It’s not about us

We still feel it’s important for you to know who we are and what we do

Meet The Team

We believe it “takes a village” for a community to thrive. Our team took their experiences in education and life and created Collaborative to tackle even the most toughest of challenges.

Please feel free to search for your service, location or insurance provider. You may also book with a provider on their profiles below.

Frances Zhang, BS

Position: Clinical Intern
Phone: (929) 556-4936
Email: frances.zhang@collaborative-people.com
Areas of Work: *Out of Network*, 12- Step Friendly, Adaptive Mentalization based integrative treatment, Addiction Counseling, Additional Areas of Specialization, Adjustment Disorder, Adolescent / Teen Issues, Adults (25-64), Alcohol Use, Anger Management, Art Therapy, Asexual, Attachment Theory, Behavioral Therapy, Bereavement / Grief Counseling, Bisexual, Body Positivity/Health at every size, Body-Focused Therapy (ex: Tapping), Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), Buddhist, Burnout, Career-Related Stress, Christian, Cigna, Coaching, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Insomnia (CBT-I), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD (CPT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) , Compassion Fatigue, Couples (Relationship Therapy), Creative/Expressive Arts Therapy, Cultural Diversity Issues, Culturally Sensitive, Dating, Depression, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emerging Adulthood, Emotionally Focused Therapy, English, Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Family Therapy, Fear of Failure, Female Identifying, Fidelis, Gay, Gestalt Therapy, Group Therapy, Group Therapy, Harm Reduction Therapy, Hindu, Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy, Imposter Syndrome, Individual Therapy, Interpersonal, Lesbian, Level 1 Clinician, LGBT Care, LGBTQIA+, Life Transitions, Mandarin, Marriage Counseling, Masculinity-Related Stress, Mindful-Based Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Music Therapy, Non-Binary, Nonreligious, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Open Relationships/Non-Monogomy, Pansexual, Person Centered (Rogerian), Positive Psychology, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Counseling, Pre-Move In Couples Counseling, Procrastination, Psychedelic Integration, Psychedelic Integration Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Queer, Queer-Competent, Racial Justice Framework, Racism Issues, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Reiki, Relationship Struggles / Issues, Romantic Life, Self-Harm / Injury, Seniors (65+), Sex Worker Positive, Social Anxiety Disorder, Somatic Therapy, Spirituality, Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy (SIP), Straight, Strength-Based Therapy, Stress, Stress Management, Teenagers/Adolescents (13-17), Trans-Competant, Women's Health, Women's Issues / Obstacles, Young Adulthood, Young Adults (18-24)
Location: 5th Avenue, New York, Tele-Health/Virtual

Frances (she/her) holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Child-Adolescent Mental Studies from New York University. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Psychological Counseling and an Ed.M in Mental Health Counseling at Columbia University.

Her counseling style is client-centered, with a touch of humor and passion. Frances celebrates the courage of her clients and deeply values the intersectional complexities of our lived experiences. Tailoring treatment plans to each unique individual, she works from an eclectic framework, including Cognitive-Behavioral, Emotion-focused and mindfulness approaches.

Frances is comfortable addressing a wide range of concerns, including assisting those grappling with anxiety, depression, family or romantic relationship issues, career burnout, life adjustments, and other specific challenges faced by AAPI Queer individuals.

Born in China, Frances brings an international perspective to her work and is fluent in both English and Mandarin. She offers Mandarin counseling services upon request. Her curiosity and open-mindedness have driven her to study, research and work within both East Asian and U.S. communities.

Frances aspires to be a therapist who walks alongside her clients, sharing in their laughter, tears, and moments of growth. In her leisure time, she enjoys listening to music, walking her furry friend “Chips”, and traveling to islands with abundant sunlight!

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Frances Zhang, BS

Clinical Intern

Frances (she/her) holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Child-Adolescent...

