SPBH - Key Persons
AJ has been in the education field for over 7 years with a strong passion for working with children. He earned his undergraduate degree from Southern Connecticut State University in Exercise Science while playing on the baseball team throughout his time there. While working at a therapeutic boarding school AJ earned his Masters degree in Special Education. AJ's role as a counselor/teacher was to work directly with students with social/emotional difficulties as a mentor, educator, and coach. AJ currently works full time as a high school Sports Medicine teacher at New London High School where he once graduated from in 2010. He thoroughly enjoys coaching and has coached many sports over the years involving himself with Cross Country, Baseball, Girls Softball, and the Golf team. AJ also has some past experience with coaching children in the Special Olympics.
AJ loves staying active by playing lots of golf, exercising, and bringing his dog Malcolm to the beach. He currently resides in Waterford, CT where he was born and raised. AJ is known for having an outgoing positive personality who loves being a part of the helping profession.
For nearly 20 years, Alex has been working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families. Starting in entry-level, direct-care positions, Alex has steadily expanded his education, increased his training and certification, and broadened his experience and skills in this field. While rising within the ranks of previous organizations, Alex developed a vision for combining dynamic counseling and community partnerships to meet client needs in the least restrictive environment. Alex's creation of SPBH is a manifestation of his prior experience and his mission moving forward: to direct a therapeutic program in which clients and families receive treatment on the path to living healthy and productive lives within their communities.
Alex's professional experience has been centered around macro and micro treatment practices; he has held leadership roles in previous facilities, focusing on programmatic systems and staff training and development, while simultaneously maintaining a focus on direct-care, individual counseling, crisis management, and family systems work. His innovative contributions to agency structure, and his talent in providing quality care for individuals and families, have all lead to positive outcomes for the clients and staff with whom he has worked. A leader in both therapeutic content and process, Alex's attention to organizational arrangement and service methodology are the cornerstones of SPBH; a program aimed to deliver the highest levels of training for his clinical and counseling staff, and the highest quality of care for his clients and the community.
Alex holds Bachelors Degrees in Psychology and English, a Masters of Science in Recreational Therapy, and a Masters of Clinical Social Work. He is a Licensed Psychotherapist with a broad range of experience in hospital programs and psychiatric units, residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding and day schools, and community clinics. Alex has extensive clinical and leadership experience in working with clients across the diagnostic spectrum at all ages and stages, from children to adults to families. Alex has intentionally sought opportunities with varied and diverse populations to develop his skills, become more well-rounded in his knowledge, and make a positive impact in both the mental healthcare community and the education system. In addition to leading SPBH, Alex manages a thriving private practice in Madison CT focusing on psychodynamic counseling, collaborative care, and crisis consultation.
Throughout his career, Alex has blended his passion for travel and adventure with his professional experience, leading groups of high-risk adolescents on foreign and domestic trips to engage in outdoor activities like mountaineering, rock climbing, alpine skiing, and water-based adventure, as well as humanitarian trips in which he has helped build facilities for, delivered food and medicine to, and educated and played with children living in poverty. Alex believes that the human connection to nature and the outdoors, and meaningful, shared experiences with others are impactful opportunities for expanding horizons and strengthening psychosocial development. Alex identifies that the foundations of mental health are built on a healthy diet, exercise, and maintaining points of contact within family systems and community connections. Alex's work in forming community partnerships is intended to provide clients access to care across the continuum of supports and interventions available while keeping them connected to their families and communities. A native of upstate New York, Alex has created a second home on the Connecticut Shoreline where he has lived and worked for the last 15 years.
Brianna comes to Shoreline Psychotherapy and Behavioral Health after working at a non-profit organization serving youth with serious illnesses and their families for seven years. Bri worked in the family outreach department facilitating youth development programs on the road in the communities and homes of participants.
She graduated from the University of Connecticut with dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music and Psychosocial Health Studies and a Master of Science in Youth Development Leadership. She received the YDL Graduate Student Award for Excellence and degree in 2021.
Brianna is a passionate professional who strives to have a positive, lasting impact on all those she meets. She believes that life is about creating and sharing meaningful experiences. Bri utilizes a strength-based approach and focuses on the positive assets people already have when working towards their greater development. As a life-long learner, Bri values a growth mindset over a fixed mindset and works to challenge people, in a positive way, to be the best that they can be. Using a holistic approach - including physical, emotional, and social arenas of life - Bri is thoughtful about having a set direction and being intentional about the decisions that bring her and those she interacts with along a chosen path. She cares greatly about research and evaluation and recognizing the meaning behind her efforts. In her free time, you will likely find Bri out in nature at any time of year. She loves exploring the woods and mountains and water and winter sports. She also loves being active for her health finding time to run or do yoga throughout her week. Finally, Bri loves to read, journal, and play music!
