Our Team

Alissa (she/her) is a Columbia University-trained psychotherapist and post-graduate trained psychoanalyst with over 13 years of experience. She holds three year postgraduate certificates in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, couples therapy, and is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples. Alissa is on the faculty in the Couple Therapy program at Training Institute for Mental Health and is adjunct faculty at New York University, Silver School of Social Work.

Alissa’s approach is warm and empathic. She collaborates with her patients to identify their subjective experiences, locate the feelings that are underneath, and put language to it. Alissa holds the perspective that change is not possible without a new emotional experience.

Before becoming a psychotherapist, Alissa received a BA and MA in English. Alissa believes we tell a story to ourselves about ourselves. Part of the work of therapy is to discover the story one has told about the self, and craft one’s story of life ahead.

Lola (she/her) holds a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work from NYU and is certified in NADA acupuncture protocol. She has specialized training in Couples Therapy from the Sarah Meehan Training Institute for Mental Health . Lola has also received training in Internal Family Systems, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Eye Movement Rapid Desensitization for trauma recovery from renowned training programs. Lola works with her clients in the mind-body connection and draws from Qi Gong, Yoga, and Mindful Somatic approaches in trauma-informed care. Before deciding to become a therapist, Lola took coursework and clinical placements in nursing and brings physiology/anatomy knowledge to her work. She has also been involved in research regarding the efficacy of psychedelics for mental health care.

Lola’s theoretical approach is as an integrationist who draws from Evidence Based Therapy such as Gestalt Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. Lola has successfully worked with clients ranging in ethnic and racial backgrounds, and fosters an anti-oppressive, anti-racist approach to therapy. Lola sees therapy as a sacred and personalized experience, emphasizing the client’s own goals and personalized needs. Lola accepts you wherever you are in your own life path and will work with you to co-create an authentic, healing relationship necessary to grow both in and outside of the therapeutic space. Lola is also currently pursuing an additional four year program in Self - Psychology and prides herself on being an ever improving therapist for her clients.

Brian (he/him) holds a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from NYU. Brian identifies as a gay/queer man and specializes in psychotherapy relating to sexuality, attachment, and trauma. He has training in affirming care around gender and sexuality, psychodynamic psychotherapy, Safety and Attachment Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (SAFE EMDR), Emotion Focused Therapy for couples, and is a fellow in the couple’s therapy program at the Training Institute for Mental Health.

Before becoming a therapist, Brian served as a lobbyist advocating for sexual and reproductive health for adolescents and young people in countries receiving U.S. foreign aid and later worked in management consulting, publishing, and community mental health. Having worked in larger social justice movements, Brian sees psychotherapy as an integral part of building a more just society, as it supports individuals and relationships in developing the self-understanding and compassion necessary for healing, growth, and change.

In sessions, Brian sees all clients as whole persons – with family, social lives, professional responsibilities and goals, sexual desires, physical needs, spiritual perspectives, and multiple intersecting identities, all of which need airtime in the therapeutic journey. From the first session, Brian works to build each client relationship on a foundation of warmth, empathy, acceptance, and curiosity to cultivate the safety and trust needed for clients to engage with their emotions, explore their truths, and find meaning in their experiences. Brian emphasizes a psychoanalytic approach to support clients in integrating unconscious needs and motivations into their conscious awareness, ultimately increasing self-compassion, and improving emotional regulation and behavioral decision-making.

Brian has specialized training and expertise in working with: gender, sexuality, LGBTQIA+ identifying people, poly/non-monogamy, kink, trauma, fetish sexualities, sexual compulsion, sexual inhibitions, solosexuality, sex work, parents and caregivers of LGBTQIA+ individuals, spirituality, online dating/hook-up apps, relationship lifecycle, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, body dysmorphia, aging, assertiveness, political activism, professional development and satisfaction, W/white accountability and antiracist culture, and self-actualization.

Vikram (he/him) earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. He is currently completing coursework in interpersonal and relational psychoanalysis at the Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis (MIP) in the One Year Certificate Program: Psychoanalysis and the Sociopolitical World. His approach as a therapist is to collaboratively work with his clients to create a warm and open space. He believes that healing and growth can happen in relationship with others, therefore, he emphasizes the importance of building a trusting therapeutic relationship, which is an ongoing work in progress.

Vikram approaches the work with a curiosity in which both the client and therapist can build meaning of the experiences, narratives, and stories that are brought in. He recognizes how vulnerable it can feel to express the tender parts of ourselves, and as a result, we may even abandon ourselves due to the feelings of overwhelm. However, the therapeutic process can be a mirror for how we show up for ourselves — as we build safety and capacity in the therapy room, you may simultaneously realize that you hold much more safety and capacity within yourself. Together, we will work to find your inner sense of safety and self-compassion, and new ways to transcend the obstacles that are holding you back.