Greiny Rodriguez, MS, LMSW

Position: Psychotherapist
Phone: (929) 552-4142
Email: greiny.rodriguez@collaborative-people.com
Areas of Work: *Out of Network*, Abstinence Based Psychotherapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Addiction Counseling, Adolescent / Teen Issues, Adoption Counseling, Adults (25-64), Afflictions, Alternatives for Families - A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy AF-CBT, Anxiety Disorders, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Art Therapy, Attachment-Based Family therapy (ABFT), Behavioral Therapy, Bereavement / Grief Counseling, Bisexual, Bisexual, Body-Focused Therapy (ex: Tapping), Chemical Dependency Assessments, Child, Child Abuse Consultation, Child and Parent Interaction Therapy, Childhood Trauma, Children (<13), Christian, Cigna, Client Centered Therapy/Rogerian Therapy, Clinical Supervision and Licensed Supervisors, Coaching, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Insomnia (CBT-I), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD (CPT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) , Compassion Focused, Confidence Issues, Contextual Family therapy, Coping Mechanism Development, Couples Conflict Resolution, Court Evaluations, Creative/Expressive Arts Therapy, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, Crisis Intervention, Crisis Intervention, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD), Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), Culturally Sensitive, Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT), Dating, Deep Transcanial Magnetic Stimulation (D-TMS), Depression, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Divorce Counseling, Drama Therapy, Dream Analysis, Dual Diagnosis, Early Childhood Trauma, Eclectic, Emotion Regulaton Therapy (ERT), Emotion-Focused Family therapy (EFFT), Emotionally Focused Therapy, Existential Therapy, Exposure & Response Prevention (ExRP) Therapy, Family, Family Conflicts / Issues, Family constellations, Family Dynamics / Systems, Family Systems, Family Therapy, Female Identifying, Feminist, Fertility Counseling, Forensic Psychology, Foster Care Counseling, Gay, Gay, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Gestalt Therapy, Group Therapy, Group Therapy, Harm Reduction Therapy, Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy, Immigration Psychological Evaluation, Individual Therapy, Integrative Psychotherapy, Intergenerational Trauma, Internal Family systems (IFS), Interpersonal, Intervention, Ketamine, Ketamine assisted therapy, Lesbian, Lesbian, Level 2 Clinician, LGBT Care, LGBTQIA+, Life Transitions, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Male Identifying, Marital, Marriage Conflict Resolution, Marriage Counseling, Meaning-Centered Therapy, Mental Health Consultation, Mental Health Problem / Illness, Mentalization Based Treatment, Mentalization Based Treatment for Adolecents (MBT-A), Mentalization Based Treatment for Children (MBT-C), Mentalization Based Treatment for Families (MBT-F), Mindful-Based Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Money-Related Stress, Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Multicultural Therapy, Multisystemic Therapy (MST), Music Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Neuro-Linguistic, Neurofeedback Training, Neuroscience, Non-Binary, Nonreligious, Panic Disorder, Parent-Child Interaction (PCIT) Person-Centered, Pediatric Anger Management, Person Centered (Rogerian), Play Therapy, Positive Psychology, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Counseling, Pre-Move In Couples Counseling, Premarital Conflict Resolution, Premarital Counseling, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Prenuptial Counseling, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Psychedelic Integration, Psychoanalytic, Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Therapy, Psychobiological Approach Couple Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Psychological Testing and Evaluation, Queer, Racial Justice Framework, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Reality Therapy, Recovery-Oriented Care, Regression Therapy, Relapse Prevention Therapy, Relational, Relational Therapy, Relationship Struggles / Issues, Romantic Life, Safety Planning, Sandplay / Sand Tray Therapy, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Reflection, Sex Therapy, Sex Worker Positive, Sexual Abuse counseling, Sibling-Related Stress, Social Skills Training (SST), Social Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Somatic Therapy, Straight, Strength-Based Therapy, Stress Management, Structural Family Therapy, Teenagers/Adolescents (13-17), Validation Therapy, Vulnerability, Walk and Talk Therapy or OutdoorTherapy, Weight Loss Therapy, Women's Health, Women's Issues / Obstacles, Women's Issues Therapy, Work-Related Counseling, Worry, Young Adulthood, Young Adults (18-24)
Location: 5th Avenue, New York, Tele-Health/Virtual

Greiny (She/Her) is a licensed social worker, she has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults dealing with trauma using a person-centered approach and CBT as a method to regulate client emotions has proven to positively impact individuals living with anxiety and depression. Psychodynamic theory will be used to discover the route of her emotions.