Brianna is continuously excited to share her interests with the SPBH community and learn about the lives of the therapist, staff, clients, and families in this ever-growing community. Bri believes in kindness and compassion. She loves meeting people where they are at and matching their energy. Bri hopes to provide a warm, welcoming environment where people can feel included and like they can be their most authentic selves.
Brittany has been working for over 8 years directly with adolescents and their families at a therapeutic boarding school in Madison, CT. She joined after receiving her undergraduate degree in psychology. She began as a counselor, where she built meaningful relationships with students and staff, assisted in crisis management, and lead diverse student activities. She served as an administrator and advisor, providing case management services to up to 10 students. Brittany helped develop, teach, and implement individual treatment plans for students. She worked in collaboration with psychiatrists and residential case managers, she developed goals and objectives for the students and their families.
Brittany graduated with her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State University. Brittany completed her clinical internship hours at a residential boarding school, providing student counseling sessions, family sessions, and group therapy. During her year and half of clinical supervision, she worked with individuals and couples under the guidance of a trained Marriage and Family therapist. This experience has guided the development of her theoretical orientation as well as enabled her to gain knowledge and receive feedback in her work.
As a former college field hockey player, Brittany offers a deep understanding of the athlete's role as well as the inner workings of the larger sports community. The application of this experience helps guide her work with high school and college athletes struggling with mental health conditions who may experience the stigma of seeking professional support. Brittany believes in a holistic approach that integrates systems theory and emotionally focused therapy, while emphasizing the importance of staying active to help clients achieve their ultimate potential.
Job Titles:
- Life Specialist at Yale - New Haven Children 's Hospital
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Outreach and Business Management
Dennis Rinaldi joins the SPBH team from Harrison, New York. He graduated from Western New England University with a degree in Economics. At WNE, he was a stand-out basketball player and led his team as Captain, MVP, and the school's first All-Conference first-team award winner. Dennis applies his positive on-the-court attitude to his work with children and families. He has always found joy working with kids and has led volunteer trips, nonprofit fundraisers, and community events to support youth development. Dennis also holds a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Connecticut.
After graduation, Dennis worked at a therapeutic boarding school for adolescents who, because of social or emotional difficulties, have been unable to make satisfactory adjustments in their home or school environments. He began as a teacher/counselor and was quickly promoted to an advisor/ residential administrator role. He spent 3 years working directly with families and young adults. He was a mentor, coach, and role model for residential students and the staff he worked with.
For the past 4 years, Dennis has been working as the Program Director at a non-profit organization founded by Paul Newman for children with severe and life-threatening illnesses. He manages a team of thirty-five counselors, overseas safety for all program activities, and focuses on providing a different kind of healing for children and their families.
Dennis has called New England home for the past 10 years and presently lives on the Connecticut Shoreline.
Gretchen Holthausen is privileged to work as a Licensed Professional Counselor to develop knowledge, build self-advocacy, and sustain growth within teenagers, adults, and families. She utilizes an empathic, holistic, and client-centered approach to honor exactly where individuals are in their lives and develop a trusting therapeutic relationship within a safe space. Founded upon the belief that people do better when they can, Gretchen works with individuals to identify and work towards meaningful goals and, ultimately, through acceptance and empowerment, bring about change and fulfillment.
In addition to working with children, adolescents, adults, and families in a community-based clinical setting over the last three years, Gretchen has worked for 12 years as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist within a Connecticut public high school. In turn, she has experience across multiple environments in routinely supporting individuals with ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Depression, executive functioning difficulties, Gender Dysphoria, and PTSD. In addition to helping individuals and families process and work through divorce and family conflict, she also specializes in assisting teenagers in accessing appropriate supports, increasing independence, and navigating the transition from high school to post-secondary education and work.
Gretchen welcomes all individuals regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity and/or expression. She brings a positive, honest, strength-based approach to her clinical work while incorporating research-based techniques founded in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), meditation, mindfulness, and psychoeducation.
A firm believer in the power of laughter within the context of hard work, when appropriate, Gretchen incorporates humor in her work with individuals and families. Finally, she subscribes to the notion that no success is too small to honor. As it takes a great deal of courage to make intentional change in one's awareness, behavior, perspective, response, and understanding within the therapeutic process, it is important to celebrate growth each step of the way.
