Little Falls Office Therapists
Our licensed professionals bring with them deep clinical experience and a wealth of knowledge from their prior therapeutic settings. Please scroll down to learn more about each therapist.Most therapists offer virtual as well as in-person sessions.
Freda Martin, LCSW
Clinical Supervisor
With many years of experience in the mental health field including Director at the Carrier Clinic, Belle Meade, and Lead Social Worker and Clinical Supervisor at Hackensack University Medical Center. Freda Martin specializes in medical psychology, assisting people to enjoy their lives regardless of their medical limitations. Ms. Martin uses an eclectic approach, including cognitive behavioral therapy techniques (CBT), to help people make positive changes in how their thoughts and feelings impact behavior patterns. These techniques, either in individual or group therapy, help people resolve issues that may interfere with daily functioning and enjoyment, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and bereavement. Freda’s style involves forming a partnership with her patients while working on positive reframing of how they view their world.
Erin Mickelwaite, LSW
Erin Mickelwaite is a Licensed Social Worker who received her master’s from Rutgers University School of Social Work. With over a decade of experience, Erin believes in creating a warm, non-judgemental space in which clients can feel safe to share their concerns and struggles. She treats clients struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD, grief, interpersonal issues and life transitions. She is focused on being completely present during sessions to allow clients to be heard and feel validated. She has experience working with older adults, adults, adolescents and families using a trauma-informed, holistic approach. Erin draws on her training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy along with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness and a psychoanalytic approach to help clients gain awareness and insight that leads to feeling better. As a former massage therapist and yoga teacher, Erin works with a mind-body awareness approach that seeks to facilitate inclusion of the whole person. Erin also has a particular interest in helping women through the perinatal and postpartum period with the myriad of new challenges and identity shifts that parenthood brings. When working with neurodivergent individuals, Erin uses a neurodiversity-affirming approach that seeks to empower her clients through fostering acceptance and understanding.
Ashley Banks, LAC, Ed.S.
Ashley Banks is a Licensed Associate Counselor. After obtaining her Masters in Counseling and an Educational Specialist Degree in Professional Counseling, Ashley worked with various age populations spanning from children to adults. Her specialty is in counseling young children and adolescents. Ashley’s work can best be described as hands-on and interactive, utilizing techniques from play therapy during which the child is a hands-on participant in the session often utilizing toys and art for emotional expression. With teens, Ashley’s approach focuses strongly on emotional processing and borrows theory from ACT and CBT to help correct and maintain healthy thought processing. Ashley takes a holistic approach to counseling and understands the mind – body connection and helps her clients and their families opt for healthy lifestyle choices that aims for wellness both for the mind and body. Areas of specialty include anxiety disorders, depression, emotional dysregulation, ADHD, behavioral problems, academic concerns, crisis intervention, family issues including but not limited to grief and divorce and survivors of abuse.
Sara Shapiro, LCSW
Clinical Supervisor
Sara Shapiro is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Master’s degree in Social Work, with a concentration in Family dynamics, from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Sara’s professional style when working with individuals, couples, families and groups is supportive, empathic and non-judgemental. She incorporates a strength based, client-centered approach with her clients. Sara utilizes multiple treatment modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, solution focused therapy, motivational interviewing and systems theory. Sara’s experience includes working with a diverse population including children and families involved in custody disputes, individuals with dementia and their caregivers, and people grieving the loss of a loved one. Sara’s currently treats clients presenting with anxiety, depression, parenting issues, trauma, grief, relationship issues, executive functioning difficulty, life transitions, intergenerational issues, fertility journeys and caregiver stress. Sara values creating a safe space to empower her clients as they navigate their personal life journeys.
Melissa Lopez, LSW
Melissa Lopez is a Licensed Social Worker who earned her Masters of Social Work from Montclair State University. She provides individual therapy to adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Melissa treats various mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, trauma, relationship difficulties and family conflict, using evidence-based modalities such as Attachment-Based Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy. As a first-generation Latina, Melissa brings a rich understanding of cultural diversity to her practice, and possesses an expertise in inter-generational trauma and inner child work, helping clients navigate deep-rooted emotional challenges. She is committed to assisting individuals in finding healing, personal growth, and empowerment. Melissa takes a collaborative approach to therapy, tailoring her treatment to the unique needs of each client. Melissa’s goal is to help clients develop effective coping skills, enhance self-awareness, and cultivate resilience. She is fluent in both Spanish and English.
Alexa Gelfand, LSW
Alexa Gelfand is a licensed social worker who earned her Master's degree in Social Work at Rutgers University. She provides one-on-one psychotherapy to adolescents, adults, couples, and families using a Family Systems modality and a strengths-based approach. She treats clients struggling with depression and anxiety resulting from interpersonal and attachment issues, as well as trauma, grief, loss, mood disorders, addiction-related issues, LGBTQ+ issues, and other mental health challenges. Alexa's experience includes crisis counseling, case management, and work at a crisis hotline in non-profit community settings, as well as partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient (IOP) mental health group programs for adults with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. When working with clients, she takes a collaborative approach, helping her clients identify goals and tailors a course of treatment formed from various theoretical models, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, attachment-focused therapy, and relational and systems perspectives. Alexa believes that providing her clients with an empathetic and safe therapeutic environment will promote growth, healing, and an enhanced sense of well-being as well as emotional recovery.
Recent Blog Posts
Read what some of our therapists have been thinking about…
Social Media’s Effects on Mental Health Stigma
As part of my senior project this semester at Muhlenberg College, I had the opportunity to investigate social media’s effect on mental health stigma (understood as negative attitudes and biases towards people with mental illness and/or those in treatment). My research...
How and Why Group Therapy Works
Efficacy of Group Therapy I https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/11/power According to the American Psychological Association (APA), recent research suggests that group therapy works as well as individual therapy. Group therapy helps people heal as it allows people to...
What is Group Therapy?
Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which people learn from one another by solving problems together, making meaning out of concepts and ideas and engaging with one another. There are many benefits to group therapy. Some benefits include: improving critical...
To schedule an appointment
If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, fill out our Appointment Request form. We will work together to set you up with the right therapist at a time that works for you.