You are dealing with anxiety, depression, and/or trauma. It is time for you to explore these emotions, regulate them, and heal. Together, we will identify coping techniques and gradually, you will become a better you! You will be challenged to reframe negative thoughts to shift your perspective, whether you are a child, adolescent, or adult. Soon enough you will be thriving. You may have found what you did not know you needed.

Mental health impacts humans more than believed. It is important for her to take advantage of services at her disposal. As a Dominican-American, she advocates for mental health and admires those seeking mental health services. She is a proud LGBTQIA+ ally and advocate for inclusion. She is thrilled to embark on this journey with her.

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Greiny Rodriguez, MS, LMSW

Psychotherapist

Greiny (She/Her) is a licensed social worker, she has experience...

Jill Mooney, BS

Position: Clinical Intern
Phone: (929) 822-4657
Email: jill.mooney@collaborative-people.com
Areas of Work: *Out of Network*, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Adjustment Disorder, Adolescent / Teen Issues, Anxiety Disorder, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Asperger's Syndrome, Attachment Disorder, Attachment Theory, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Behavioral Issues / Problems, Behavioral Therapy, Bullying, Burnout, Childhood Trauma, Children (<13), Christian, Cigna, Client Centered Therapy/Rogerian Therapy, Codependency, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) , Compassion Focused, Confidence Issues, Contextual Family therapy, Coping Mechanism Development, COVID-19 Stress, Crisis Intervention, Cultural Competence, Culturally Sensitive, Depression, Developmental Disorder, Dialectical, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Eating Patterns or Eating Disorders, Emotion Regulaton Therapy (ERT), Emotionally Focused Therapy, English, Exposure & Response Prevention (ExRP) Therapy, Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Family Systems, Female Identifying, Feminist, Fidelis, Individual Therapy, Internal Family systems (IFS), Interpersonal, Jewish, Language, Level 1 Clinician, Mindful-Based Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Multicultural Therapy, Neuroscience, Person Centered (Rogerian), Positive Psychology, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Counseling, Psychodynamic Therapy, Queer, Questioning, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Schema Therapy, Social Skills Training (SST), Strength-Based Therapy, Teenagers/Adolescents (13-17), Trauma Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Young Adults (18-24)
Location: 5th Avenue, New York, Tele-Health/Virtual

Jill (She/Her) received her Bachelor of Science degree from Binghamton University in integrative neuroscience and is currently pursuing a mental health counseling master’s degree at Hunter College. She has worked as a registered behavior technician supporting neurodivergent children and adolescents for 5 years. During these experiences, Jill has strengthened her personal qualities of warmth, patience, and empathy and is excited to utilize these qualities in a counseling role.

Jill hopes to create a warm and supportive therapeutic relationship where her clients feel comfortable being their authentic selves and are able to openly explore their concerns. In her free time, Jill enjoys checking out local restaurants and coffee shops, going for walks, listening to music, and baking.


Jill Mooney, BS

Clinical Intern

Jill (She/Her) received her Bachelor of Science degree from Binghamton...

