Mental Health Professionals Experienced With Sexual Trauma Serving the Jewish Community

The licensed mental health professionals listed below were suggested by survivors of sexual abuse/assault who found these individuals to be helpful in their healing process.

Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs. 

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Arizona

Tuscon
Kathleen Young, PhD
520-261-0265
Experienced working with both male and female survivors of childhood sexual abuse.  Also offers online therapy.

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California 

Lafayette
A. Steven Frankel, PhD
Phone: 925-283-4800
Experienced working with PTSD and Dissociation.


Los Angeles
Cynthia A Henrie, MFT, BCETS
323-829-3548       

Andrew Susskind, LCSW
310-281-8681


Ojai
Carolyn J. Braddock, MA, PC 
Phone/Fax: 805-640-3744
Provides workshops on the The Braddock Body Process for survivors, professional training and consultations/coaching, Retreats and Intensives for individuals, couples and families.


Santa Monica
Rape Treatment Center, UCLA Medical Center
310-319-4503
1250 Sixteenth Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404 
   

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District of Columbia (Washington DC)

Richard Chefetz, MD
Phone: 202-966-0224
4612 49th St., NW, Washington DC 20016
Specializing in PTSD and Dissociative Disorders

Christine Courtois, PhD 
Phone: 202-955-5652
3 Washington Circle, NW, Suite 206, Washington DC  20037
Specializing in PTSD and Dissociative Disorders

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Florida



Florida Coalition Against Sexual Violence
Phone: 888-956-7273
A statewide organization committed to victims and survivors of sexual violence and the rape crisis programs who serve them.

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Georgia

Athens
Rusti Klien, MSW, MFT, LCSW
Phone: 706-369-0697
Specializing in PTSD and Dissociative Disorders.
Experienced working with orthodox survivors.

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Illinois

ICASA (Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault)
Phone: 217-753-4117
ICASA consists of 33 sexual assault crisis centers and 26 satellite offices. Each center and satellite responds to victims of sexual assault. Staff and volunteers provide counseling, education and advocacy for victims and their families regardless of age, race or income.


Chicago
Jeff Levy, MSW, LCSW
Phone: 773-880-1314
Specializing in working with gay male survivors of sexual trauma

Kathleen Young, PhD
773- 381-1922
Experienced working with both male and female survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Also offers online therapy.


Frankfort
Gail Roy, MA, ATR, LCPC  
Phone:  (815) 469-4366
Specializing in Trauma, and creative therapies.


Oak Park
Richard Schwartz, PhD. LMFT
Center for Self Leadership
PO Box 3969, Oak Park, IL 60303
Phone: 708-383-2659
Fax: 708-383-2399

 
Skokie
Mary Jo Barrett, MSW, LCSW
Center for Contextual Change
9239 Gross Point Rd., Ste. 300, Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 676-4447 

Vicki Polin, MA, LCPC
A Creative Healing Center
Trauma, Recovery and Empowerment Services
P.O. Box 4824, Skokie, IL 60076
224-534-9155

Specializing in adult survivors of trauma.  Offers both verbal and creative therapies.  Experienced working with orthodox survivors (male and female).
 

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Maryland

Baltimore
Robert Benedek, PhD
15 Walker Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21209
410-602-3805
Experienced working with orthodox survivors (male and female).
 
Pro Bono Counseling Project of Maryland
Pro Bono Counseling Project hooks up individuals who can't afford counseling with private practice mental health providers who volunteer their services.  They have some therapists who specialize in working with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
410-323-5800

Joyanna Silberg, PhD 
410-938-4974
Experenced working with sexually abused children.  Experienced working with orthodox survivors.


Owings Mills
Eena Bass-Feld, MA, ATR-BC, LCPC
Turn Around
10806 Reisterstown Rd., Suite 1-B, Owings Mills, MD 21117
Phone: (410) 998-9520
Individual and group therapy.
Art and verbal therapy.

Wendy Hoffman, MSW, LCSW-C
443-418-6151
Individual counseling for survivors of sexual violence.
  

 

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Minnesota

St. Paul
Mic Hunter, PhD, LMFT
357 Kellogg blvd., East, St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-224-4335
Experienced working with both male and female survivors.  Author of several books on child sexual abuse.

