Meet Our Counselors

The Counseling Center supports the academic mission of the university and the academic success of students by providing high quality counseling and mental health services to students and consultative services to faculty and staff. The Center works collaboratively with students, faculty, and staff to create and maintain a campus environment that encourages and supports psychological well-being.

All of our counselors have advanced degrees (master’s and doctoral) in counseling, psychology, and social work. You are encouraged to meet with a counselor to discuss your personal concerns, academic plans, career plans, and for general information.

The Counseling Center is located in room S-343.

You can reach the Counseling Center by emailing us at counselingcenter@bmcc.cuny.edu to schedule a time to meet with a counselor either on zoom, on the phone, or in person.

Counselors

Dr. Neda Hajizadeh

Director
Education: Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Fordham University; B.A. in Psychology from Skidmore College; New York State Licensed Psychologist. Fluent in spoken Farsi, proficient in German and conversational in Spanish.
Areas of Interest: Psychodynamic therapy; Short-term Goal-Oriented Counseling; First Generation College Student Experience; International Students; Minority Issues, Substance Use and Abuse problems; Couples Counseling; Family Dynamics; Acculturation issues; Resiliency.

Dr. Gurpreet Bhomia

Education: Psy.D., University of Hartford, M.A., University of Hartford. B.A., Panjab University (India); B.A., Columbia University. NYS Licensed Psychologist. Fluent in Hindi & Punjabi. Some familiarity with Urdu.
Areas of Interest: Helping students with adjustment issues related to being in college (including, challenges facing international students), navigating personal relationships, maintaining a healthy school/life balance, and coping with psychological and personal issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, parenting).

Professor James Blake

Education: M.S.W., Columbia University, B.S., Chemistry, North Carolina Central University.
Areas of Interest: Student Centered program development: Founder of the BMCC Honor Society of Black Student Scholars, Co-founder of the BMCC Each One Reach One Mentoring Program, Faculty Advisor to student clubs and organizations, Student Advocacy and Activism, faculty Diversity .
College Committees: Academic Senate, Academic Standing Committee, Department P&B Committee, Black History Month Committee, President of the BMCC Black Faculty and Staff Association

Dr. Néstor Borrero-Bracero

Education: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus; B.A., Psychology and Mental Health, University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus. Family and Couple Therapy Certification from the Ackerman Institute for the Family. New York State Licensed Psychologist.
Areas of Interest: Relational and contextual factors that impact academic success, Counseling to LGBT students, Coping strategies to improve well-being in students, Family and couples therapy. Fluent in Spanish and conversational French.
Memberships: American Psychological Association.

Mr. Troy Brown

Education: M.S., Mental Health Counseling, Mercy College, B.A., Forensic Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor.
Areas of Interest: Black males/males of color trauma which impact integration into a hegemonic western society, both in the professional and personal context. CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Solution Focused Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Aca and Mindfulness.
Memberships: ACA (American Counseling Association), AMHCA (American Mental Health Counselors Association), Phi Gamma Mu

Dr. Claudia Burger

Education: Ph.D., Counseling Psychology Fordham University; B.A., Wellesley College. New York State Licensed Psychologist.
Areas of Interest: Culturally competent therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, CBT-informed therapy, Self-care, Interpersonal difficulties. Fluent in Spanish.
Memberships: American Psychological Association.

Dr. Irene Yu Yan Cheng

Education: Psy.D., Yeshiva University, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology; B.A., New York University. New York State Licensed Psychologist. Fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.
Areas of Interest: Cognitive Behavior Therapy; Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills such as mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness; multicultural awareness and formulations; and understanding socio-cultural phenomena.
Memberships: American Psychological Association.

Dr. Tabethah Mack-Ouattara

Education: Ph.D., M.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln; B.A., Hunter College (CUNY). NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor.
Areas of Interest: African Psychology and Multicultural Counseling, Group Psychotherapy, Interpersonal Violence and First Generation College Student Adjustment and Academic Success.
Memberships: Association of Black Psychologists (ABpsi) and the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society (EGPS), American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA).

Dr. Amy Ojerholm

Education: Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Vermont, B.A., Psychology, Rutgers University. New York State Licensed Psychologist.
Areas of Interest: Group Psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Peer Educator training, Mindfulness, Suicide Prevention and the challenges faced by LGBTQ students in urban community college settings.
Memberships: Postgraduate Center for Mental Health Group, Therapy Alumni Association, and the Association for the Coordination of Counseling Center Clinical Services.

Dr. Edi Peterson

Education: D.B.H. in Behavioral Health, Arizona State University; M.A. in Counseling, Amberton University, M.S. in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience, University of Texas at Dallas, B.A. in Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas. Areas of Interest: Certification in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (Albert Ellis Institute, NYC), Certification in Biofeedback (University of North Texas); evidence-based behavioral health interventions, LGBTQ health, substance misuse, mindfulness, stress management, goal achievement.
Memberships: American Counseling Association

Ms. Eglys Santos

Education: M.S.W., Lehman College; B.A; Lehman College. New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Areas of interest: Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT), Crisis Intervention, suicide prevention, academic coaching, balancing school/work/home demands, adjusting to college and empowering students to overcome obstacles in order to create a better future by graduating from college. Ms.Santos is fluent in Spanish.
Memberships: The National Association of Social Workers (NASW); Psi Chi Society (International Honor Society in Psychology)

Dr. Erica J. Seidel

Education: Psy.D., M.A., Widener University – Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology; B.A., University of Delaware. New York State Licensed Psychologist; New York State Certified School Psychologist.
Areas of Interest: Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT), balancing school/life/work/family, adjusting to college, positive psychology, and self-care.
Memberships: New York State Psychological Association, American Counseling Association and American College Counseling Association.

Dr. Hallie Weiner

Education: Psy.D., M.S.Ed., Pace University; B.A., University of Michigan. New York State Licensed Psychologist.
Areas of Interest: Mental health issues that impact Academic Functioning, Mindfulness-Based Stress- Reduction, Interpersonal/Family Relationships and Health and Wellness.
Memberships: American Psychological Association.

Ms. Sybil Young

Education: M.A., Nyack College; B.A., Hunter College (CUNY). NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor.
Areas of Interest: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy, Cultural Competent Therapy, Grief Therapy, Family Therapy, Grief Group, Strength based therapy, Self-care, Developing leaders, Empowering communities of color, Empowering women.
Memberships: NYMHCA-New York Mental Health Counselors Association.

Trainees

Stephanie Casale – Mental Health Counseling Intern

Education: M.A., Mental Health Counseling, Baruch College (ongoing), B.A., Psychology, Marist College
Areas of Interest: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT),  Psychodynamic Therapy,  eating disorders and body positivity, grief and trauma, and coping with stress, anxiety, and depression.

Taylor Galvin – Social Work Intern

Education: M.S.W., Rutgers University (ongoing), B.A., Auburn University
Areas of Interest: LGBT support, diversity and inclusion, navigating personal relationships, family dynamics, support for addiction and addictive behaviors, self-care and empowerment frameworks, facilitating positive self-talk and CBT-informed therapies.

Elliot Rayman – CUNY Psychology Clinical Fellow

Education: B.A., Hampshire College; M.A., Hunter College; Ph.D.Candidate, City College of New York

Tamar Waul – Social Work Intern

Education: M.S.W., York College (CUNY) (ongoing), B.A. Forensic Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)
Areas of Interest:  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) , Psychotherapy ( Talk therapy), Family therapy, Couples Therapy and Self Care.