Lisa Piccinnini, BA

Position: Clinical Intern
Phone: (929) 447-2948
Email: lisa.piccininni@collaborative-people.com
Areas of Work: *Out of Network*, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Adaptive Mentalization based integrative treatment, Adjustment Disorder, Adoption Counseling, Adult Psychotherapy, Aging Parents, Agitation, Alternatives for Families - A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy AF-CBT, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Anorexia Nervosa, Asexual, Asexual Abuse Trauma, Attachment Disorder, Attachment-Based Family therapy (ABFT), Behavior Modification, Behavioral Issues / Problems, Behavioral Therapy, Bereavement / Grief Counseling, Betrayal Trauma, Binge Eating Disorder, BIPOC Mental Health Issues, Bipolar Disorder, Bisexual, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Body Positivity/Health at every size, Bulimia Nervosa, Bullying, Career-Related Stress, Caregiver Burnout, Childhood Trauma, Christian, Cigna, Client Centered Therapy/Rogerian Therapy, Clinical Supervision and Licensed Supervisors, Coaching, Codependency, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD (CPT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) , Combat Stress Reaction (CSR), Commitment Obstacles, Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Focused, Complex Trauma, Confidence Issues, Contextual Family therapy, Coping Mechanism Development, Couples (Relationship Therapy), Couples Conflict Resolution, Crisis Intervention, Crisis Intervention, Cultural Competence, Cultural Diversity Issues, Culturally Sensitive, Dating, Depression, Developmental Disorder, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Divorce Counseling, Dream Analysis, Dual Diagnosis, Dual Diagnosis, Early Childhood Trauma, Eating Patterns or Eating Disorders, Eclectic, Emerging Adulthood, Emotion Regulaton Therapy (ERT), Emotional Abuse, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Emotional Disturbance, Emotional Overeating, Emotionally Focused, English, Excoriation, Existential Anxiety, Existential Crisis or Transition, Existential Therapy, Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Family, Family Conflicts / Issues, Family constellations, Family Dynamics / Systems, Family Planning, Family Systems, Family Therapy, Family Therapy, Fear of Failure, Female Identifying, Feminist, Fertility / Infertility, Fertility Counseling, Fidelis, Food-Related Stress, Gaslighting, Gay, Gender Dysphoria, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Grief and Loss, Group Therapy, Group Therapy, Harassment, Harm Reduction Therapy, Health at Every Size, Health-Related Concerns, Hindu, Humanistic Therapy, Identifying Sex, Imposter Syndrome, Individual Therapy, Integrative Psychotherapy, Internal Family systems (IFS), Interpersonal, Intimate Partner Violence, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Trauma, Intrusive Thoughts, Irrational Fears, Jain, Jewish, Lesbian, Level 1 Clinician, LGBT Care, LGBTQIA+, Life Coaching, Life Transitions, Life Transitions, Loneliness, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Marital, Marriage Conflict Resolution, Marriage Counseling, Masculinity-Related Stress, Meaning-Centered Therapy, Men's Issues, Men's Mental Health Issues, Mental Health Consultation, Mentalization Based Treatment, Mentalization Based Treatment for Adolecents (MBT-A), Mentalization Based Treatment for Children (MBT-C), Mentalization Based Treatment for Families (MBT-F), Mindful-Based Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mood Disorder/Mood Swings, Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Multicultural Therapy, Multisystemic Therapy (MST), Muslim, Narcissistic Personality, Narrative Therapy, Non-suicidal Self-Injury, Non-Traditional Romantic Stress, Nonreligious, Obesity, Open Relationships/Non-Monogomy, Panic Disorder, Parenting, Peer Relationships, Perfectionism, Performance Anxiety, Perinatal Mental Health, Person Centered (Rogerian), Phobias, Physical Abuse, Physical Abuse Trauma, Positive Psychology, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Counseling, Postpartum, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Pre-College Fears, Pregnancy, Pregnancy-Related Stress, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Prenatal, Procrastination, Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD), Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Therapy, Psychobiological Approach Couple Therapy, Psychological Trauma, Queer, Queer-Competent, Questioning, Race-Related Stress, Racism Issues, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Relational, Relationship Struggles / Issues, Romantic Life, Rumination, Safety Planning, Schema Therapy, School Phobia, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self Esteem, Self-Harm / Injury, Self-Reflection, Separation Anxiety, Sex Positive/Kink Friendly, Sex Therapy, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse counseling, Sexual Fear, Sexual Identity, Sexuality, Sibling-Related Stress, Sikh, Sleep Disorder, Sleep Problems, Social Anxiety, Social Anxiety Disorder, Social Justice, Social Life, Social Skills Training (SST), Social Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Straight, Strength-Based, Strength-Based Therapy, Stress, Stress Management, Suicidal Feelings, Suicidal Ideation, Suicidal Tendencies, Thought Disorders, Trans-Competant, Transgender, Transitioning, Trauma / Trauma Focused, Trauma Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Validation Therapy, Vulnerability, Walk and Talk Therapy or OutdoorTherapy, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Therapy, Women's Health, Women's Issues / Obstacles, Women's Issues Therapy, Worry, Young Adulthood
Location: 5th Avenue, New York, Tele-Health/Virtual

Lisa (She/Her) is a graduate student at Baruch College pursuing an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and has a B.A. in Clinical Psychology from Hunter College. She is from Long Island, New York and now lives in NYC. She is committed to offering a nonjudgmental space for others where they can feel comfortable to explore and process their experiences, thoughts, and emotions, as well as be their most authentic selves in order to reach their goals and fullest potential.

