Dr. Christine M. Newman is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of complex Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, anxiety, and Functional Neurological Disorders. She earned both her Master’s and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Hofstra University and completed her internship and post-doctoral training at a private clinic focused on intensive outpatient treatment for OCD and related conditions.

As co-founder of Mid Island Psychology Associates, PLLC, Dr. Newman provides evidence-based care for children, adolescents, and adults, with particular expertise in complex and treatment-resistant OCD presentations. She is highly trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD, and is experienced in adapting exposure-based approaches for individuals with complicating factors such as co-occurring anxiety, autism, or functional neurological symptoms. Her integrative approach draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to support meaningful, lasting change.

Dr. Newman is also recognized for her expertise in comprehensive autism evaluations, particularly in nuanced or diagnostically complex presentations. She conducts gold-standard assessments using tools such as the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule), ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised), ABAS-3 (Adaptive Behavior Assessment System), and CARS-2 (Childhood Autism Rating Scale). Her evaluations are known for their depth, clarity, and practical recommendations, helping families and schools confidently move forward with appropriate supports.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Newman is an educator, trainer, and consultant. She has taught psychology courses at Molloy College and SUNY Old Westbury, and she regularly provides professional trainings on ERP for OCD, school refusal, and adapting exposure-based interventions for complex cases. She has also delivered specialized trainings on functional tic disorders to clinicians at Northwell Health and NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Dr. Newman works closely with physicians, psychiatrists, neurologists, and school teams to ensure coordinated, comprehensive care. She welcomes consultation and collaboration with medical and mental health providers, particularly for complex diagnostic questions, treatment-resistant OCD, and Functional Neurological Disorders. Providers seeking case consultation or support in treatment planning are encouraged to connect.

Dr. Newman is known for her thoughtful, data-driven approach and her ability to partner closely with families and multidisciplinary teams. She is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality care that leads to meaningful and lasting change.

Fun Fact: When she’s not in the office, Dr. Newman enjoys baking from scratch, planning family trips (especially to Disney), and spending time with her children. She also loves animals and is always happy to be around them whenever she gets the chance.

Loren Packer-Hopke earned her Masters and Doctorate in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University. She received a B.A. from Adelphi University where she focused on clinical psychology.Dr. Packer-Hopke completed her post-doctoral training at a private specialized clinic in the treatment of OCD, where she specialized in intensive outpatient treatment for OCD spectrum disorders.

Dr. Packer-Hopke has worked at the Long Island Counseling Center providing individual therapy using CBT, for the treatment of adults, adolescents, and children with anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder, child abuse, and chronic mental illness.In the past she has worked as a counselor in the REACH Continuing Education Program at Hofstra University where she was responsible for socialization training for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She also worked as a therapist for the Institute for Family Forensic Psychology providing individual and family counseling for children and adolescents experiencing divorce, custody issues, foster care, and other types of family transitions.

Dr. Despina D. Konstas is a clinical psychologist licensed in New Jersey, New York, and Greece, and is authorized to practice telepsychology under PSYPACT (APIT #18226). She earned her M.A. and Doctorate in Clinical and School Psychology from Hofstra University, where she received the Camelot Foundation Award and served as a Doctoral Research Fellow. She also holds a B.A. in Psychology from New York University.

Dr. Konstas completed her post-doctoral training at the Hofstra University Student Counseling Center, where she became a staff psychologist. There, she supervised psychology interns, provided psychotherapy to undergraduate and graduate students, and led multiple therapy groups including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) groups, bereavement groups, and anxiety reduction groups.

She has obtained extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Her clinical expertise spans over 20 years and includes treatment for anxiety and mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (including OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorders, self-injurious behaviors, bereavement, and women’s health challenges (including perinatal anxiety, postpartum depression, menopause and perimenopause).

Dr. Konstas has conducted and presented research on topics such as the effectiveness of CBT in reducing suicidal ideation, suicide risk reduction in college students, interpersonal trauma, self-injurious behaviors, and eating disorders. She has delivered workshops and trainings on sexual assault, eating disorders, drug use, and safe space trainings.