Vikram is a queer South Asian and a child of Indian-Punjabi immigrants. He has experience working with immigrants, veterans, survivors of torture, LGBTQIA+ individuals and has worked with issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, chronic pain, life transitions, sexual assault, loneliness, dating, sexuality, men’s issues, and spirituality. He also has a special interest in working with children of immigrants, third culture individuals (TCI), performing artists, creatives, and intersectional identities. Vikram draws from perspectives such as psychodynamic theories, mindfulness, and existentialism.

Prior to becoming a therapist, Vikram worked as an opera singer and has completed a Master of Music degree. He is an artist and creative, and enjoys exploring different modalities of expression, including poetry, pottery, and body movement. 

Molli (she/her) is passionate about human connection, and strongly believes in the power of healing through self study. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from NYU, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama from NYU Tisch, a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification from The Collective School of Yoga, and has received psychoanalytic and EFT training.

Molli focuses her work on helping women navigate the landscapes of emerging adulthood. Emerging adulthood is the transitional part of life when you go, “Wait.. who am I and what am I doing?” This time in life can be confusing and daunting, as you are expected to manage friendships, relationships, work, family, future planning, and city life, all while trying to figure out who the heck you are. Take a breath– you don’t have to do it alone.

Molli also specializes in eating disorders, body dysmorphia, disconnection of mind and body, the relationship of the body and sex, restrictive eating, binging, over-exercising, and other body image related behaviors. She understands that it’s not just about food and weight, it’s about everything that can come along with these behaviors: depression, anxiety, perfectionism, shame, rage, fear of abandonment, and repression of emotions, among many others.

Therapy is a deeply personal and intimate experience, and Molli leads with the heart to create an open, understanding, collaborative relationship with clients. She values the exploration of our foundational relationships in order to better understand how we feel and act within our current reality. Her approach to therapy marries both Eastern and Western philosophies of healing, valuing the attunement of mind, body and spirit, and relying on this connection to guide the evolution of each individual’s therapeutic path. She understands the uniqueness of each person’s journey, and will work with you to build a kind, safe, restorative relationship that will foster your journey of healing and self-discovery.

Lianna (she/her) holds a MSW degree from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College with a clinical focus on family and couples therapy. Her approach to psychotherapy is rooted in attachment and psychodynamic theory, exploring how past experiences, relationships, and one’s unconscious shapes their perception of the present. Lianna believes in empathetic and strengths-based therapy; while many individuals seek therapy to address their “problem[s],” Lianna focuses equally on what is working for her clients as they work together to develop committed actions for a richer, more authentic, meaningful life.

These days, moving through life can feel like a performance; an enduring struggle to prove that things are not only okay, but seemingly perfect. Lianna strives to create a supportive, non-judgmental space in which individuals feel comfortable dropping (what she calls) “the act.” In fostering a safe environment for honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability, Lianna meets clients where they are while supporting them in achieving their goals.

Having previously worked as a journalist and television producer, Lianna encourages clients to reflect on the stories they tell about themselves, question their validity, and rewrite old scripts that no longer serve them. Now a licensed social worker, Lianna recognizes the ways in which environments, systems, and social context often impact these stories and brings this perspective to her practice.

Lianna has experience working in community mental health settings with a diverse population of clients including children, adolescents, and adults. She’s helped her clients navigate a wide variety of challenges including depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia, trauma of all kinds, difficult relationships, chronic illness, and grief/loss.

Nina earned an LMSW from the Columbia School of Social Work (CSSW), a BA from Yale College, where she studied literature, art history and theater, and a degree in interior design from Parsons. She is currently a candidate in psychoanalysis at the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Study Center, and has studied DBT, narrative therapy, mindfulness practices and vagal nerve regulation. She was also a founding member of CSSW’s Psychedelic Caucus. Nina’s practice is dedicated to the co-creation of a flexible, intuitive, compassionate space, rooted in trust and reciprocity, and committed to the achievement of actual, durable change.

Therapeutic interpretations and insights, though often essential and even revealing, are usually not enough. Nina works with individuals and couples to unearth what lies beyond or beneath what can be thought and known, with her ears open for the small but telling clues which, once discovered and explored, can lead to real relief and release.

Nina has worked with clients through sadness, rumination, avoidance and ambivalence, the ache of trauma, the residue of exploitation, and the rage and anguish of a loathed, un-fed body. Through this work, she has been honored to participate in journeys of revelation, healing, and self-discovery.

Beyond her psychotherapeutic training, Nina’s work is informed by her background in the arts, her love of literature, history and music, her dedication to political activism and advocacy in the service of social justice and liberation, and her parenting of four children. Additionally, Nina’s practice fundamentally reflects the ethics and values of social work, in that she believes we humans are indivisible from our current and historical environments, and are invariably impacted by the systemic oppressions and marginalizations which may perpetuate feelings of powerlessness, rage and despair. She believes that no real healing is possible without consideration of how the greater world, in all its whirling, vibrant delights and polarizing, grievous challenges, impacts our daily lived experience.