Lisa’s therapeutic style is warm, attentive, and flexible. She believes in working together with her clients to meet them where they are at and discover what approaches will work best for them. She often uses various components of CBT and psychodynamic theory when working with her clients. Lisa is passionate about helping individuals who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, disordered eating, and other presenting issues, as well as those in the LGBTQ+ community.

Lisa feels strongly about the bidirectional relationship between the mind and the body and believes in the importance of physical movement and self-care. In her free time, she loves strength training, going for walks, spending time outside, and spending time with her dog, Koda. She also enjoys cooking, trying new restaurants in New York City, puzzles, and spending time with her friends and family.

Lisa recognizes how important it is to take care of one’s mental health and how challenging it can be to take the steps to do so. She looks forward to working with you and supporting you in the process!

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Lisa Piccinnini, BA

Clinical Intern

Lisa (She/Her) is a graduate student at Baruch College pursuing...

Maria Pietruszka, MS, LMHC, CASAC-T

Position: Psychotherapist & Supervisor
Phone: (929) 538-3245
Email: maria.pietruszka@collaborative-people.com
Areas of Work: *Out of Network*, 12- Step Friendly, Abstinence Based Psychotherapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Addiction Counseling, Adjustment Disorder, Adolescent / Teen Issues, Adolescent Addiction / Substance Use, Adoption, Adult Psychotherapy, Adults (25-64), Affirming Therapy, Aging Parents, AIDS - HIV, Alcohol Use, Alcoholism, Anger, Anger Management, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD), Anxiety Disorder, Artist-Related Stress, Asexual, Attachment Disorder, Behavior Modification, Behavioral Issues / Problems, Behavioral Therapy, Bereavement / Grief Counseling, Betrayal Trauma, BIPOC Mental Health Issues, Bisexual, Bisexual, Body Positivity/Health at every size, Body-Focused Therapy (ex: Tapping), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Buddhist, Bullying, Burnout, Canabis Use disorder, Career-Related Stress, Caregiver Burnout, Chemical Dependency Assessments, Childhood Trauma, Children (<13), Christian, Christian Counseling, Chronic Relapse, Cigna, Client Centered Therapy/Rogerian Therapy, Clinical Supervision and Licensed Supervisors, Codependency, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBT), Commitment Obstacles, Community Violence, Compassion Fatigue, Confidence Issues, Coping Mechanism Development, COVID-19 Stress, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, Cultural Competence, Cultural Diversity Issues, Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT), Dating, Depression, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Disruptive, Impulse-Control and Conduct Disorders, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Dual Diagnosis, Early Childhood Trauma, Emerging Adulthood, Emotion Regulaton Therapy (ERT), Emotional Abuse, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Emotional Disturbance, English, Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Family Conflicts / Issues, Family constellations, Family Dynamics / Systems, Family Planning, Family Systems, Fear of Failure, Female Identifying, Feminist, Fidelis, Forensic Psychology, Gambling / Crypto Addiction, Gay, Gay, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Group Therapy, Group Therapy, Harassment, Harm Reduction Therapy, Health at Every Size, Health-Related Concerns, Humanistic Therapy, Immigration, Immigration Psychological Evaluation, Imposter Syndrome, Impulse Control Disorder (ICD), Indecision, Individual Therapy, Intergenerational Trauma, Internal Family systems (IFS), Internet Addiction, Intersex, Intervention, Intimate Partner Violence, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Trauma, Intrusive Thoughts, Irrational Fears, Jewish, Lesbian, Lesbian, Level 3 Clinician, LGBTQIA+, Life Transitions, Life Transitions, Loneliness, Low Self Esteem, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Male Identifying, Marijuana Disorder, Marriage Counseling, Masculinity-Related Stress, Medication Management, Medication Management, Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder, Mental Health Problem / Illness, Mental State Opinion, Mentalization Based Treatment, Mid-Life Crisis, Migraines / Chronic Headaches, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Money-Related Stress, Mood Disorder/Mood Swings, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Multicultural Therapy, Music Therapy, Muslim, Natural Disasters, Non-Binary, Non-suicidal Self-Injury, Non-Traditional Romantic Stress, Nonreligious, Open Relationships/Non-Monogomy, Parenting, Peer Relationships, Perfectionism, Performance Anxiety, Polish, Positive Psychology, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Counseling, Pre-College Fears, Premarital / Marital, Premenopausal Symptoms, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Procrastination, Psychedelic Integration Therapy, Quarter-Life Crisis, Queer, Queer, Queer-Competent, Questioning, Race-Related Stress, Racial Justice Framework, Racism Issues, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Reality Therapy, Recently Moved, Refugee Trauma, Relapse Prevention Therapy, Relationship Struggles / Issues, Romantic Life, School Phobia, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self Esteem, Seniors (65+), Separation Anxiety, Sex Positive/Kink Friendly, Sex Worker Positive, Sexual Identity, Sexuality, Sibling-Related Stress, Social Anxiety, Social Anxiety Disorder, Social Justice, Social Life, Social Therapy, Spiritual Crisis or Transition, Spirituality, Straight, Strength-Based, Strength-Based Therapy, Stress, Stress Management, Teaching, Teenagers/Adolescents (13-17), Trans-Competant, Transgender, Transitioning, Trauma / Trauma Focused, Trauma Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Vegan, Vulnerability, Women's Issues / Obstacles, Women's Issues Therapy, Work-Related Counseling, Worry, Young Adulthood, Young Adults (18-24)
Location: 5th Avenue, New York, Tele-Health/Virtual

