ABOUT
Our Team
We're Hiring!
If you're a licensed clinician who is passionate about providing evidence based treatment and interested in finding out more information about joining our team please reach out via email.
Please send your CV and cover letter to our email.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Founder and Director
Dr Talia Kaplan
Licensed Clinical and Educational Psychologist
Talia Kaplan, PsyD, a Licensed Clinical and School Psychologist, leads with expertise and compassion. As the director and founder of our practice, Dr. Kaplan brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her work. Specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), she offers comprehensive support for both children and adults. With a versatile background spanning private practice, schools, and psychiatric hospitals, Dr. Kaplan's insights have been honed through diverse settings. Her commitment to education extends beyond her practice, as she has shared her knowledge with students at renowned institutions like NYU and CUNY. Previously serving as a school psychologist in the Jerusalem school district, she brings a global perspective to her work. Dr. Kaplan's approach is marked by warmth, flexibility, and a resolute focus on achieving goals, ensuring each client receives personalized care tailored to their unique needs. Graduating from Pace University, she embodies a blend of academic rigor and compassionate care in her practice.
Senior Psychologist
Dr. Yael Warhaftig Miller
Yael Wahrhaftig-Miller, PsyD is a licensed Educational Psychologist specializing in working with children, parents, and young adults. With a specialty in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Yael is dedicated to providing evidence-based care to individuals of all ages. She completed her doctoral training at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, and has worked in both school and clinical settings in New York and Montreal, Canada. Additionally, she is recognized as an Israeli Specialist (מומחית) in Educational Psychology.
Since making aliyah to Israel in 2014, Yael has served for over 8 years as a School Psychologist for municipal pre-schools, elementary, and middle school settings in Efrat. She has also headed the Olim Mental Health Services for the Psychology Department of Efrat. Through both her professional experience and personal experience as a mother of four olim children, Yael has gained a deep understanding of the unique challenges of integration that these children and their families face upon making aliyah.
Yael is passionate about including parents in the therapy process and strengthening the parent-child connection. She is fluent in both English and Hebrew, allowing her to effectively navigate the Israeli school system and provide comprehensive support to clients in both languages. This year, she joined the Machon Kesher team, where she is currently working full-time. Yael’s warmth and playful personality help her clients feel comfortable and connect quickly. Coupled with her direct, goal-oriented approach, she strives to help all of her clients effectively address their most pressing needs in an effective and efficient manner.
Dr. Michal Barnea
Michal Barnea PsyD is a licensed psychologist specializing in evidence-based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). She works with children, adolescents, adults, and families to address a wide range of psychological and emotional difficulties, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and self-destructive and impulsive behaviors. In her practice, she fosters a warm, non-judgmental environment and focus on building a trusting therapeutic relationship; Dr. Barnea believes that feeling heard and understood helps clients progress towards their treatment goals and make meaningful change in their lives. She tailors interventions to meet each client’s unique needs and promote independence, such that my clients would continue making gains long after they complete treatment.
Dr. Barnea earned her doctoral degree in school psychology from St. John’s University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Robert Louis Stevenson School, a therapeutic, independent high school. She was a post-doctoral fellow at The Center for Cognitive and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (CCDBT), one of the longest standing, fully adherent outpatient Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) programs in the country.
Dr. Barnea has received extensive training in CBT, and specifically in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for the treatment of trauma. She completed an intensive training in DBT offered by Behavioral Tech, LLC. She haa worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families in a variety of settings including inpatient, day treatment, outpatient, school, and college counseling programs.
Staff Clinician
Chani Friedman, LMSW
Chani Friedman LMSW graduated from Wurzweiler School of Social Work with certification in trauma related work and child welfare. Chani has experience working with children showing symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, school refusal, and oppositionality. Chani has trained and received certification in various play modalities including Theraplay, Child-led Play Therapy, and PCIT. Chani enjoys working with kids and their parents to help improve relationships and develop skills for overall well-being and lifetime success.