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Missouri

Ballwin
Mark Schwartz, PhD 
Castlewood Treatment Center 
800 Holland Rd., Ballwin, MO 63021
Phone: 636-386-6611
Experienced working with both adult and children who have been sexually victimized, eating disorders and also has experience working with Juvenile Sex offenders and sexually reactive children.  Clinical Director of Masters and Johnson Sexual Trauma Program


Clayton
Nan Karl, MSW, LCSW
Phone: 314-403-7037

25 South Meramec Avenue, Suite 321T, Clayton, MO

Experienced working with adult survivors of child sexual abuse and the treatment of adolescent sex offenders and abuse reactive older children.

St. Louis
Donald Jeffries, MSW
Phone: 314-832-9415
Maiposa Men's Wellness Institute
P.O. Box 190372, St. Louis, MO
Specializes in working wiht Male survivors of sexual abuse.

Daniel Levin, PhD
Phone: 314-567-1044, ext. 1
8515 Delmar Ave., Ste. 220, St. Louis, MO  63124
Specializes in working with both adults and child survivors of child abuse. 

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New Jersey

Summit
Ava Schlesinger, MSW, LCSW

Phone: 908-277-2790 Works with both adults and children.  Experienced with PTSD and Dissociation

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New York

New York City
New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault

Phone: 212-229-0345

27 Christopher Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10014
The mission of the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault is to develop and advance strategies, policies and responses that prevent sexual violence and limit its destabilizing effects on victims, families and communities.

Marcelo Abramovich, LCSW-R
Phone: 212-655-3045
138 W. 25th Street, Ste. 623, New York, NNY
Experienced working with gay survivors of sexual abuse/assault.

Michelle Friedman, MD

Phone: (212) 799-5723  Fax: (212) 877-6030

Women's Mental Health Consortium, 205 West End Avenue, Apt. 1A, New York, NY 10023
Experienced working with female survivors, orthodox survivors.

Lisa Gilman, LCSW
Phone:  212-727-7591
Experienced working with both male and female survivors, orthodox survivors, PTSD and dissociative disorders.

Sarah Gundle, PsyD. 
Phone: 646-256-9233
450 West 24th Street Suite 1F, New York, NY 10011
Fluent in English and Hebrew.
Experienced working with both male and female survivors, orthodox survivors, addictions, eating disorders, self injury, dissociative disorders.  
Offers both individual and groups.
Sensitive to gay/lesbian issues and sexual identity issues.

Jenny Heinz, LCSW, BCD 
Phone: 212-362-0606
Experienced working with dissociation and PTSD.  Experienced with clergy sexual abuse and working with orthodox survivors.

Donna Robin Lippman, MS

Incest and Rape Recovery Center
Phone: 212-598-4218
Supports, vitalizes, organizes, and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse who seek healing in community.  Offers workshops and low-fee drop-in groups. Certified in the Rubenfeld Synergy Method®. 

John Markowitz, MD
Phone:  212-543-6283

New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University
1051 Riverside Drive, Ste. 129, New York, NY 10032 
Psychiatrist experienced working with male survivors of sexual abuse/assault.

Murray David Schane, MD
Phone: 212-864-0951
350 Central Park West, New York, NY 10025
Psychiatrist experienced working with male survivors of sexual abuse/assault.

Cheryl Seaman, MD
Phone: 917-687-8901
Psychiatrist.  Experienced working with PTSD and dissociation.  

Shielagh Shusta-Hochberg, PhD
Phone: 212-777-0775
Experienced working with PTSD and dissociation. 

Bronx
Brad Foote, MD
Phone: 718-231-6964
Psychiatrist.  Specializes in dissociation and PTSD. Experienced working with orthodox survivors.

 
Brooklyn
CAMBA : Rape Crisis Services
885 Flatbush Avenue, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11226
Phone: 718- 282-5575
Hotline: 800-310-2449
All services are free and confidential. Legal and medical advocacy.  Assistance with filing compensation claims with the Crime Victims Board. Crisis counseling through 24-hour hotline.  Individual and group counseling.  Information and referrals.