Maria (She/Her) was born in Poland and migrated to NYC at the age of 3.  She was raised in Brooklyn and carries that as a badge of honor.

Maria attended Hunter College where she graduated with a degree in Sociology.  She then attended LIU Brooklyn and obtained her Master’s in Mental Health Counseling in 2017.  During her time at LIU Brooklyn, she was the campus representative for the American Psychology Association Division 35 Society for the Psychology of Women. Maria was involved in hosting events that help spread awareness for feminist research, theory and education to understand and improve the lives of girls and women in all their diversities. This helped Maria develop her passion towards working with women and women’s issues.

After graduation, Maria was hired as a full time substance abuse counselor at Outreach, where she completed her internship for graduate school. She worked with adults to help them reach their goals in recovery. Maria implemented harm reduction techniques to help promote a more inclusive and realistic approach for treating substance use disorders.  She is determined to approach all her clients by meeting them where they are and empowering them to meet their treatment and therapy goals.

After 3 years, Maria was promoted to Program Coordinator where she was responsible for running Restart Academy, a Department of Education alternative high school for students with substance use and behavioral issues and an after school program for outpatient services for adolescents. Maria enjoyed working and advocating for adolescents and young people. She guided them through different life transitions like: finishing high school, coping with peer pressure and preparing for the next chapters of their lives like college or full time employment.

Maria also supervised new counselors and her approach was always to empower counselors and teach them listen to their “clinical gut”.

Maria is driven by social justice and participated in movements for Black Lives Matter, women’s rights and animal rights. Her approaches in therapy display her commitment to provide an empathic, compassionate and judgement-free space where people from all walks of life can address their emotional issues, life transitions and meet their therapy goals.

When she is not in session, Maria teaches as an adjunct lecturer at Hunger College. She teaches courses like Drugs and Society and the Sociology of Mental Health.  In her free time, Maria loves to re-watch “The Office”, spend time with her two cats Rajah and Stella and try new vegan recipes.


Maria Pietruszka, MS, LMHC, CASAC-T

Psychotherapist & Supervisor

Maria (She/Her) was born in Poland and migrated to NYC...

Now Accepting Cigna/Evernorth and Fidelis Care!

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