Tammy (she/her) holds a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northcentral University, specializing in adult individuals and couples. She is passionate about fostering self-awareness and emotional intimacy in a way to create lasting change in clients' lives and relationships. Tammy is devoted to creating a safe space for clients to explore and heal the various “parts” of themselves. She also guides couples to transform negative patterns to create greater security, trust, and intimacy in their relationship.

Tammy’s therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and grounded in experiential and systemic theory. She encourages and sometimes caringly challenges clients to discover their authentic selves. Tammy has advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and is a Prepare Enrich facilitator. She has also completed trainings to address challenges such as complex PTSD, anxious grief, infidelity and betrayal, and mismatched sexual desire.

Beyond her clinical training and experience, Tammy holds a BS in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from the University of California San Diego. She has worked in marketing, management, and account management, and has helped facilitate counseling seminars. These experiences have honed her skills in strategic problem-solving and interpersonal relationships, which further allows her to make meaningful connections and provide effective support in her practice.

Whether you are experiencing relationship issues, processing a traumatic experience, exploring your sexuality, or simply seeking to get to know yourself better, psychotherapy is a wonderful place to foster personal growth.

Kelsey (she/they) holds a Masters in Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College with a clinical focus in sexuality, gender, and psychoanalysis. Her approach to therapy is insight-oriented and mindful, taking a closer look at how past experiences, unconscious thoughts, and environmental factors affect the present. Using self psychology and attachment based theories, Kelsey strives to foster a nonjudgmental, empathetic, and authentic therapeutic relationship that creates a safe space for free expression and self exploration.

Kelsey believes that psychotherapy should be holistic, and considers every person’s uniqueness in its totality to be a strength in this intimate process. She brings her true self to therapy - sense of humor and all - and cultivates a warm environment for clients to feel comfortable to do the same.

Kelsey has experience working with people of all ages and walks of life, including new parents, older adults, caregivers of older adults, children, folks experiencing homelessness, and more.

She has been honored to have helped clients navigate complex trauma, relationship issues and patterns, depression, anxiety, life transitions, grief, sex and sexuality, queerness, chronic illness, and issues relating to racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and discrimination. Kelsey utilizes anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and trauma-informed lenses in her practice, and has values rooted in social justice. She is also passionate about gender inclusivity in reproductive and sexual healthcare spaces, and has written at length about this topic.

Kelsey worked as a professional musician and performer before becoming a psychotherapist, and loves bringing creativity into the therapeutic space. She identifies as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and enjoys working with people who share similar identities.

Nora (she/her) holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. Nora aims to create a warm, collaborative, and non-judgmental space to empower both individuals and couples to explore growth and healing.

Her approach is rooted in psychodynamic and attachment theory, with a specific interest in how early relationships shape our emotional lives. She also places a strong emphasis on somatic theory and the body-mind connection in her work. She aims to empower clients to gain insight into their emotional patterns, heal past wounds, and cultivate more meaningful and satisfying relationships.

She looks at her clients holistically, with multiple influences that need tending to in the therapy room. Working from an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed lens is a priority for her practice. She works with clients on a wide range of issues, including relationship issues, anxiety, depression, chronic illness, trauma, and grief and loss.

Before becoming a therapist, Nora received an MA in French Literature and Art History and holds a 200-hour teacher training in yoga. She has trained extensively in meditation, breathwork, somatic movement, and trauma-informed training. She is also a certified nutrition coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and the Academy of Holistic Nutrition. She brings what she has learned in these modalities to her therapy practice.

Nora has also worked in film and TV and knows how powerful it can be to tell one’s story and be witnessed in it; this understanding helps to inform her practice. When not working with clients, Nora writes, teaches a somatic movement method called Body Temple Dance, and hosts the podcast So, Life Wants You Dead about the intersection of illness and creativity.

Niloo is a New York University trained psychotherapist with 8+ years of postgrad experience. She is a Psychoanalytic Candidate at The Training Institute for Mental Health.

Niloo’s psychodynamic approach is to form a strong non-judgmental therapeutic alliance using empathic stance. She engages in both psychoanalysis and self-psychology theoretical approaches to collaboratively explore the subjective self. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, self esteem and/or self image issues, feelings of sadness and guilt, loss and grief, a strong therapeutic relationship can be your direct path to a fulfilling self-growth journey.