Gavriel Fagin, MSW, LCSW 
Phone: 917-257-8626
441 Foster Avenue, Brooklyn NY
Fluent in Hebrew and Yiddish.
Experienced working with both male and female survivors, orthodox survivors

Dov Finkelstien, MSW

Phone: 718-787-1100

Sephardic Bikur Cholim, 425 Kings Highway, Brooklyn, NY 11223
Experienced working with both male and female survivors, orthodox survivors

Moshe Preiser, PhD

Phone:

Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
Experienced working with both male and female survivors, orthodox survivors

Barbara Walters, MPS, MSW, LCSW
917-202-6015
10 Plaza St., Brookyn, Y 11238
Experienced with survivors of child abuse of both genders and of al sexual orientations.



Hewlett
Michael J. Salamon, PhD  
Phone: 516-596-0073  Fax: 516-599-5698
Adult Developmental Center (ADC), 1728 Broadway, Hewlett, NY, 11557
Works with Adults, Adolescents and Children. Experienced with male survivors, the Orthodox community, Holocaust survivors, sex offenders (both adults and children), sexually reactive children, eating disorders, self mutilation, chemical dependency, sex addictions, bereavement issues, PTSD, Dissociative Disorders, Sexual Identity Issues, biofeedback, and psychological testing.  Also offers group therapy for survivors (both male and female survivors).  Fluent in Hebrew and Yiddish.


Monsey
Ruth Levi, MSW, LCSW
Phone:
Experienced working with female survivors, orthodox survivors.


Staten Island (Near Brooklyn)
Ed Crowley, CSW
Work: 718-227-0758
3974 Amboy Road, Staten Island, NY 10308
Works with adolescents and young men with history of childhood trauma.  Experienced with addiction and with survivors who are gay.

Troy
Stephanie Stolar. LMHC
Phone: 518-271-3705
Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Assistance Program
2215 Burdett Ave., Troy, NY 12180
All services are free and confidential.  No insurance neeed.  24 hour hotline: 518-271-3257

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Ohio

Cleveland 
Kirsti Mouncey, LISW-S, LCDCIII
Phone: 216-619-6194
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center 
The Leader Building, 526 Superior Ave, Ste. 1400, Cleveland, OH 441121
Experienced working with survivors of sexual trauma and with chemical dependency issues.  Fluent in English and German.


Columbus
Howard Fradkin, PhD, LICDC
Phone: 614-445-8277
A Center for Psychotherapy and Growth
918 S. Front Street, Columbus, OH  43206 Specializes in working with male survivors of sexual abuse/assault, and experienced working with chemical dependency issues.

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Pennsylvania

Philadelphia
Jill Maier, MA, LPC
Phone: 215-749-2433
Still Waters - Holistic Health Therapies
2305 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19130
Specializes in working with trauma survivors in a holistic manner.

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Virginia

Falls Church

Joan Turkus, PhD.

200 Little Falls St., Falls Church, VA 22046

Phone: 703-532-4200
Experienced with PTSD and Dissociative Disorders

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Wisconsin

Marquette

Frances Waters, MFT, LCSW, MSW

906-226-2777

Experienced working with children who have PTSD and or Dissociative Disorders.

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CANADA

British Columbia
* Victoria 
Sandra Wieland, PhD
250-380-9924
Experienced working with children and adolescents with PTSD and or dissociative disorders.

* Ontario
 Toronto 
Nancy N. Mayer, MSW, RSW
416-997-4544 
1849 Yonge Street, Suite 605
Toronto, ON, M4S 1Y2
 

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ISRAEL

The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel
Rape Crisis Hotline, Groups, Legal Advocacy, Victim-Witness Assistance Program

Site in Hebrew.  Experienced working with orthodox survivors.