Jake comes to Shoreline Psychotherapy and Behavioral Health with 5 years of experience working directly with individuals with behavioral health needs, ranging from autism spectrum disorder to anxiety and substance use disorders. Jake completed his bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in addictions at Keene State College. During his time at Keene State he worked with adolescents with autism, providing one on one care to improve maladaptive behaviors. Jake also spent 6 months in Spain, studying psychology at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, which afforded him an opportunity to grow as a culturally competent therapist.
Jake graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Masters of Family Therapy. During his time in graduate school Jake worked as a milieu therapist at residential substance program, providing support to adolescents struggling with substance abuse in an inpatient setting. He provided individual, group, and family therapy to adolescents and young adults struggling with substance use and co-occurring mental disorders. During this time, Jake also created and facilitated a parent support group for loved ones of clients. Jake worked as an in home counselor for a community mental health agency, helping adolescents with conduct/substance disorders navigate struggles within school, community, family and judicial settings. Jake brings a solution focused approach to therapy, providing clients with support while helping them take steps to achieve their goals.
At SPBH, Jake works with adolescents and their families, he is active as a clinician and as a connections coach. Additionally, Jake provides supervision and consultation for all of our Connection coaches.
Job Titles:
- Office Manager
- Office Manager Role
Jan is SPBH's office manager. She ensures that our office runs smoothly and is often one of the first people our clients interact with during the intake process. In short, without Jan, SPBH would simply not function!
Jan is a native of Connecticut and has been living on the Shoreline for over 35 years. She enjoys going to the beach, boating, and spending time with family and friends.
In addition to her office manager role at SPBH, Jan has been working with the Westbrook school district for over 30 years as a Food Service Manager and enjoys being a care taker to her two grandsons.
Janel possesses a natural gift for connecting with clients and helping them better connect with themselves. Her work as a clinician, as well as a leader in program development and staff supervision, are deeply rooted in her caring for others and aiming to better their lives. Over the last 20 years, Janel has melded her personal and professional experiences with formal education and certified credentials to become an effective leader and contributor in the field of mental health services.
Janel's expertise lies in complex trauma and EMDR treatment modalities, child and adolescent development, couples therapy, and family systems. Her attention to detail in working with clients is her greatest strength, as she possesses an innate ability to identify and understand presenting issues, and to guide and educate on the path to self-discovery and healing. Janel is clinically-oriented in her focus; her relational approach allows her to join with her clients and build rapport, connection, and trust during their therapeutic journey. She has provided therapy for clients across the diagnostic spectrum, from children to adolescents to adults, and for individuals, couples, and families.
In addition to her clinical work, Janel is a gifted teacher with extensive experience in the training and development of other clinicians, counselors, and crisis intervention coordinators. Throughout her 20-year career in previous facilities, Janel has been consistently promoted to higher levels of responsibility and management based on her ability to learn, teach, supervise, and develop her own skills, while helping her colleagues do the same. Her expertise in the clinical supervision of therapists and care providers, as well as her creation and implementation of systems for program development and staff training and certification, have been significant in increasing the sophistication of services delivered to clients and their families. Janel's leadership at SPBH will ensure that all staff and families are understood and provided with nuanced quality care tailored to their individual needs.
Janel holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has worked in residential treatment centers, outpatient hospital programs, community clinics, and has nearly a decade of experience in managing her private practice in Madison CT, where she works as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for individuals, couples, and families. Janel is also a certified Yoga and Mindfulness instructor and former college athlete who firmly believes in the mind-body connection, the importance of diet, exercise, and experiences in nature and the outdoors as the foundations of mental health and personal development. A Connecticut Shoreline native, Janel has lived and worked in the area for many years and maintains a strong network of family, friends, and connections to colleagues and other agencies in the community.
Liz was fortunate to know early in her life that her passion would be working as a therapist. She was curious about other's emotions from a young age and often wondered how other's were feeling. As a teen, Liz was often found on the phone listening to her friends and was already developing her therapist skills. It was clear she would need to study social work. And so, her journey started by applying early decision to a small school in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Her time at Muhlenberg College was a beautiful adventure full of academic rigor and social excitement. Liz studied social work as her major and Spanish as her minor. She had opportunities to learn more by interning in a Domestic Violence Shelter for women and children and intern at a residential facility for teens. Her path towards social work continued at University of Connecticut School of Social Work for her Master's Program. Further internships included in-patient psychiatric unit at John Dempsey Hospital and at Glastonbury Youth and Family Services.
