AppointmentsWhen scheduling appointments, please include the following in your email. if you need to cancel or reschedule, please notify us at least 24 hours in advance.
Location: 19 Skyline Drive, 2N-D21
Office Hours
All services are available via telehealth and in-person, by appointment only. Same-day appointments are possible.
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Robin Hershkowitz, LCSW-R |
Ms. Hershkowitz, LCSW-R is the Senior Director of the Office of Student Mental Health and Wellness, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at New York Medical College, and an Adjunct Professor at Touro University Graduate School of Social Work. She also serves as a therapist and researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Ms. Hershkowitz has been practicing for over 20 years, she is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, including problem-solving therapy, behavioral activation, and supportive psychotherapy. She has worked with all developmental ages from young adults to older adults, helping to manage anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, grief, and chronic illness. She earned her Master of Social Work Degree and a Post Master’s Certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice from New York University. Prior to joining NYMC in 2018, Ms. Hershkowitz served as a therapist and researcher at the Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry. Her work there and at Memorial Sloan Kettering has resulted in three publications, “Utilizing a Manualized Therapy to Provide Parallel Treatment to Older Adults With Cancer and Their Caregivers: A Case Study” published in the June 16, 2021, issue of Clinical Case Studies, “Managing Anxiety from Cancer (MAC): A pilot randomized controlled trial of an anxiety intervention for older adults with cancer and their caregivers,” published in the December 31, 2020, issue of Palliative and Supportive
Care, and Conducting Psychotherapy for Vulnerable Older Adults with High Suicide Risk, presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 52nd Annual Convention, November 2018.
Ms. Hershkowitz has held leadership roles in non-profit organizations including as the Director of the Patient Service Center for the Eastern Division of the American Cancer Society, Director of the Women’s Cancer Program at CancerCare, and Director of the Susan G. Komen Help Line (concurrently). She also served as an advanced clinician in the Adult Medicine Service and the Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit of New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Additionally, Ms. Hershkowitz was a clinician and member of the Victim Services Team in the emergency department at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan and as a senior social worker at Phelps Memorial Hospital, Hospice Program. She is a frequent speaker on such topics as suicide risk assessment and managing mental health issues related to serious medical and mental illnesses.
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Amy Stern, LCSW-R |
Ms. Stern is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Assistant Director of the Office of Student Mental Health and Wellness. She has been practicing social work for over 20 years in hospital, community, and residential settings. She is trained in a wide range of evidence-based therapies, and utilizes her knowledge of cognitive behavioral interventions, psychodynamic approaches, and supportive strategies in her practice.
Prior to joining NYMC, Ms. Stern was a supervisor and senior clinician at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry and a psychotherapist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Center’s Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. She also has a private psychotherapy practice in Westchester, NY.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Stern worked at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, first as a social worker on an inpatient medical unit and later as part of the mental health team in a hospital-based outpatient practice. In these roles, Ms. Stern developed curricula and taught medical students, residents, fellows and attending physicians on a broad range of topics related to mental health and social problems confronting older adults.
She has run trainings on Problem-Solving Therapy and presented to professional and lay audiences on topics related to the identification and treatment of depression and anxiety in adults. Ms. Stern has co-authored an article on a suicide-prevention intervention: An Emotion Regulation Tablet App for Middle-Aged and Older Adults at High Suicide Risk: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Two Case Studies as well as articles on mental health in primary care: A Psychosocial Intervention for Older Adults with Chronic Pain and Negative Emotions in Primary Care and Psychiatric assessment and screening for the elderly in primary care: design, implementation, and preliminary results. In collaboration with colleagues as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, she co-authored 3 articles: Utilizing a Manualized Therapy to Provide Parallel Treatment to Older Adults With Cancer and Their Caregivers: A Case Study, Managing Anxiety from Cancer (MAC): A pilot randomized controlled trial of an anxiety intervention for older adults with cancer and their caregivers, and Adapting psychosocial interventions for older adults with cancer: A case example of Managing Anxiety from Cancer (MAC).
Ms. Stern is a graduate of SUNY Binghamton (BA) and New York University (MSW.) Ms. Stern also holds a postgraduate certificate in End-of-Life and Palliative Care from New York University and a certificate in Rational-Emotive-Behavioral Therapy from the Albert Ellis Institute in Manhattan.