Israel Association for Child Protection (ELI) 
Not only deal with child abuse prevention, awareness, hotline, and treatment for victims and family, but also have a teen offender program.   Hebrew website

Religious Men's Hotline
Phone: 02 5328000, evenings.  At other times leave message. Referrals available for male survivors of sexual violence

Trauma and Dissociation - Israel (TDIL)  is a component group of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) and is affiliated with the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation (ESTD).TDIL serves as the professional home for Israeli mental health professionals, physicians, social workers, and counselors who are interested in trauma and dissociation.  Hebrew website


DN Emek Bet Shean
Frances R. Yoeli, MFT, LCSW
+972-50-529-9982
Experienced working with adults with PTSD and Dissociation


Haifa
Eli Somer, Phd and Liora Somer

+972-4-838-1999 Experienced working with adults with PTSD and Dissociation.  Founder of the Trauma-Dissociation-Israel component group of the ISSTD

 
Jerusalem

Danny Brom, PhD 

The Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma was founded by professionals in the field of traumatic stress to promote the development of services for trauma survivors and to advance the treatment of trauma survivors throughout Israel. Furthermore, the Center aims to function as a national and international resource center for both mental health professionals and the average Israeli in need of information. Experienced working with orthodox survivors


Ramat Gan
David Ribner, PhD 
Bar-Ilan Univeristy
972-3-531-8183 
School of Social Work, Ramat Gan  52900, Israel
Experienced working with orthodox survivors.

 
Tel Aviv
Bonnie Simone, MSW
+972-3-605-1775
Experienced working with PTSD and dissociation.  Experienced with orthodox survivors
 
 

 

 

Questions Regarding G-d, Mind Control and "Truth"

Questions Regarding G-d, Mind Control and "Truth"

© (2010) by Vicki Polin

 

(From survivors of incest, childhood sexual abuse, clergy sexual abuse, sexual assault, professional sexual misconduct, sexual harassment)

Many survivors of sexual abuse/assault from more observant families and also those from secular backgrounds often go through a period of their healing process that they question what is G-d.  These same survivors often ask themselves where was G-d during my abuse?  

What purpose does G-d have in allowing me to be sexually victimized?  To this date, I have never come upon any answers in which survivors feel their questions were answered. I personally believe it is up to our rabbonim to study and learn and find answers to these questions.   It just seems that our rabbis care more about how to keep kosher than individuals (adults and children) being sexually victimized.   I personally feel we all need to encourage our rabbonim to find ways to explain why so many of G-d's people are sexually victimized.  The common answer always seems to be "that G-d works in mysterious ways".  I personally believe that there are better answers then that.

 
More recently several survivors have been calling The Awareness Center, asking if "all religions were just a form of mind control".  These are difficult questions to answer, yet important to those who are asking them.  

We all are aware that there are some fringe, extremist groups even within the Jewish world that qualify as being called cults.  Explaining the difference between a cult like group and mainstream Judaism at times can appear to have blurred boundaries, especially when one does not come from a religious background, or for those who did and are just walking away.  

I recently found the following video clips on youtube, which I think are important, because what the vlogger is saying even though she is not Jewish, is pretty similar to the answers those who are walking away have concluded.  Please watch them and give me your feedback. 

For more information about cults: click here

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Mind Control Techniques Used in Religion (An Introduction)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Why Do People Pray

Freedom From Dogma

Just doing the right thing

Just doing the right thing
by Michael J. Salamon 
The Awareness Center's Daily Newsletter - November 13, 2009

Early one Shabbos not that many years ago, a car accident took place just outside a shul. The 300-family congregation had just started services when they heard the loud boom of a car and truck colliding. Several shul members ran outside to see if they could help. The rabbi of the congregation waited a few minutes and he too walked out for a moment to see if he could be of assistance. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. The truck could be driven and after the police took their report, the truck driver drove off. The car on the other hand, was destroyed. The rabbi asked the man who had been driving it if he needed any help and invited him inside the shul. The driver accepted, seeking a warm, comfortable place to calm down following the accident and wait for whatever help would be coming. Once inside the rabbi asked the man if he was Jewish. He was. The rabbi then asked if he would like to say Birkat Hagomel, the Blessing of Thanks for surviving a dangerous situation. The driver agreed and did so. What was surprising to people who were not members of the shul was not that the rabbi would welcome someone into the congregation — the rabbi was known for his warmth, friendship and genuine caring for others — but that he would do so on a Shabbat. Several weeks after the incident a member of the community, somewhat perplexed by what had transpired, asked the rabbi about his decision, to which he responded simply, “It is the right thing to do.”