In addition to her clinical and research background, Dr. Konstas has a long-standing passion for teaching. She served as an Assistant Adjunct Professor at Hofstra University and later became the Director of Psychology Programs and Undergraduate Programs Director at Hellenic American University in Athens, Greece. She taught undergraduate and graduate psychology courses for over 15 years and is widely recognized as a natural-born teacher who brings warmth, clarity, and enthusiasm to her educational and clinical work.

Fluent in both English and Greek, Dr. Konstas provides culturally responsive, compassionate care to clients from diverse backgrounds across the lifespan.

Jamie M. Postal earned her Doctoral Degree in School Psychology and Masters Degree in Human Development from Lehigh University. Prior to attending Lehigh, Dr. Postal earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from North Carolina State University. Additionally, Dr. Postal is an adjunct professor at Adelphi University where she teaches General Psychology and Writing in Psychology to undergraduate students.

Dr. Postal completed her post-doctoral training at Mid Island Psychology Associates, where she specialized in the treatment of OCD and related disorders, anxiety disorders, and PTSD with a special focus on utilizing Prolonged Exposure (PE) for the treatment of trauma. Dr. Postal truly enjoys providing support to patients experiencing a wide range of psychological challenges and has developed a special interest in working with young adults and adolescents struggling with self-esteem and body image issues.

Prior to joining the Mid Island team, Dr. Postal’s clinical work was within the school setting, where she provided one-on-one, and group therapy to children. Her work in schools provided her with opportunities to serve children of diverse ages, ethnicities, life experiences and psychological needs. She enjoys consulting with parents and school personnel to promote the use of evidence-based intervention strategies both at home and in school. Dr. Postal also has extensive experience completing comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations. Dr. Postal’s past research has primarily focused on effective parenting skills to foster healthy development during early childhood, particularly for at-risk families and youth. She has both conducted and presented her research at various nationally recognized conferences, and has co-authored publications in the field.

Matthew Lippman earned Masters and Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at Hofstra University. Prior to attending Hofstra University Dr. Lippman earned a Bachelors and Masters degree in Education with a specialization in guidance and counseling and is licensed as a school guidance counselor. Dr. Lippman has worked in a variety of settings including private practices specializing in the treatment of O-C spectrum disorders, as well as assisted living, and forensic setting.

Dr. Lippman has expertise in the treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders, more specifically OCD. Dr. Lippman uses evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, as well as Behavior Modification Techniques.  Dr. Lippman also specializes in the area of behavioral parent training.

Chelsea Huttner earned her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University. She received a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Teachers College Columbia University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Adelphi University. In addition to Mid Island Psychology Associates, Dr. Huttner works as a School Psychologist where she specializes in psychoeducational testing and counseling students with a wide range of behavioral, developmental, and emotional concerns.

Prior to joining Mid Island Psychology Associates, Dr. Huttner’s clinical work has been in the school and university settings. Her work in schools has given her experience providing therapy and counseling to children of all ages as well as young adults. Additionally, while at Hofstra University, she provided therapy, conducted therapeutic visitation, and completed forensic evaluations in the Institute for Family Forensic Psychology. Dr. Huttner is also experienced in conducting psychological evaluations.

At Mid Island Psychology Associates Dr. Huttner utilizes evidence-based interventions and psychological approaches in treatment and specializes in Anxiety and OCD. Dr. Huttner works with parents, schools, and other service providers in order to provide a collaborative approach to treatment.</

Christine Voll has been providing psychological services to adults, children, adolescents, and families for over 15 years.  She specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of various disorders.  She offers intensive treatment for individuals diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and related disorders.  Her clinical expertise includes anxiety and mood disorders, including OCD, social anxiety, specific phobias, panic disorders, eating disorders, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorders and school refusal behavior.

Dr. Voll earned her Masters and Doctorate in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University.  She completed her internship at South Nassau Community Hospital where she worked with individuals struggling with alcohol and drug addiction providing individual and group psychotherapy as well as their inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care units. Dr. Voll’s  post-doctoral training was at a private clinic where she treated children, adolescents and adults with a variety of mental health challenges.  In addition, Dr. Voll is also a certified School Psychologist who has worked extensively with children and families providing counseling, parent training, specialized evaluations of learning, attention, developmental, social, emotional and behavioral difficulties.  She offers comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations and is knowledgeable about Special Education services  and Individualized Education Plans.  Dr. Voll has extensive knowledge of the academic and mental health challenges facing children today.  She works closely with both parents and children to facilitate changes in behavior.

