James Levine, Ph.D., LICSW is the company’s founder and former director.  He served in this leadership role from 1998 through June 2022. During that span, JLA grew from a small practice of three clinicians into an organization of more than 40 clinicians, with three interdisciplinary teams that offer outpatient psychotherapy services, school consultation/professional development, and a full array of testing services. He continues to provide consultation, supervision and training across New England as well as nationally, including previous professional development sessions for groups in New York, Boston, Washington D.C., New Orleans, Montana and Arizona as well as through Harvard Medical School’s Continuing education series.  Dr. Levine’s clinical interests focus on the intersection among trauma, mental health, learning and behavior. He has worked directly with clinical and teaching staff, families, public agency staff and administrative teams. Dr. Levine’s first book,Learning from Behavior, was issued in hardcover, paperback and international editions.  His second book, When Trauma Grips our Children, was published in January 2021 by ABC-Clio.

Alli Schlachter is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker serving on both the School Based Services and Outpatient Mental Health teams at James Levine & Associates, P.C. Alli has spent over twenty years working with and advocating for children and families. After receiving her Bachelors in Elementary Education from Plymouth State University in 1999, she started her career as an elementary school teacher. In 2005, she earned a Masters in Social Work at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. Throughout her career as an LICSW in private practice, she has continued to work in and consult with schools in a variety of capacities. 

On the School Based Service Team, Alli works with schools across the region to provide group clinical consultation, individual supervision, specific case consultation, and professional development. She offers professional development in Trauma, Mental Health in Schools, Suicide Prevention and will work with school systems to create a customized professional development course based on the unique needs of each school.

Alli also provides evidenced-based and supportive therapy to adolescents and adults in our Outpatient Program. Alli believes that the relationship between the therapist and client is a powerful tool in facilitating emotional growth, therefore she strives to create a comfortable, collaborative and open environment. Alli uses a strengths-based perspective and works with each client to increase awareness and self-understanding in challenging situations.

Additionally, in 2004 Alli completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training. She continues to study and train in Iyengar Yoga. She has offered yoga and mindfulness classes as part of the SEL curriculum in Longmeadow, MA. Alli believes strongly in public service and is currently serving as a Town Meeting Member, is the chairperson of the South Hadley School Committee and sits on the Board of Directors of the Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton, MA. She also continues to provide psychotherapy in her private practice which she opened in 2008.

Kirsten earned her bachelor’s in child psychology from Bay Path University in 2019 and her Master’s in ABA in 2022.  Kirsten has worked with children and families for over 15 years and has experience working with children ages 2-years through 19-years old. She has provided educational and behavioral support in various settings, such as a private early childhood institute, various elementary schools and secondary schools, and in-home services. Her professional interests include social skills training, functional communication training, and teaching daily living skills. Kirsten enjoys doing direct intervention work, as well as providing consultation services to schools.  Kirsten’s biggest passion is supporting and advocating for children and their families, as well as helping clients achieve their goals.

Katelynn Brzezinski earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Family Child Studies from the University of Guelph, Canada and holds a master’s degree in Education with concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northern Vermont University. Katelynn started her career off by working at the Howard Center in Burlington, Vermont where she worked as a Behavior Interventionist for students in public schools struggling with emotional and behavioral disorders. As a Behavior Interventionist she worked under Clinical Behavioral Specialists to implement behavior plans while also receiving various trainings revolving around trauma and de-escalation. Katelynn moved her way up to Clinical Behavior Specialist as she earned her BCBA certification in 2020. As a Clinical Behavior Specialist her work went beyond creating and implementing behavior plans founded in evidence-based research. She also was responsible for collaborating with educational teams and families as the primary care coordinator, facilitating the reintegration of students into a less restrictive educational environment, training school staff, supervising Behavior Interventionists, and providing crisis support to students engaging in extremely aggressive behavior. In 2023, Katelynn moved her career to Massachusetts and began working at James Levine and Associates where she continues to build her learning in trauma-informed care and increase her experience working with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities.  Additionally, while working at James Levine and Associates Katelynn expanded her skills to work with school teams to support sub-separate program design and class-wide behavioral interventions.

Julia completed her undergraduate degree in social work at Elms College in 2009.  She worked at a local crisis center for a few years before returning to Westfield State University to obtain her master's degree in social work; graduating in 2013.  Most recently, Julia completed coursework for Applied Behavior Analysis at Elms College and is eligible to sit for the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam.  Julia has worked in an array of human service areas from crisis, emergency departments, outreach, case management, legal/court, development of multi-tiered interventions, student teaching, individual, group and family therapy and school-based therapy.  In 2017, Julia realized her passion was working with children and adolescents in their school environment; with focus on trauma informed care and behavioral complexities.

Julia became a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in 2019.  She is DESE certified school adjustment counselor/school social worker; as well as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP).

My name is Rina and I specialize in the areas of pediatric OCD and Anxiety Disorders. I graduated in 2009 with my Masters in Social Work (MSW) from the Springfield College School of Social Work. I am part of the Outpatient Team as well as the School-Based Team at James Levine & Associates, and am also bilingual in English and Spanish. Throughout the years while working with children, families and schools, I’ve engaged in the delivery of a variety of treatment modalities. It wasn’t until later in my life, when I had a first hand experience in helping someone near and dear to me with OCD, that I decided to journey down the path of learning how to equip, encourage, and empower others effectively through their own experiences with OCD and feelings of anxiety. I ultimately became certified through the IOCDF (International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation) as a pediatric OCD specialist, as well as a Clinically Certified Anxiety Treatment Professional. I offer education and support to parents and loved ones raising or living with a child or loved one with OCD and/or Anxiety Disorders. My goal is to see my clients and their families grow with confidence and flourish as they actively participate in gaining the necessary knowledge, skills and tools needed to overcome feelings of uncertainty and doubt. As author Bob Goff so greatly states, “Courage doesn’t mean we’re not afraid anymore, it just means our actions aren’t controlled by our doubts.” I hope you find joy and gain valuable insight throughout this process. I applaud you for taking this next step. You’re an overcomer.

I bring my genuine, authentic self to each session, practicing with patience, empathy, compassion, kindness, care, curiosity and humor to build connections, the foundation of a good therapeutic relationship.

Using a person-centered, solution-focused, strengths-based approach, I believe we all have an innate ability to come up with our own strategies to make the changes we want to make.  And while I have the training to do this work, I do not believe I am the expert on your life - I believe you are.  Ask yourself, “What do I want from my therapy experience?  What is important to me?  How will I know therapy is working?”  Answers to these questions will inform and guide you, as well as help you make the changes you desire.  During your therapy journey, please know that I am your ally and will support you in your self-discovery.  Simply put, I will walk alongside you when it is challenging and when it is fun, when there is laughter and when there are tears.

In the field I regard myself as a generalist, having training and experience working with those who are struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and adjustment and trauma-related disorders.  Likewise, I have experience companioning those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.  My therapeutic style and use of interventions is eclectic because each human is unique and has individual preferences and needs.  Some of the techniques I use include elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, creative arts, and therapeutic play. While my primary focus has been working with children and adolescents, I work with people of all ages.

I earned an M.Ed in Therapeutic Recreation from Springfield College and an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Bay Path University.  Additionally, I bring counseling experience from college, community mental health, and school-based settings.