The punch line for the story is not that the driver of the car, as a sign of gratitude, made a large donation, nor that he himself became religious, moved and joined the shul, or that he decided to send his children to a yeshiva. As far as I know, none of those things happened. The moral of the story is the austere fact that the rabbi did the right thing. He did not shun the man, ignore him or demand a specific behavior of him. He provided him some cordiality and the man felt calmer: a small but important attempt to make the world a nicer place.

I wonder lately where this “pay it forward” approach to life has gone. Some believe that we are all narcissists and as narcissists we believe in our own selfish infallibility. According to Doctors Jean Twenge and Keith Campbell, one of the common pitfalls of current society is that we have allowed ourselves to become so insistent that our way is the only correct one that we license ourselves to impose our demands on others. As they point out in their text “The Narcissism Epidemic,” we live in an “Age of entitlement.” This sense of privilege is so pervasive, not limited at all to individuals or certain ethnic or religious groups, that some truly believe they have the right to impose their beliefs, even private religious beliefs, on other people. Not everyone acts this way — most people do not — but those who do, attempt to impose their unique views on others by placing a tremendous burden on them. Whether it be demanding from others how one should dress through the use of “chastity squads,” to sanctioning or even rioting against those who report child abuse to the proper authorities, the question of whether a parking lot should be opened on Shabbat, even to threatening boycotts if a Zionist rabbi is elected in Jerusalem — these have no longer become topics for discussion but of intimidation. I personally would like to see less, or even no, traffic on Shabbat in Jerusalem, but I find it distasteful to employ rioting as a means to accomplish it. I do not mind, and even encourage, if people choose to dress modestly but as Rabbi Yehuda Henkin shows in his book “Understanding Tzniut,” rules for modesty are subject to differing interpretations in various communities. Randomly imposing dress codes is simply rude and destructive. The most competent rabbi should be selected for a position, not as a result of blackmail, and abuse must be dealt with properly.

It is not an easy task to teach someone with a hyper-inflated sense of superiority how to value others or even concede to another’s opinion. Psychotherapeutic treatments for narcissism acknowledge an individual’s egotistic sense of self-importance, while limiting any acknowledgement of their own grandiosity. This approach is thought to help the person to begin to see the world from a perspective beyond their own. Socially, however, this is significantly more difficult, because acknowledgement on any level becomes viewed as public acceptance. The more reinforcement given publicly, the more justified the movement begins to feel. Herein lays both the problem as well as the solution.

The recent visit by the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok and Toldos Aharon rebbeim forces us to confront this issue very directly. We are, in a very real sense, required to help our brethren and co-religionists, but to what degree and for what intent? What is the right thing to do when it comes to situations in which we have major disagreements?

There are two aspects to this issue that must be acknowledged. The first is that at least some positions taken by people we disagree with are reasonable and perhaps even accurate. For example, it would be better if Shabbat were observed more properly. The other side, though, is that we cannot allow ourselves to be intimidated. The real problem is where and how to draw the line between a small-minded worldview determined to impose a rigid singular position, on the one hand — while simultaneously but absolutely demanding tolerance and understanding for all on the other.

From a psychological perspective the best way to deal with this issue is to marginalize only the self-important stone throwers and not generalize their ideology of aggressiveness to all who may look like them. Violence tends to act as a negative reinforcer and we do not want to encourage violence. If a child is repeatedly hit by a parent we find that the child’s behavior only worsens. The child has learned that this is an effective way to get a reaction, albeit a negative one. Ignoring also does not work. What does work is ignoring minor issues while, at the same time, broadly opening channels for communication that are predicated on understanding and developing respect toward one another. Ben Zoma said, “Who is wise? Someone who learns from every person.” With this as our guide we will find it easier to simply find the right thing to do.

Dr. Salamon, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is the founder and director of ADC Psychological Services in Hewlett, NY and a Board member of The Awareness Center. He is the author of numerous articles and several psychological tests. His recent books include, The Shidduch Crisis: Causes and Cures, published by Urim Publications and Every Pot Has a Cover: A Proven Guide to Finding, Keeping and Enhancing the Ideal Relationship, published by Rowman & Littlefield. His new book on Abuse will be available March, 2011.