Keith Woythaler has spent more than 10 years providing direct therapeutic services to help adults, children, and families live meaningful and productive lives, despite suffering from the often chronic and pervasive effects of mental illness.  He specializes in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related obsessive-compulsive “spectrum disorders”, as well as other forms of anxiety including but not limited to Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder, and Phobias, as well as various forms of mood disorders, including Major Depression.  While CBT is my foundational approach, I utilize aspects of other therapies (ACT, DBT, etc.) when clinically relevant.

Dr. Woythaler completed his undergraduate degree at Lafayette College, and went on to complete both his Masters and Doctoral degrees at Hofstra University.  While at Hofstra University, I became one of the first at that institution to complete research in the field of utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) technology as a therapeutic tool in treating phobias, specifically the fear of flying.  In private practice, I have continued to help individuals overcome their fear of flying with more traditional, non-VR, forms of therapy.

Dr. Mitchell L. Schare, holds the rank of Professor and is a long-term faculty member and the former director of training in the PhD program in Clinical Psychology at Hofstra University. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the State University of New York ­- Binghamton in 1985 following an internship at the Brown University Medical School Consortium in Providence, R.I. He holds a specialty board certification from the American Board of Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology, is a Fellow of the Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies and is a licensed New York State Psychologist. He has served as a mental health consultant for the New York State Department of Mental Health, the United States Navy, the United States Air force as well as numerous other hospitals and institutions.

Dr. Schare completed his doctorate in Clinical Psychology with specializations in anxiety disorders treatment, substance abuse behaviors, and human sexuality & sexual dysfunction therapy at the State University of New York ­- Binghamton in 1985 following an internship at the Brown University Medical School Consortium in Providence, R.I.

As a scientist, Dr. Schare continues an interest and expertise in the area of anxiety disorder treatment. He mentors doctoral students in and researches the application of Exposure therapy for the treatment of phobias, OCD and traumatic reactions of PTSD. Having worked with trauma victims for 40 years, Dr. Schare has refined a professional interest in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as it is manifest over multiple causes. He has developed expertise on this issue and disseminates his knowledge through his teaching of doctoral candidates, professional research publications, media interviews, scientific presentations worldwide and through training sessions to professional and general audiences. At Hofstra, Dr. Schare directs the Phobia & Trauma Clinic, a university-based facility where he supervises advanced doctoral students on many sexual trauma cases and combat related trauma in the Armed Services Adjustment Program (ASAP). He is a long-term proponent of Exposure therapy in all of its modalities of application and has been a leader with extensive research & experience in the application of virtual reality exposure therapy.

Gia N. Campagna earned her Doctoral degree in School-Community Psychology at Hofstra University. Prior to attending Hofstra, Dr. Campagna earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from St. John’s University.

Dr. Campagna’s past clinical work was within the school and college setting. In the school setting, Dr. Campagna served children of varied ages and cultural backgrounds. She worked closely with school personnel as well as parents to create appropriate intervention programs relevant to the students’ educational and psychological needs.

Also, having earned a Doctoral Degree from a school-based program, Dr. Campagna was provided years of psycho-educational assessment experience. Dr. Campagna continued this work as a part-time evaluator at Bay Shore High School where she observed and assessed students to determine the appropriate educational setting and subsequent accommodations based upon the student’s needs. In addition, during Dr. Campagna’s training, she has participated in forensic clinics where she  conducted forensic evaluations for Nassau County Family Court.

Dr. Campagna continues to apply Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to relevant areas via individual, group, and/or family therapy. Her participation in multiple clinics provided specific training to effectively serve families living in high conflict, individuals exposed to trauma, and functionally impaired college students, as well as several other psychological concerns (e.g., ADHD, anxiety, trauma, OCD, personality disorders).

Dr. Ashleigh Garretson earned her Master’s and Doctorate in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University. She specializes in evidence-based treatment, primarily utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) while thoughtfully integrating Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to tailor care to each individual’s needs.

