Russian speaking Mental Health Counselor-I. Karina believes in a supportive approach and collaboration in therapy. She looks to foster an inclusive and nonjudgmental environment with her clients. Karina takes a culturally sensitive approach tailored to the combination of who you are, what you bring into the room, and where you want to be. She works with children, adolescents, adults and couples.
Ellen Volfson, LMSW
Ellen is a bilingual in English and Russian therapist, who incorporates holistic and personalized approach for each client. She thrives to provide a warm and nonjudgmental environment to foster strong therapeutic relationship with emphasis on trust and acceptance. Ellen specializes in helping people work through past trauma, current challenges, and a range of emotional disturbances that disrupt functioning in daily life. She works with kids, teens and adults.
Yelena Zaychik, LMHC
Yelena is a Mental Health Counselor who utilizes a variety of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral, Emotionally Focused, Gestalt, and Psychodynamic.
Yelena has been trained in EMDR, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), anger management, trauma and PTSD, brainspotting, hypnotherapy and clinical sexology. She works with individuals and couples employing Gottman’s and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) techniques.
Yelena is bilingual in Russian and English.
Bianca Shmulevich, LMSW
Bianca uses compassion, collaboration, and a non judgmental approach to assist clients with overcoming personal challenges, old patterns, and life transitions.
Bianca has experience working with all ages struggling with various challenges including loss, trauma, parenting, postpartum, chronic health conditions, divorce, depression, body image, self esteem, family conflict, and anxiety.
Bianca believes that the therapeutic relationship can be a strong source of healing and engages in a variety of therapeutic techniques including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT), strength based perspective along with a blend of integrative and person centered therapies. Bianca is LGBTQ+ informed.
Bianca is originally from Brooklyn and is a second generation American whose parents emigrated from Ukraine and Poland. This gives Bianca a personal understanding of post-migration related challenges as well as intergenerational trauma dynamics.