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.

Blair Luedke, MA, MHC-LP

Position: Psychotherapist
Phone: (929) 203-4662
Email: blair.luedke@collaborative-people.com
Areas of Work: *Out of Network*, 12- Step Friendly, Additional Areas of Specialization, Adjustment Disorder, Adults (25-64), Aerophobia (flying), Alcohol Use, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Anorexia Nervosa, Art Therapy, Asexual, Asexual, Behavioral Issues / Problems, Behavioral Therapy, Betrayal Trauma, Binge Eating Disorder, Biofeedback, BIPOC Mental Health Issues, Bipolar Disorder, Bisexual, Bisexual, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Buddhist, Bulimia Nervosa, Bullying, Burnout, Caregiver Burnout, Childhood Trauma, Christian, Chronic Illness, Chronic Impulsivity, Cigna, Codependency, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) , Confidence Issues, Couples (Relationship Therapy), Cultural Competence, Cultural Diversity Issues, Dating, Daytime Sleepiness, Depression, Dream Analysis, Dreams, Eating Patterns or Eating Disorders, Eclectic, Emotional Abuse, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Emotional Disturbance, Emotional Overeating, English, Existential Anxiety, Family, Family Conflicts / Issues, Family Dynamics / Systems, Family Therapy, Female Identifying, Feminist, Fertility / Infertility, Fertility Counseling, Gaslighting, Gay, Gay, Gender Dysphoria, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Grief and Loss, Group Therapy, Group Therapy, Harassment, Health at Every Size, Health-Related Concerns, Hearing Impairment Counseling, Hindu, Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Imposter Syndrome, Individual Therapy, Insomnia, Intimate Partner Violence, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Trauma, Intrusive Thoughts, Irrational Fears, Jewish, Lesbian, Lesbian, Level 2 Clinician, LGBT Care, LGBTQIA+, Life Coaching, Life Transitions, Life Transitions, Loneliness, Low Self Esteem, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Malaise, Masculinity-Related Stress, Men's Issues, Men's Mental Health Issues, Migraines / Chronic Headaches, Mindful-Based Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Multicultural Therapy, Music Therapy, Muslim, Non-Binary, Nonreligious, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Open Relationships/Non-Monogomy, Panic Disorder, Pansexual, Peer Relationships, Performance Anxiety, Perinatal Mental Health, Physical Abuse, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Pre-College Fears, Pregnancy, Pregnancy-Related Stress, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Prenatal, Psychedelic Integration Therapy, Psychoanalytic, Psychodynamic Therapy, Quarter-Life Crisis, Queer, Queer, Queer-Competent, Questioning, Racism Issues, Reality Therapy, Recently Moved, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self Esteem, Self-Reflection, Sex Positive/Kink Friendly, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse counseling, Sexual Addiction, Sexual Dysfunction, Sexual Fear, Sexual Identity, Sexuality, Sibling-Related Stress, Sleep Disorder, Sleep Problems, Social Anxiety, Social Anxiety Disorder, Social Justice, Social Life, Spiritual Crisis or Transition, Spirituality, Sports Performance, Straight, Strength-Based, Stress, Trans-Competant, Transgender, Transitioning, Trauma / Trauma Focused, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Vulnerability, Walk and Talk Therapy or OutdoorTherapy, Weight Loss, Women's Health, Women's Issues / Obstacles, Women's Issues Therapy, Worry, Young Adulthood, Young Adults (18-24)
Location: 5th Avenue, New York, Tele-Health/Virtual

Blair has a passion for women’s health and would love to serve as a support across the dynamic lifespan. She is a queer affirming, social justice driven clinician. Blair is open to work with all genders and identities; folks dealing with anxiety, depression, home life or relational issues as well. Her ideal client is someone who has the desire to strengthen their self-awareness and is open to movement and mindfulness exercises.

While an eclectic therapist, Blair leans towards REBT and CBT modalities in her practice. Her education in multicultural competence has helped her acknowledge biases and privileges to best serve all populations, while honoring individuals’ experience. Blair attained her MS in Mental Health Counseling at Long Island University and her BS in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology from the University of Delaware. She encourages a holistic lifestyle and enjoys using her background to connect both physical and mental health to achieve overall wellness. She strives to create a nurturing environment for clients to grow and explore through comforting challenge and support. She loves connecting with others to help them to tap into their true potential, which is already inside of them.

Blair loves to spend time outside in the sun whenever she can, especially if it is with one of her dogs. She is an avid lover of animals and will try to pet one every chance she gets. Blair enjoys spending time in the kitchen with new recipes, and her favorite part: eating them. She gravitates towards all things’ movement: practicing yoga, dancing, and hiking, all with a smile on her face.


 

Blair Luedke, MA, MHC-LP

Psychotherapist

Blair has a passion for women’s health and would love...

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, 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!

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