MEET OUR TEAM
MEET OUR TEAM
WE’RE HERE WHEN YOU’RE READY
OUR THERAPISTS
Claire Burnham, LCSW
-
Claire (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 6 years of experience providing mental health treatment for adolescents and adults.
She is a person-centered, strengths-based therapist who also uses evidence-based interventions like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and trauma-informed approaches. By implementing these different techniques, Claire is passionate about helping others find meaning and fulfillment in their lives.
With a prominent focus on establishing compassionate and supportive therapeutic relationships, Claire hopes to foster a new sense of growth and self-esteem with her clients. Recognizing the profound impact of racial, economic, and social injustices on mental health, Claire strives to help her clients cope with these issues in the best way possible.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Jacquelyn Genus, LMHC
-
Jacquelyn (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with extensive experience supporting adolescents, adults, and families.
Having worked in a variety of mental health settings, she is dedicated to creating a safe, culturally sensitive space where individuals can explore their experiences and navigate their healing journeys meaningfully.
Jacquelyn takes a person-centered approach to therapy, empowering clients to achieve their counseling goals and grow into their best selves. As a native Spanish speaker, she is also able to provide therapy sessions entirely in Spanish upon request.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Briana Gruspier, LCSW-R
-
Briana (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-R) and Certified Grief Counselor with over 9 years of experience working with adolescents, adults, and the families of individuals with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
She specializes in addiction and recovery, grief and loss, codependency, and depression, as well as anxiety, interpersonal conflicts, life transitions, and self-esteem concerns. During sessions, Briana integrates a variety of treatment modalities into her practice, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), strengths-based therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Narrative Therapy.
As a therapist, Briana is dedicated to providing a judgment-free space where clients feel supported in working toward their goals. She focuses on helping clients recognize their existing strengths while developing new skills to manage emotions in healthier, more positive ways.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Natalie Capasse Modasra, LCSW
-
Natalie (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with experience supporting adults facing anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma-related issues, and life transitions.
She creates a warm, empathetic, and non-judgmental space where clients can explore their thoughts and emotions openly. Taking an integrative, person-centered approach, Natalie utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Motivational Interviewing to meet the unique needs of each client.
With all of her experience, Natalie is passionate about helping individuals build on their strengths to navigate challenges and achieve meaningful growth.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Gia Recco, LCSW
-
Gia (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with experience supporting school-aged children, families, and adults.
She meets clients where they are on their unique journeys toward mental well-being, guiding them as they work toward meaningful progress. By helping individuals who currently feel stuck, Gia believes that everyone has the capacity for growth and personal transformation.
Through all of her efforts, Gia offers a compassionate and non-judgmental space for clients to process emotions, develop coping skills, and foster personal development. She specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as well as Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERPT) for OCD.
* Supervised by Claire Burnham
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Kelly Lefsyk, LMSW
-
Kelly (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who is experienced in helping adults, caregivers, and families.
As a therapist, she is passionate about empowering clients to learn healthy coping and communication skills to manage stress and anxiety, address traumatic experiences, and improve relationships with themselves and others.
Kelly’s approach values the importance of building and maintaining a supportive and collaborative therapeutic relationship with her clients. To do so, she uses a combination of person-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed approaches.
* Supervised by Claire Burnham
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Hannah Christopher, LMSW
-
Hannah (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with experience supporting adolescents and adults in outpatient therapy.
She utilizes person-centered and strengths-based practices, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and other evidence-based interventions to support individuals navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, trauma, and more.
With a strong focus on how trauma and oppression can impact well-being, Hannah emphasizes building self-worth and helping her clients develop positive coping skills to overcome the challenges they face.
* Supervised by Claire Burnham
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Michael Longhini, LMSW
-
Michael (he/him) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with experience supporting adults in various settings.
He is passionate about empowering individuals to seek meaningful change by harnessing their strengths, knowledge, and self-determination to collaboratively establish stability, safety, and success.
Michael specializes in managing depression, anxiety, trauma, impulsivity, emotional distress, and substance use. Using evidence-based tools, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), parts work, and Motivational Interviewing, he helps clients work toward becoming the best version of themselves.
* Supervised by Natalie Capasse Modasra
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Sarah Randall, LMSW
-
Sarah (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with experience helping individuals navigate challenges such as depression, anxiety, substance use, personality disorders, relationship difficulties, anger, low self-esteem, grief, trauma, and more.