Harbor Health Services located in Guilford, CT would be where Liz began her official career. At this LMHA, she focused on Dialectical Behavior Therapy and TARGET trauma skills therapy for PTSD. She enjoyed individual therapy with adults, as well as group therapy and Intensive Outpatient Program. This time felt very rewarding for her. She continued on to Stonington Institute where she focused on substance abuse treatment. Liz has a great depth of knowledge when it comes to recovery issues and addiction for the individual and their family members. She has seen the power of recovery for many clients on the other side of their pain & addiction. She also worked outpatient for many years at Sound Community Services in New London, CT. She worked with many adults dealing with a variety of mental health issues including anxiety, PTSD, OCD, depression, psychosis, bipolar, borderline personality disorder and dual diagnosis. It was very clear to Liz that therapy had the potential to decrease suffering for so many at any stage of life. At this point, Liz became interested in returning to working with adolescents. A highlight in her career was at The Grove School in Madison, CT working with teens and their families at this therapeutic residential facility. These teens were dealing with issues such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, Aspergers and learning disabilities. Developing special connections and relationships with these teens was a powerful and meaningful experience. Her 20+ years in this field has shown Liz that healing can happen in a safe therapeutic environment.
Liz loves the magic that happens in therapy. She loves to see an end to personal suffering and see her clients build a life worth living. She loves the process from beginning to end. And always has great respect and admiration for any person who can walk through her door to begin the process of healing. She is non-judgmental and willing to welcome any person desiring help or changes in their life. Liz has a strong background in mental health disorders and addiction issues. She provides individuals therapy and also works with couples and families. She has a great deal of knowledge related to chronic illnesses or illnesses that may be terminal. She refers to dealing with physical ailments or diseases as being "healthy sick." She has coined this phrase as a way to reframe and look at the full spectrum of life and disease.
Liz is married and has two step children and one puppy. She is an avid runner and co-founder of Outrun38.
Liz is available for virtual therapy clients only.
Sam graduated from Daniel Hand High School in Madison in 2010. She has spent the last ten years working as a teacher at a local daycare center. This experience has furthered her interest in working with children and families. She is often called a "people person" by friends, colleagues, and clients. Sam finds her work fulfilling, as each family she works with is so different. She enjoys getting to know her clients and working to understand the unique family dynamics. Along with her child care experience, Sam has experience working with in-home care.
Sam has been a Connections Coach with SPBH from the beginning. Sam is a wonderful support to clients and families. She is known for her strengths in building relationships with clients. She is a wonderful addition to our team.
Sarah is a graduate student at Southern Connecticut State University where she studies Marriage and Family Therapy. Currently, Sarah works in a recovery program for women struggling with substance use. Sarah has joined SPBH as an intern to continue to grow her clinical skills. Sarah believes therapy is a place for people to share and explore their own stories and that in the exploration, healing begins. Sarah creates a space where people can learn and discover themselves through story.
Sarah believes in the mind body connection and enjoys working with her clients to understand the signals in their own bodies and how that connects to the rest of their mental and emotional health. She uses solution, narrative, and emotionally focused approaches to therapy.
In her free time, Sarah enjoys riding and working on her bicycle, rock climbing, and snowboarding.
Throughout her own journeys and experiences during her lifespan, Tatiana knew going into college she needed to be in the social work field. She is passionate about breaking the stigma for mental health needs, along with advocating for young individuals to have a voice in their current system. Growing up in a half Hispanic household, Tatiana developed knowledge of cultural differences and competency. Tatiana is highly known for her calm, patient personality, along with her sense of humor which has helped create a safe space for all people to come and have someone to be vulnerable with. Tatiana believes in using a strengths-based approach in therapy by exploring personal, family and community strengths as a guide in setting goals, challenging negative thoughts and behaviors and building one's confidence in their ongoing journey to resilience. Tatiana has experience with evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Play Therapy, along with Family-Based Therapy for eating disorders.
Tatiana enjoys working with children, adolescents, adults and families. In her previous work places, she gained experience working with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, ADHD, trauma, OCD and children and teens adjusting to parent's separation and/or divorce. Upon completion of her Master's degree, Tatiana has worked in a many therapeutic settings including in hospitals and intensive-outpatient settings for adults and adolescents. In these setting, Tatiana provided individual and family sessions, lead therapeutic groups, relapse prevention, DBT and CBT skills. Tatiana has also co-lead an 8-week Girl's Group for 6th and 7th grade girls to discuss topics such as communication, empathy/respect, and self-love.
Tatiana is a native to Connecticut and has lived in several towns in the New Haven County area. Tatiana received her undergraduate degree in Sociology with a Criminology earned her Master's in Social Work. In her free time during warmer months, Tatiana enjoys going on hikes and getting sun on the beach. All year round, she mostly spends time with her three rescue dogs, watching scary movies and enjoying Ben and Jerry's ice cream.