I am a licensed clinical social worker practicing in South Jersey with an office in Cherry hill and the advantage of online teletherapy access. I earned my bachelor's in Human Services at Empire State College, a State University in New York. Empire State College was at that time a pioneer in adult online degree accreditation, making it possible for working adults to access one of the earliest virtual learning opportunities in the country. I was a mother of three at the time of my graduation and had recently lost my own mother to terminal cancer after being her primary caregiver for over three years, so being able to access higher education was life-changing for me.

My mother's illness and passing as I experienced it as a young mother myself, was the catalyst for my work as a clinical social worker. I was fortunate to have reached out to compassionate and caring mental health providers who helped her and me through dark times. I decided to return to school to work on a graduate degree in social services in order to be able to give back to individuals, especially women who were coping with ordinary life challenges such as relationships, growing families, relocations, and career decisions alongside past trauma, loss or ongoing behavioral health disorders.

I completed my Master's in Social Services at Fordham University with a minor in Addictions and co-occurring disorders. One of my accomplishments in addictions treatment was that I was able to bring trauma-focused treatment to women who were hospitalized in an inpatient program in Nyack New York in the form of a special women's only trauma group that re-occurred once weekly. My group continues to be offered to patients until today. I have experience as well working with families in a residential treatment program for emotionally disturbed children and adolescents at the highest level of care in the State of New Jersey. Our community reintroduction rate for these children was over half, which was immensely gratifying to me. I have learned perseverance and resilience from these families who had so many well-meaning helpers give up on them and were still able to find a measure of healing.

In my private practice, I genuinely believe that everyone deserves a meaningful and fulfilling life. I feel privileged to be able to have a job in which I can actively contribute to make this belief a reality for individuals who reach out to me and to have this opportunity to work with you.

- Mirel