Her goal as a therapist is to provide a safe and supportive space for individuals to explore life’s challenges. From this foundation, Sarah adopts a non-judgmental, affirming, collaborative, trauma-informed, and attachment-based approach to guide her clients toward meaningful progress in their mental health journey.
Additionally, she also utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Emotion-Focused therapy (EFT), Motivational Interviewing, among other interventions.
* Supervised by Claire Burnham
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Kaylin Pafumi, LMSW
-
Kaylin (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who has experience supporting individuals facing anxiety, depression, grief, and major life transitions.
She is passionate about helping her clients foster personal growth while regaining balance and resilience within their lives. By using a compassionate and collaborative approach, Kaylin wishes to uncover the patterns that may be holding her clients back and equip them with tools to face challenges with clarity and confidence.
With a strong emphasis on self-discovery, Kaylin supports her clients every step of the way. By working together, she strives to create a life for her clients that feels balanced, meaningful, and authentically theirs.
* Supervised by Briana Gruspier
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Shianne Cooke, MHC-LP
-
Shianne (she/her) is a Mental Health Counselor-Limited Permit (MHC-LP) who provides therapy for individuals, couples, and families. She specializes in working with people of color and those navigating challenges related to depression, anxiety, trauma, and PTSD.
Shianne takes a trauma-informed approach, incorporating evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She believes in the importance of creating a space free of expectations, where clients can explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences authentically.
With a strong focus on building a genuine and supportive therapeutic relationship, Shianne empowers her clients to embrace their individuality and take control of their healing journey. She is passionate about helping people leave the roles and pressures of daily life at the door so they can focus on what truly matters—themselves.
* Supervised by Jacquelyn Genus
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Nick Pastizzo, MHC-LP
-
Nick (he/him) is a Mental Health Counselor-Limited Permit (MHC-LP) who provides therapy for adolescents and adults navigating a wide range of emotional and interpersonal challenges.
Nick takes a person-centered, strengths-based approach to therapy, drawing from evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based techniques, and trauma-informed care. He works collaboratively with clients to better understand themselves, develop practical coping skills, and create meaningful change.
Nick is committed to building a supportive and nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship where clients feel safe to explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. He brings warmth, compassion, and curiosity to each session, with the goal of helping clients feel empowered and more connected to their values and goals.
* Supervised by Jacquelyn Genus
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Cheyanne Mack, LMSW
-
Cheyanne (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with experience providing mental health support to adults.
She is a person-centered, strengths-based therapist who incorporates evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, mindfulness, and trauma-informed approaches. Cheyanne is passionate about helping clients navigate anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, perfectionism, and life transitions with greater self-awareness and resilience.
With a focus on creating a compassionate, nonjudgmental, and affirming space, Cheyanne works to foster growth, healing, and confidence in her clients. She understands the unique challenges that individuals face and strives to support each client in finding their own path toward meaningful change.
* Supervised by Briana Gruspier⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Mary Aiello, MHC-LP
-
Mary Aiello (she/her) is a Mental Health Counselor-Limited Permit (MHC-LP) who works with adolescents and adults navigating a wide range of concerns, including grief, anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, ADHD, and LGBTQ+ related concerns.
Mary takes a creative, person-centered approach to therapy, recognizing that there is no single path to healing. She draws from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), adapting her work to align with each client’s unique needs and experiences. Her goal is to create a space where fear and discomfort are taken seriously, while also helping therapy feel more approachable, supportive, and even light at times.
To Mary, therapy it’s just about managing what is difficult — it’s about making those challenges feel a little less overwhelming and helping clients discover new ways to grow.
* Supervised by Jacquelyn Genus
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Elyse Fuerst, LMSW
-
Elyse Fuerst (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who works with children, adolescents, and adults navigating a variety of concerns, including depression, anxiety, life transitions, perfectionism, relationship challenges, self-esteem, stress, and coping skills.
Elyse’s approach to therapy is warm, person-centered, and rooted in the belief that healing happens through connection and trust. She draws from a range of evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), strengths-based and trauma-informed practices, as well as Ecological Systems Theory and mindfulness-based techniques.
Elyse strives to offer a calm, supportive space where clients can explore life’s challenges with honesty and care while staying grounded in their strengths and working toward meaningful change.
* Supervised by Natalie Modasra
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Margaret Green, LMSW
-
Margaret Green (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who supports individual adults and couples navigating a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship challenges, trauma, grief and loss, family dynamics, women’s issues, and individuation.
