Project SARAH Staff

I joined the Project SARAH team in 2021. In my role as psychologist, I am proud to be involved in a program providing an array of high-quality, trauma-informed services to survivors and to the general community. I’ve had the opportunity to help build a template for assessments that help Project SARAH clients efficiently access treatment tailored to their unique needs. I enjoy supporting and offering clinical consultation to staff in their work with abuse survivors, while also providing direct psychotherapy to Project SARAH clients.  

I earned a Master of Science degree in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing and have been in the mental health field for over ten years. Part of the Project SARAH team, I provide psychiatric evaluations and medication management services, as needed, to survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, using an empathetic, trauma informed approach.

Rabbi Berel Leiner is the Rabbinical Liaison for Project SARAH, the agency’s domestic violence services program. He is a talmid of Rav Pam, ZT”L and has over 30 years of experience in chinuch. As founder of South Shore High School and Yeshiva Ateres Yaacov in the Five Town, Rav Leiner has demonstrated expertise in building programs from the bottom up. Rav Leiner has also served as Menahel of Elite High School in Brooklyn, Menahel of Yeshiva Toras Emes in Brooklyn, and Principal of Yeshivas Beis Hillel in Passaic, NJ. In addition to his vast experience in school settings, Rav Leiner served for nearly two decades as Head Counselor of major summer camps, where he is responsible for the wellbeing of hundreds of campers and staff. Rav Leiner is especially committed to the development and implementation of creative curricula that bring together a traditional religious and secular education. His unique ability to direct, guide and inspire students, staff and families alike makes Rav Leiner an asset and welcome addition to Project SARAH and JFS.

As Project SARAH’s consulting trauma specialist, I love the opportunity to meet regularly with the team and offer guidance around their work with survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. A certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist, I developed the Presence Psychotherapy trauma treatment model, as well as the ORBITS for Everyone process. I’ve published some of my work in the Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy and the Journal of Hospital and Community Psychiatry. I have been clinical associate faculty at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Psychiatry, and taught trauma treatment at Rutgers University, as well as at postgraduate training centers such as The National Institute for the Psychotherapies (NIP) and The Training Institute for Mental Health. A psychotherapist and meditator for 30 years, I maintain a private practice in Montclair, NJ where I provide online consultation and training for psychotherapists.

It is my privilege to be working with Project SARAH clients.  I primarily provide trauma-informed clinical art therapy to children who have been exposed to high conflict divorce, sexual abuse, and domestic abuse. Art therapy promotes both verbal and nonverbal communication, while helping children process trauma, allowing them to discover effective coping tools and find healing. When relevant, I often integrate other modalities to use in conjunction with art therapy, including psychodrama, child-centered play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy, always with a strength-based approach.  

Since joining the Project SARAH team in 2018, I have been providing individual psychotherapy to survivors, while also facilitating our program’s Women’s Group and Healing Circle for clients impacted by sexual and domestic abuse. I offer a welcoming, integrative approach that prioritizes therapeutic connection and collaboration geared toward helping clients discover their own path toward healing and growth. A firm believer that there is always more to learn, I relish opportunities to refine my skills in trauma-informed mental health care—most recently training in internal family systems, dialectical behavioral therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy models. I look forward to embarking on a comprehensive training in EMDR next. 

Bio coming soon…

I joined the Project SARAH team in 2022, bringing a background in program development and community education. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to help plan the Mikvah Attendant and Kallah Teacher programing, which offers support and education to individuals in these unique roles. In addition, I have been providing individual psychotherapy to survivors, while also co-facilitating our program’s Healing Circle for clients impacted by sexual abuse. Using a trauma-informed mental healthcare approach, I strive to empower individuals by collaborating with them to discover their own path towards growth and by incorporating solution focused and strength-based approaches. Always looking to learn more, I am currently receiving training in the internal family systems and cognitive behavioral therapy models.  

Bio coming soon…

As Clinical Care Coordinator at Project SARAH, I am fortunate to provide advocacy and support for our clients.  With a warm, relatable approach, I foster a therapeutic relationship that empowers clients to explore their choices and voice their needs, while linking them to a wealth of resources to help address those needs. I am passionate about supporting family systems using a trauma-informed framework and have a background in working with parents, children, and adolescents. Trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and internal family systems, and I am always interested in learning new techniques for providing quality care.  

Bio coming soon…

I received a law degree from Boston University School of Law and am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Legal Program Coordinator for Project SARAH. Within this role, I connect survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with attorneys who specialize in these areas. Knowing that navigating the legal system can be an additional source of trauma for our clients, I use my expertise to help empower them through some of their toughest times, whether through advocacy, clarifying legal documents, providing attorney recommendations, or reviewing court procedures.  

I’m glad to have joined the Project SARAH team in 2020. Whether facilitating psychoeducational support groups or providing individual therapy, I’ve gained a sense of how difficult circumstances may be behind closed doors. In my new role as Outreach Coordinator, I am dedicated to expanding Project SARAH’s abuse prevention programs with an eye toward stopping domestic and sexual abuse before it starts. I enjoy partnering with schools, camps, and synagogues to create programming, tailored to any age group or setting, that promotes healthy relationships within the broader community, as it continues to grow and change.