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Nancy Toder, LCSW, CASAC |
Ms. Toder is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Marymount College, and Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University. Ms. Toder has over 18 years of experience working in the field, with experience in inpatient and outpatient substance use disorder programs, foster care reunification, and integrated behavioral health in the community healthcare setting.
Ms. Toder is a licensed clinical therapist who provides ongoing therapy to children, adults, and families. She understands the impact of trauma on patients’ behavior, functioning, and mental health issues, and works with patients to help develop positive coping skills and improve their ability to manage stress. She has a unique ability to quickly build rapport with patients and actively seeks out modalities and interventions that assist individuals in achieving their highest potential. She builds on her patients’ strengths to empower them to understand how to manage their lives with greater ease. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Focused Therapy skilled with EMDR and is a trained Reiki Master, enabling her to effectively treat those with a variety of issues so that they can live and enjoy life to the fullest.
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Emma Baber, LCSW |
Ms. Baber is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist at the New York Medical
College’s Office of Student Mental Health and Wellness. She has over twenty years of clinical experience in the social work field, as a supervisor and counselor, providing support, resources,
and advocacy to individuals and families in various settings including child welfare, disaster
recovery, intimate partner violence, disability services, and education.
Ms. Baber received a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from James Madison University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from CUNY Hunter’s Silberman School of Social Work. She has post-graduate certificates in clinical practice with adolescents, and treatment modalities for ADD/ADHD. As a school social worker, Ms. Baber provided regular trainings to students, parents, and educational staff on developing skills and strategies for stress reduction, emotional regulation, communication, distress tolerance, organization, time management, and other aspects of executive functioning. While at Sinergia, she developed and implemented a curriculum and training program to provide parenting skills for individuals with disabilities, and moderated panels on the rights of parents with disabilities in NYC. Ms. Baber has also worked with students and families on academic planning, work-life balance, and vocational training, and has mediated communication and conflict resolution between students and teachers. She has assisted individuals and caregivers experiencing addiction, suicidal ideation, mental illness, grief and loss, and family conflict.
Ms. Baber offers a trauma-informed and client-centered therapeutic approach, with a commitment to social justice and anti-racist principles and providing culturally competent care in her clinical practice. She looks forward to supporting the lives, relationships, and educational goals of medical and health-allied students at New York Medical College.
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Jacqueline Gallego |
Ms. Gallego is an administrative coordinator at the New York Medical College's Office of Student Mental Health and Wellness. She received her Bachelor's degree from Mercy college in exercise science and has several years of experience in healthcare and administration. She enjoys artistic expression through traditional art, graphic design, painting, dancing, and playing the violin and piano. She is excited to be a part of the team due to her creative nature and belief in the compassion, effective communication and strong resources that our SMHW department provides.
The counseling center at New York Medical College is committed to providing students with the best clinical support services possible. We offer training experience to graduate students in social work who can work closely with our students. We have provided fieldwork opportunities to students from Fordham University, New York University, and Touro University. Each year student interns are available for appointments between September and May.
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Nola Long |
Ms. Long is entering her second year as a MSW student at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service. She is excited to be joining the SMHW clinical team at NYMC and bringing her passion for helping others to her work as an intern. Prior to getting her Social Work degree, Nola spent ten years helping others get organized within their homes as part of her professional home organizing business. She also worked as the director of publications at two NYC-metro area private schools writing, editing, and producing their publications. For many years, Nola has volunteered at her town’s food panty in several capacities to provide services to those who are food-insecure and in need.
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Paula Wasserman |
Ms. Wasserman is a second year MSW student at Fordham University’s Graduate School for Social Service. She earned her MA in General Psychology at CUNY-Queens College where she worked with children with disruptive behavior disorders. Upon graduation, she worked as an applied behavior science specialist with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. In 2001, Ms. Wasserman had an opportunity to work at Columbia University Medical Center as a neuropsychometrist, evaluating cognition for individuals with suspected dementia. This limited one year position turned into a 20-year career where she took on progressive responsibility coordinating a free clinic and several Phase II – Phase IV clinical trials and operational studies in individuals with Huntington’s disease. In 2022, Ms. Wasserman decided to pursue her lifelong aspiration of becoming a licensed clinical therapist. She is excited to be joining the SMHW clinical team this September as an intern.