Margaret brings a warm, flexible, and nonjudgmental presence to her work, supporting clients through experiences of growth, pain, and transformation. As a new mother herself, she is particularly passionate about helping parents — especially those in the postpartum period — as they navigate questions of autonomy, empowerment, and identity during major life transitions.
Her therapeutic approach is holistic and collaborative, integrating Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Narrative Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing. With curiosity and compassion, Margaret creates space for clients to slow down, explore what arises, and begin to rewrite the stories that no longer serve them.
* Supervised by Natalie Modasra
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Kara Groff, LMSW
-
Kara Groff (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who provides care to adolescents, young adults, and adults navigating a range of concerns. These include anxiety, depression, self-image struggles, eating disorders, traumatic experiences, pregnancy and postpartum challenges, relationship issues, and major life transitions.
Kara’s approach to therapy is warm, strengths-based, and collaborative. She draws from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care to support clients in building insight, developing healthier coping strategies, and reconnecting with their sense of self. Kara also offers faith-based counseling for clients who are interested in integrating their Christian faith into the therapeutic process.
Kara strives to create a safe, supportive space where clients can explore challenges with honesty and care, while honoring their values and working toward meaningful growth.
* Supervised by Claire Burnham
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Maria Grijalva, LMSW
-
Maria Grijalva (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who provides therapy to adolescents and adults ages 13 and up navigating a range of concerns, including anxiety, life transitions, self-esteem and identity development, stress management, and trauma. She also has experience supporting individuals through crisis intervention and safety planning.
Maria takes a trauma-informed, client-centered, and strengths-based approach to therapy. She believes that a strong therapeutic relationship is the foundation for meaningful growth and works collaboratively with clients to better understand their experiences, build insight, and develop effective coping strategies.
In her work, Maria helps clients better understand the connections between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. She integrates psychoeducation, mindfulness practices, grounding techniques, and practical coping strategies to support clients in navigating challenges and building confidence in their ability to manage stress and difficult experiences.
* Supervised by Natalie Capasse Modasra
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Lauryn Ferguson, MHC-LP
-
Lauryn Ferguson (she/her) is a Mental Health Counselor-Limited Permit (MHC-LP) who works with adolescents and adults ages 13 and up navigating a wide range of concerns. She has experience supporting individuals facing depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma-related concerns, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, agoraphobia and panic, substance use, emotional regulation difficulties, and stress related to life transitions.
She utilizes evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), trauma-focused interventions, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills. Her work focuses on helping clients build insight, strengthen coping strategies, improve emotional regulation, and identify meaningful, individualized goals based on their needs and preferences.
Her goal is to foster a supportive and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard, understood, and encouraged as they move toward personal growth.
* Supervised by Jacquelyn Genus
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Zoe Mangold, MHC-LP
-
Zoe Mangold (she/her) is a Mental Health Counselor-Limited Permit (MHC-LP) who provides therapy for adolescents and adults. She specializes in supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, grief, chronic illness, perinatal mental health, life transitions, stress, and career-related burnout. Zoe also has a special interest in working with parents of children with special needs, offering a space to process the unique emotional and practical challenges that can arise in caregiving.
Zoe takes a person-centered approach, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Play Therapy when appropriate. She also integrates mindfulness, self-care, and stress management strategies to help clients strengthen resilience and reconnect with their sense of balance and purpose.
Zoe is passionate about creating a calm, supportive space where clients can let go of expectations and explore their experiences with honesty and compassion. Her goal is to meet each client exactly where they are, empowering them to move through challenges and toward meaningful, lasting change.
* Supervised by Jacquelyn Genus⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Maddie Saumier, LMSW
-
Maddie Saumier (she/her) is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who provides therapy for adolescents and adults ages 15 and older. She specializes in supporting individuals navigating substance use disorders (SUD), trauma, PTSD, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and mood disorders including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder.
Maddie takes a collaborative, goal-oriented approach to therapy, working closely with clients to identify what they want to achieve and how they can get there. Drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Solution-Focused Therapy, she tailors each session to align with clients’ unique needs, preferences, and personal goals.
Maddie believes therapy is most effective when it is a true partnership, where clients feel actively involved in the process and supported in working toward their goals. She encourages open communication, collaboration, and flexibility throughout the therapeutic process.
