Maria Fiore, LPC

Adam Banks, LCSW, earned his MSW from Fordham University in 2010 and became a licensed clinical social worker in 2016. He also holds a Master’s in Psychology from Queens College and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Brandeis University. With over 12 years of clinical experience across community mental health, home-based family therapy, and outpatient substance abuse programs, Adam specializes in anxiety, adult ADHD, and infertility/family building. He is passionate about supporting clients navigating reproductive challenges and transitions to parenthood, often integrating narrative therapy to help families envision their future.

Adam uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and reframe unhelpful thinking patterns, as well as Motivational Interviewing to address ambivalence and guide clients toward meaningful change. He incorporates mindfulness, grounding, and coping strategies to improve emotional regulation and distress tolerance. His approach helps clients navigate difficult emotions and life challenges while fostering growth and resilience.

Adam practices active listening to understand client needs and collaborates to set personalized goals. His style is warm, affirming, strength-based, and can be both humorous and direct as appropriate. He believes that meaningful change takes time and that therapy, though sometimes challenging, is a powerful tool for cultivating a more satisfying and purposeful life.

Christine is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in substance use, disordered eating, and empowerment. She is dedicated to helping clients achieve life-changing goals and personal growth through compassionate and evidence-based mental health counseling. Christine’s therapeutic approach centers on empowering individuals to manage distress, enhance self-esteem, and develop a deeper connection with themselves and their bodies in a safe, collaborative environment.

She is particularly passionate about guiding clients to break free from self-destructive cycles and wounded coping responses. Christine believes that at the root of these challenges often lie experiences of complex trauma, along with deeply ingrained feelings of shame and self-hatred. Her holistic approach is designed to foster healing, build resilience, and support sustainable emotional well-being.

With a foundation in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Christine uses a variety of evidence-based interventions tailored to each client’s unique needs, helping them build problem-solving skills and mental clarity. Her advanced training in shame-informed therapy, somatic psychotherapy, and mindfulness allows her to support mind-body integration and promote healing on multiple levels.

A key goal in Christine’s shame-informed work is to help clients reframe painful beliefs and behaviors they feel ashamed of, encouraging a more compassionate and understanding perspective. She also incorporates elements of narrative therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to support clients in exploring and integrating all parts of themselves. Through this multidimensional approach, Christine helps clients create meaningful, lasting changes for both their mental and physical well-being.

As a professional mental health counselor, I believe in the importance of building a strong therapeutic alliance with clients. To achieve this, I strive to show empathy by understanding not just what clients say, but the deeper meaning behind their words. I aim to be genuine and congruent in my actions and words, and to offer unconditional positive regard. I value respect, immediacy, and cultural awareness, while maintaining strong ethics and self-awareness. I work to foster trust, warmth, and objectivity, and I continually develop my competence to better support those I serve.

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LaJoya McDonald is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with extensive experience across outpatient, telehealth, and managed care settings. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and specializes in treating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, and life transitions.

LaJoya is dedicated to creating a safe, supportive, and collaborative environment where clients feel heard and empowered. Her treatment style is integrative and person-centered, utilizing evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), trauma therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution-Focused Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, supportive therapy, goal-oriented therapy, and mindfulness-based techniques.

LaJoya helps clients explore their thoughts, emotions, and patterns while developing practical tools for coping, healing, and growth. She believes in tailoring each treatment plan to the unique goals, strengths, and values of the individual, and takes pride in walking alongside her clients through life’s challenges with compassion and respect.

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Veronica McKnight received her Master's degree from the Hunter College School of Social Work in New York. She holds clinical social work licenses in Florida, Maine, Vermont and Wisconsin. Ms.McKnight's key areas of practice include depression, anxiety, trauma, communication in relationships, parenting challenges, compassion fatigue and grief and bereavement. Ms. McKnight specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a strength based, solution focused approach. Ms. McKnight integrates Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing techniques.  Ms. McKnight has been certified as a Compassion Fatigue Educator and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Ms. McKnight has held leadership and clinical roles in community mental health centers, housing programs, hospitals and non-profit organizations.

I am proficient in assisting clients to navigate transitions in all aspects of the life span. Over the past 30 years, my experience has taught me that the most important aspect of therapy is the connection and comfort you feel with the person with whom you choose to share your personal struggles.

I like to listen to what patients are telling me about what is important to them and what they would like to address in therapy.  We can then start to set goals together and work towards the outcomes they want.  We always go at a pace that is comfortable to the client.

Michelle Shya, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) at Talkiatry, has provided care in the field for almost a decade. Working with individuals and families, she has connected and fostered ties with a broad spectrum of clients, including adolescent, adult, and geriatric services. Michelle's practice style centers on providing a safe and understanding space for clients to share, learn, identify, and address their unique therapeutic needs. Using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Michelle focuses on the relationships between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to assist the client in discovering their personal strengths and motivation to realize their individual life goals. Michelle completed her undergraduate Social Work education at Millersville University. Later at Marywood University, she earned her Master's in Social Work, with a specialization in Child and Family Practice. Michelle has had a wide variety of experiences working as a Social Worker in therapeutic and social service settings. She has provided case management and therapeutic care in domestic violence shelters, treatment foster care, community organizations, and hospice in-home support. In Michelle's experience in providing therapy, she has maintained a generalist practice, working with a variety of individuals facing personal barriers and challenges. By taking a step-by-step therapeutic approach, the client is able to better understand and process their thoughts as well as feelings to drive actionable change.

Susana Deltoro is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) with over a decade of experience in mental health and substance use disorders (SUD). She specializes in delivering culturally sensitive, client-centered therapy and is passionate about empowering individuals to overcome challenges and achieve long-term stability. Susana holds a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, New Mexico. Over the years, she has worked in diverse settings, including private practice, employee assistance programs, and leadership roles in clinical care. As the Chief Operating Officer for a non-profit agency, she developed innovative programs, supervised multidisciplinary teams, and collaborated with community organizations to support individuals in their recovery journeys with Mental Health and substance use disorders. Susana is dedicated to creating tailored treatment plans that seamlessly integrate into her clients' daily lives. She specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness therapy, and solution-focused modalities, adhering to a humanistic, person-centered approach. Her practice emphasizes holistic care, helping clients explore their strengths and establish healthy coping mechanisms. Your well-being is Susana's priority. If you have any questions, she encourages you to reach out. While she may not have all the answers, she is committed to helping you find them. Fluent in English and Spanish, Susana excels at building trust with diverse populations. Outside of her clinical work, she enjoys facilitating workshops on stress management and self-care, reflecting her commitment to fostering resilience and well-being in her clients and the community.