Dr. Garretson brings a diverse clinical background across university counseling, outpatient therapy, and school-based settings. She provided individual therapy to young adults at the Student Health and Counseling Center at Hofstra, supporting a wide range of mental health concerns. She also served as Clinic Coordinator for the Positive Psychology Institute for Emerging Adults and taught undergraduate courses in Positive Psychology, reflecting her strong foundation in both clinical work and psychoeducation.

Her experience extends to working with children, adolescents, and families navigating complex family dynamics, including divorce and custody matters, through her work with the Institute for Family Forensic Psychology. In school settings, Dr. Garretson has conducted comprehensive psychological evaluations and developed IEPs and 504 plans, giving her a nuanced understanding of educational systems and student support needs.

At Mid Island Psychology Associates, Dr. Garretson provides evidence-based treatment across the lifespan. She works with individuals experiencing common concerns such as anxiety, depression, and stress, while also offering specialized expertise in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. She has additional experience supporting individuals with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Functional Neurological Disorders. Her clinical interests include emerging adulthood, anxiety and phobias, relationship concerns, and complex presentations of OCD.

Dr. Garretson is known for her warm, collaborative style and her ability to translate evidence-based strategies into practical, meaningful change. Outside of her clinical work, she enjoys spending time at the beach and exploring her passion for cooking and baking.

Olivia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Adelphi University.

Olivia provides evidence-based treatment to children, adolescents, and adults, with a primary focus on anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and integrates these approaches to help clients build practical skills to manage distress, reduce avoidance, and improve daily functioning.

With prior experience in school-based settings, Olivia brings a collaborative, systems-oriented approach to treatment, working closely with families, schools, and other providers when appropriate. She is particularly skilled in supporting individuals with emotion regulation challenges, social difficulties, and life transitions.

Olivia takes a strengths-based and goal-oriented approach, tailoring treatment to each individual’s needs while maintaining a focus on measurable progress. She works to help clients build resilience, increase confidence, and develop effective coping strategies that translate into meaningful, lasting change.

Caryn DePinna earned her Master’s and Advanced Certification in School Psychology from CUNY Brooklyn College and Doctorate in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University.  Dr. DePinna completed internships and clinical training in various schools, a pediatric psychiatric hospital, and community mental health clinic providing mental health support to children, adults, and families.  Dr. DePinna uses an integrative approach when working with clients, applying her training in Behavioral Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Theory, Attachment Theory, and Mindfulness.  Her research interests include integrative and holistic mental health, incorporating evidence based interventions with mindfulness, nutrition, and exercise science.  

Dr. DePinna works full time for New York City Public Schools, supervising school based clinicians.  In her tenure with NYC Public Schools, Dr. DePinna has held several roles supporting students, families, and school staff; providing individual and group counseling, conducting psychoeducational evaluations, providing professional development and coaching around behavior intervention and positive behavior support, and overseeing crisis intervention and mental health support for schools.  

Dr. DePinna is an adjunct professor and teaches graduate courses at CUNY Brooklyn and Queens Colleges, including supervising school psychology interns and courses about behavior intervention, consultation, and learning difficulties.  Dr. DePinna has presented at several professional conferences including the International Association for Positive Behavior Support Conference and co authored several publications in the field. 

Dr. DePinna is an animal lover and volunteers with her rescue pup through the Good Dog Foundation as a Therapy Dog team to bring joy to people around New York City.

Dr. Amy Hyoeun Lee is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and a core faculty in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program at John Jay College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Dr. Lee holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from St. John’s University, where she obtained specialized training in evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents with trauma-related mental health problems. She completed an APA-accredited internship in the Stony Brook University Consortium Internship Program, Child Track. Her training has included positions in multiple hospital systems in and around NYC, such as Bellevue Hospital, Zucker Hillside, and Stony Brook University Hospitals.

Dr. Lee has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and families from diverse backgrounds to address a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns. She is well versed in CBT approaches including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She is a certified Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) therapist and has experience with trauma-focused treatments for adults, including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR). Dr. Lee aims to tailor evidence-based therapies based on each person’s unique needs, as well as their cultural and family values. Outside of her clinical practice, Dr. Lee directs the Lab for Youth Trauma Recovery, conducting applied research tto improve access to evidence-based trauma treatments for youth from historically marginalized communities.