Niloo’s warm, supportive, and compassionate therapeutic style allows for a safe holding environment where unconscious and subconscious thoughts and feelings are welcomed as defense mechanisms lower down. This opens up opportunities to get to know both the relational attachments as well as maladaptive patterns no longer serving you. There is so much empowerment in the exploration of the unknown unconscious. Let’s dive into that world together so you can get closer to living your true authentic self.

Rebecca (she/her) holds an MSW degree from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and has received specialized training in trauma-informed care, EMDR and expressive arts therapies. Her approach is based on a foundation of attachment and psychodynamic theory, exploring how past experiences, relationships and unconscious thoughts show up in the present. As a social worker, Rebecca recognizes the importance of identity, culture, and embodied experience within the mental health context, and brings this perspective to her practice. She has worked with a range of clients to address issues, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, self-esteem, relationships, life transitions, chronic pain, ADHD, and grief.

Rebecca believes that if we are brave enough to open ourselves to change, our painful experiences can become gateways to personal transformation. She sees therapy as a collaborative effort, an exchange of perspectives and emotions through which new meaning is created together. She approaches each client with humility and deep respect for their unique lived experiences. Your cues will guide the direction and pace of the work done together.

Her previous experience in advertising and documentary film informs her understanding of narrative, human behavior, and the transformative potential of putting thoughts and feelings into words. The stories we tell both reflect and shape how we see ourselves and the world. This belief is at the heart of her clinical practice.

Rebecca identifies as a creative and highly sensitive person (HSP) and enjoys working with clients who share these traits.

Sally (she/her) holds a Master of Science in Art Psychotherapy and provides both traditional verbal therapy and art therapy. She has specialized training in Experiential Dynamic Therapies and focuses on trauma-informed and psychodynamic approaches, examining how past experiences may affect present ones. As a queer, disabled person, Sally’s therapeutic approach emphasizes human connection, collaboration, and fostering a sense of safety and empowerment.

Therapy can feel daunting, especially when experiences are too difficult or exhausting to initially put into words. However, working as a team can alleviate some of that fear and pressure. Sally strives to work through an anti-oppressive lens, proactively addressing what she might represent as a white cisgender therapist. She is direct, uses humor, and acknowledges the “inconvenient” parts of healing while also providing encouragement and hope when it may be difficult for clients to find their own. With a focus on collaboration, Sally believes that honoring her clients’ perspectives and knowledge is essential to providing successful and individualized support.

Sally emphasizes the importance of communication beyond verbal connection. She specializes in working with individuals coping with anxiety, interpersonal conflicts, relationship issues, functional neurological disorder, complex trauma, chronic illness and chronic pain.

Sally has guest lectured at the Columbia School of Social Work and has been featured in the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) online magazine. Her 2021 interview with AATA can be read here.

Chris (he/him) holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, with an additional specialization in sexuality and gender. He views therapy as a collaborative relationship based on trust, curiosity, humility, and respect, and strives to co-create a safe space in which to explore and identify sources of suffering and embark on processes of healing and growth.

Chris works with clients of diverse and intersecting identities and a wide array of concerns, including, among others, members of the full spectrum of LGBTQIA+ communities and military veterans. He is dedicated to practices that support racial justice, inclusivity, and LGBTQ+ affirmations, and uses a variety of methods including understanding trauma, cultural responsiveness, and psychodynamic theory. Essentially, he values the unique and evolving relationship between therapist and client. He helps clients explore and address both their unconscious motivations and conscious goals, working with issues such as anxiety, depression, life and career challenges, trauma, grief, shame, anger, chronic pain, and matters related to sexuality and gender.

Before becoming a therapist, Chris worked in arts marketing and communications across the corporate, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors. He collaborated with a range of artists, companies, and organizations in understanding each of their identities and crafting narratives to articulate them. Chris brings his past professional experience into his therapeutic work, where existing personal narratives can be explored, articulated through language, and expanded. 

Antonina (Nina) Vargas (she/her) holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and has specialized training in Couples Therapy from the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy. As a Colombian-American therapist, Nina brings a rich cultural perspective to her practice. Before becoming a therapist, she studied theater, a background that enhances her ability to explore the complex narratives of her clients' lives.

For therapeutic work to be successful, clients must feel safe with and respected by their therapist. Whether you are navigating anxiety, depression, neurodiversity, life transitions, the effects of trauma, difficult relationships, or are unsure of your therapeutic goals, Nina is committed to fostering a safe environment to identify areas to promote change and transformation.

For couples seeking therapy, Nina offers a compassionate and collaborative approach to help partners deepen their connection and manage conflicts. She is dedicated to helping couples uncover the sources of their struggles, explore the deeper roots of repetitive patterns, improve communication, and enhance intimacy.

Drawing from a range of approaches—including Emotionally Focused Therapy, Attachment Theory, Psychodynamic Theory, and Somatic Therapies—Nina creates a supportive, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their experiences and develop new ways of understanding themselves and, for couples, each other.