About Us

Gara Steinfeld, M.A. Ed.M, LMHC, LPC, CSAt, EMDR certified, Certified eating disorder coach

When asked what made me choose this career I say “I didn’t choose it- it chose me”.

I studied psychology at Florida State University, never changing my major once. I also studied criminology. Many of these classes were my favorite because they focused on deviance and the people who don’t conform to the straight and narrow. These are my people. Because choosing authenticity and healing is rebellious.

The courage it takes to let go of dysfunctional behaviors and addictions is insurmountable. I am more proud of my healing than I am my two master’s degrees from an Ivy League school.

I studied holistic wellness at NYU and received a master’s degree in counseling psychology and a masters degree in education from Columbia University. I also studied mindfulness at a mindful recovery center in Thailand, Gestalt at Esalen Institute, trauma treatment with Bessel Van Der Kolk at Kripalu, Pia Mellody’s Post Induction Therapy, and sex addiction with IITAP (the international institute for trauma and addiction professionals). The list goes on.

My approach is compassionate, nonjudgmental, and empowering.

I am not the type of therapist  that is going to simply say “how does that make you feel” and nod silently as you talk the entire session completely disconnected from your body and then send you on your way. Nope. That’s not what you’re going to get here so if that’s what you’re looking for, you got the wrong one.

I am going to hold you accountable, tell you the truth in a loving, easily digestible way so that we can address and heal unresolved childhood wounds. There is a somatic component to this work, meaning that we include the body (this is where trauma is stored and where we experience emotions as sensations). It’s experiential in nature, meaning sometimes we get a little weird and you may find yourself talking to an empty chair or your “inner child”. I promise there’s a method to the madness.

Arielle Lazar, MSW, Registered Clinical Social Work Intern, emdr trained

Arielle is a Master’s level clinician and Registered Clinical Social Work Intern specializing in treating addiction, PTSD/CPTSD, anxiety, depression, and codependency. She received her MSW from Barry University’s School of Social Work in Miami, FL, where she was educated in the neurobiological infrastructure of trauma. She completed her clinical practicum in co-occurring disorders in inpatient residential and partial hospitalization treatment programs.

Arielle uses trauma-focused modalities, such as EMDR, Inner-Child Work, Gestalt, and DBT. Her training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) has provided Arielle with the ability to help her clients access the innate healing nature of their bodies and subconscious in ways that conventional talk therapy cannot.

Her aim is to use her skills to help her clients tap into the power within and sustain a healthier way of being. Arielle believes that therapy is not about delving into the past in detail but uncovering the ways the past has continued to live inside us and show up in the present. Arielle will work with you where you’re at and provide a unique experience that is specific to your needs. Sometimes this means getting uncomfortable and facing some painful thoughts and feelings, but you will never leave her office feeling dysregulated or unsupported. Her approach is sincere, warm-hearted, and authentic. She will provide you with a secure space to uncover, understand, and truly heal.

 AMBER SUTLIFF, Licensed mental health counselor, M.ED, emdr trained

 

Hi, I’m Amber! My main goal as a therapist is helping others recognize their worth. I am passionate about treating trauma because I know how painful experiences can warp your perception and convince you that you are not the person you are truly capable of being. When someone is living half in the present and half in the past, they tend to turn to self-sabotage to prove their negative core beliefs “right”. I believe that the goal of therapy is helping someone recognize that pattern so that they can change it and find more meaning in life. 

This work is not merely a career to me but a big part of what makes me, me. Through my own journey with my mental health, I fell in love with therapy and became a bit of a therapy nerd. When I am not in sessions, I love to find any extra trainings and learning seminars I can. I have done trainings in EMDR, somatic experiencing, psychodrama, IFS, and DBT. My approach is through an experiential lens, meaning that I believe healing comes from reconnecting with the version of our self who experienced trauma. The goal is to learn to build trust again, both within our self and for others. This involves listening to our bodies, trusting in our ability to sit with the emotions we’ve been afraid to feel, and rebuild our relationships (especially the relationship with the self). 

I work with preteens, adolescents, and adults (ages 11 and up) who have learned to cope with difficult experiences by using maladaptive (not so helpful) behaviors. I specialize in complex trauma, eating disorders, body image distress, self-harm, codependency, relationship challenges, obsessions/compulsions, depression, and anxiety. I offer individual and group therapy, as well as family sessions for clients who want to include their loved ones in their work or parents/caregivers who are supporting their children. I have extensive experience with eating disorders and am extremely passionate about helping others find comfort and safety within their bodies. 

