MESSAGE TO CLIENTS
Hi, I’m Alana, 

I’m passionate about helping clients with the pain and homesickness of grief and the challenges of caretaking for a loved one who is chronically ill or dying. After losing my mom to breast cancer at the age of 23, I became a therapist to help clients rebuild a fulfilling life that meaningfully integrates the memory and essence of their loved ones. I help clients to take care of themselves as they are taking care of those that they hold dear. 

I am committed to providing empathic care for women experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, PCOS, miscarriage, endometriosis, infertility, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked in OB/GYN as well as conducted research, and I saw the ways in which mood and hormonal symptoms are interconnected and the ways that patients, at times, felt overwhelmed or invalidated. As a woman with PCOS, I am committed to helping patients navigate this intersection of mood and hormones in a way that is validating, effective, and empowering. 

In addition, anxiety and depression can take happiness from the things you once enjoyed, zap motivation, and leave you feeling hopeless and alone, even when there are no external events involved. It can leave you feeling overtaken by panic and fear. Let’s work together, in a warm and caring environment to help you get back to the life you enjoyed, where you are in the driver’s seat, not the anxiety and not the depression. 

In my commitment to providing the best care for my clients, I became certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with the Academy of Cognitive Therapy to ensure that my clients are getting effective and evidence-based treatment. You’re not alone in this, let’s get you living the life you want. 

I’m looking forward to our work together. 

EDUCATION 

• Master of Arts, Mental Health Counseling, Brooklyn College, City University of New York 
• Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Barnard College, Columbia University, Cum Laude

LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS​

• Certified Diplomate, Academy of Cognitive Therapy (ACT) 
• CBT for Anxiety Disorders, Beck Institute 
• CBT for Depression, Beck Institute 
• CBT for Helping Professionals: Decision- Making Skills, Beck Institute 
• Graduate Student and Early Professional Workshop, Beck Institute 
• DBT Skills, Behavioral Tech 
• Identity LGBTQ Competency, Institute for Human Identity 
• Treating Faulty Forecasting in Clients with Excessive Worry, Philadelphia Behavioral Therapy Association 
• Culturally Adapting Psychotherapy for Asian-Americans, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 
• Maternal Mental Health Intensive, Seleni Institute 
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) License # 011795. New York

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PUBLICATIONS
Salafia CM, Dygulska B, Perez-Avilan G, Schmitt R, Roberts DJ, Ma X, Misra DP, Dunn AD, Ngu S, Inany H, Khawar N, Shah G, Narula P, Lederman S. The relationship between birth and placental weights changes with placental size. Early Hum Dev. 2017 Aug;111:56-59. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2017.05.011. Epub 2017 Jun 12. PMID: 28618274.
 
Straughen, Jennifer & Divine, George & Perez-Avilan, Gabriela & Dygulska, Beata & Dunn, Alana & Ngu, Sam & Ma, Xilu & Jourdan, Cassie & Toubi, Karen & Grad, Jennifer & Narula, Pramod & Lederman, Sanford & Salafia, Carolyn. (2016). Placental predictors of childhood body size. Placenta. 45. 111. 10.1016/j.placenta.2016.06.174. 

Straughen, Jennifer & Salafia, Carolyn & Perez-Avilan, Gabriela & Onbreyt, Victoria & Shah, Ruchit & Devine-Dunn, Alana & Dygulska, Beata & Lederman, Sandford & Narula, Pramod & Misra, Dawn. (2016). Prenatal placental inflammatory exposures as measured by routine placental histopathology in a community cohort of ASD. Placenta. 45. 90. 10.1016/j.placenta.2016.06.102.

WEBINARS
Fear of Flying

TEACHING

• Psychopathology, Graduate-level, Brooklyn College, City University of New York 
• Cognitive & Behavioral Approaches to Counseling & Psychotherapy, Graduate-level, Brooklyn College, City University of New York
• Abnormal Psychology, Undergraduate, Brooklyn College, City University of New York​ ​

TESTIMONIALS

"Alana is both a highly skilled and incredibly empathetic clinician. She is warm and approachable, which makes it easy to connect with her and feel supported in her presence.”
Gianna LaLota (Mental Health Counselor,  MA,  LMHC)

“Alana is a superb cognitive behavioral therapist. She is extremely competent, compassionate & skilled. I recommend her to anyone looking for excellent CBT.”
Noah Clyman (Clinical Social Work/Therapist,  LCSW-R,  ACT)​

​OFFICE LOCATION

Alana is available for in person sessions at:
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346 1st Street
2nd Floor, Office 5
Brooklyn, NY 11215