* Supervised by Natalie Capasse Modasra⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Katlyn Von Glahn, LMSW
-
Katlyn Von Glahn (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who offers support to adolescents and adults ages 13 and up. She works with individuals navigating a range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, life transitions, trauma, school-related stress, OCD, anger, and self-esteem.
Katlyn takes a person-centered and strengths-based approach to therapy, recognizing that each individual is on their own unique path. She emphasizes the importance of adapting to each client’s needs and experiences while creating a supportive environment that fosters growth, understanding, and self-awareness.
Drawing from evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care, Katlyn works collaboratively with clients to build on their existing strengths, deepen self-understanding, and move forward in a way that feels authentic to who they are.
* Supervised by Briana Gruspier⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Bree Taylor-Farnsworth, LMSW
-
Bree Taylor-Farnsworth (she/her) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who provides therapy to children, adolescents, and young adults ages 8 to 25. She supports individuals facing challenges such as anxiety, depression, behavioral concerns, trauma, grief and loss, self-esteem, teen pregnancy, and life transitions.
Bree brings a flexible and supportive approach to therapy, recognizing that each client’s experiences and needs are unique. She emphasizes building a strong, trusting relationship as the foundation for growth, creating a space where clients feel comfortable expressing themselves and exploring challenges at their own pace.
She incorporates evidence-based approaches such as Motivational Interviewing and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), tailoring her work to help clients develop practical coping skills, improve emotional regulation, and feel more confident in navigating life’s challenges.
* Supervised by Briana Gruspier⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻Learn more about Bree on Psychology Today
Bree Taylor-Farnsworth, LMSW
Cass Fazio-Hardwick, LMSW
-
Cass Fazio-Hardwick (they/them) is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who supports adolescents and adults ages 13 and up. They work with individuals navigating through anxiety, depression, trauma, self-harm, substance use, family conflict, and experiences of abuse. Additionally, Cass has aided individuals with sex positivity and LGBTQ+ related concerns.
Cass takes an insight-oriented and collaborative approach to therapy, helping clients better understand their behaviors, experiences, and the factors that shape them. They recognize the importance of exploring both personal experiences and the broader social and environmental influences that impact mental health.
Cass draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help clients build practical skills, strengthen coping strategies, and work toward meaningful, individualized goals.
* Supervised by Natalie Capasse Modasra⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Learn more about Cass on Psychology Today
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
Douglas Roest-Gyimah, LCSW
-
Douglas (he/him) is a New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and has over a decade of experience working in human-services settings.
His experience ranges from addiction treatment to therapy in both prisons and schools. From there, Douglas has had the pleasure of starting a mental health practice from the ground up. His new passion is to create a thriving counseling center where therapists provide excellent services.
In addition to running Upstate Counseling, Douglas is an avid woodworker, and also coaches other small business owners.
Liz Wilson
-
Liz (she/her) is the Administrative Manager at Upstate Counseling, bringing over 20 years of experience in healthcare and leadership. She is passionate about leading a team committed to delivering exceptional customer service and compassionate care to clients.
Outside of work, Liz loves spending time with her family and friends, supporting her daughter at sporting events, and indulging in cooking and crafting.
Jack Bruce
-
Jack (he/him) is the Marketing & Design Coordinator at Upstate Counseling who contributes to the company’s website upkeep, social media content, and advertisements. He assists the executive staff with website design and researching new marketing strategies.
As a senior attending University at Albany, Jack continues to further his education in Business Administration and Marketing while contributing to Upstate Counseling’s Mission.
In his free time, Jack is an avid drummer and loves creating video content on YouTube.
Shelly Hulett
-
Shelly (she/her) is the Billing Coordinator at Upstate Counseling who has worked within various medical specialties for over a decade. She is a major advocate for mental health treatment and has seen first-hand how beneficial it can be. Shelly takes pride in being able to help people get the support they want or need.
In her free time, Shelly loves reading, hanging out with her dog, being creative, and being in nature.
Jessica Stuhlmiller
-
Jessica (she/her) is the Client Onboarding Specialist, dedicated to helping clients feel comfortable, supported, and heard from their very first interaction. She brings experience in client intake, administrative coordination, and fast-paced medical settings, with a strong emphasis on empathy, clear communication, and creating a smooth, welcoming onboarding experience.
Outside of work, Jessica is a wife and part of a blended family with three children. She enjoys cheering on her kids at sporting events, getting lost in a good book, hiking and exploring new adventures, and spending time at the beach. Family, connection, and balance are at the heart of everything she does.