I pursued my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University where I returned and earned my masters in clinical mental health counseling. I have worked in residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient settings for those with eating disorders, substance use, and mood/psychotic disorders, where I learned to recognize the effects of complex trauma and the symptoms that manifest as a result. 

I am a firm believer that healing comes from finding meaning and connection. I am going to encourage you to push yourself to recognize how you are carrying your past so you can come to terms with it, and learn to believe you don’t deserve to stay there. This work comes with getting to know and reconnecting with the different parts of yourself who had to survive those difficult times.

My goal is to help you work towards forming a new relationship with other people, food, your body, your emotions, and, most importantly, yourself. 

Joshua welz, ma, somatic experiencing practitioner, registered yoga teacher, brainspotting practitioner, marriage and family therapist intern,

Inspiration is found, for me, in the privilege to serve as a bridge between fragmentation and completion, between the body and mind, and between spirit with matter.
My educational and training background includes a Masters of Psychology, a Masters of Divinity, alongside a strong emphasis on understanding the biology of trauma through the disciplines of Somatic Experiencing, Neuroaffective Touch, as well as Touch Skills. Included in this approach is understanding the movement of the body through Kripalu as an RYT, and Somatic Movement Center, which includes exercises and calibrations which support the integration of somatic principles. Furthermore, my understanding of attachment, dissociative experiences, classical diagnosis, spiritual and religious experiences, and a philosophy of each science that creates an atmosphere of attuned listening, careful tracking of the body, and developing the awareness of the innate potential of the individual to transcend limitations, and, at last, come home.
However, it is my humanity that has challenged me to find my footing from chronic illness of an autoimmune disorder, to my own journey from childhood to adulthood, fraught with challenges, yet  having taught me to look lovingly upon myself with endless compassion, forgiveness, grace, humility, and kindness, and it is with that same indelible experience that I continuously and consistently offer my presence to those I sit with.
Creativity can be found in the ability to integrate and contact multiple lines of learning, training, and personal experience, coupled with a skilled approach to weaving these layers together. It is my hope that together we can create the ingredients to facilitate growth, happiness and health.
“Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.           – Rainer Maria Rilke

 

christopher collins, licensed clinical social worker, emdr certified, mcap, certified sex addiction therapist (CSAT) candidate  

“Tell me what you fear and I will tell you what has happened to you.” – Donald Woods Winnicott
 
I am an EMDR certified therapist who specializes in trauma, PTSD, and complex PTSD (C-PTSD). In my therapeutic practice, I believe in a holistic and compassionate approach to healing trauma and the means with which we medicate our pain. Each individual brings a unique story shaped by their experiences, the messages they received, and the beliefs that developed. My primary goal is to create a safe and trusting environment where clients feel empowered to explore their pain and write new narratives – letting go of what no longer serves them. I utilize evidence-based practices that foster resilience and self-compassion. By focusing on the individual’s strengths, I guide them to take an active role in their recovery journey, recognizing that they are the experts of their own lives. I understand that healing is not just about addressing symptoms but also about building healthy relationships with self and others. At its core, trauma disrupts connection. I believe that what was wounded in relationships can also be healed in relationships. I prioritize cultural sensitivity and relational healing, recognizing the profound impact of interpersonal dynamics on your journey. 
 
“The question is not why the addiction, but why the pain.” – Dr. Gabor Mate
 
I have been working in the substance use feild since 2015. During my work, I discovered that a person does not need a drink or a drug to numb. There are many ways people can medicate. I also believe that most of these ways of coping were once adaptive; however, over time they became the very thing that took us away from the safety they once provided. In addition to substance use, I also work with compulsive sexual behaviors, love addiction, and pornography addiction. In addition, I also work with the families and betrayed partners of sex addicts and substance users. Utilizing a variety of therapeutic techniques, I support individuals, couples, and families in navigating the complexities of addiction, fostering healthy relationships, and rebuilding trust. My goal is to guide clients on their journey toward healing and personal growth, helping them develop the skills they need for lasting change. I love working with the person who is on day one of recovery and has no idea what to do, or the person at their 10000th day of recovery and is wondering “what’s next?” 
 
“Grief is like the ocean; It comes in waves; ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” – Vicki Harrison
 
In addition to trauma and addiction, I also work with grief and loss, traumatic loss, and prolonged bereavement. Continued Bonds tells us that the relationship does not end, it just changes. It is a privilege that I get to help people navigate a new relationship with someone they lost. White in my post grad, I completed my internship working in hospice and bereavement. There I found a deep passion for working with death, dying, and the effect that this process has on those who love. 
 
Please give me a call, shoot a text/email, and let’s schedule a free consultation where we can explore if this is the right fit. I look forward to talking with you soon.