Outpatient Psychotherapy Team

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.

Welcome! If you are reading this, you may be considering therapy for yourself or a loved one. I believe almost everyone can benefit from therapy at some point in their lives and hope to provide a comfortable, safe, and warm space for this important work. 

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My passion lies in helping others through difficult times and helping to process their emotions. I enjoy working with adolescents and adults, but have worked with people of all different ages and backgrounds. 

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I graduated from Western New England University with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and went on to Springfield College for my Masters in Social Work. I have worked in a number of settings including outpatient therapy, residential treatment for teenage girls, and an inpatient psychiatric unit. I primarily use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help develop coping skills and address thought patterns that may no longer be serving you. 

I look forward to hearing from you and finding out how I can help you.

The process of working through our feelings can be difficult at times. The tools to communicate our feelings and manage our emotions don't always come naturally - they are skills that can be discovered, learned, and practiced with the support of others.  I will provide a safe space dedicated to self-discovery, celebrating both small and large accomplishments along the way. 

I have over 8 years of experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Autism, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, as well as those experiencing anxiety and depression. My career started at River Street Autism Program, supporting school-aged youth using applied behavior analysis. After completing my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Springfield College I joined the team at Berkshire Hills Music Academy, where I provided clinical support to young adults in day and residential programs. In addition to seeing individuals for counseling, I created programming such as Disability Awareness, a group that explores the experiences of those with disabilities, and men’s and women’s health groups, which focused largely on advocacy and communication in order to build healthier relationships. Additionally, I have been certified to lead various trainings for staff and families, including human rights, sexuality education, and behavioral safety techniques. 

I primarily use a cognitive behavior approach, helping people to better understand how they think, feel, and act. I am passionate about providing psychoeducation as a way to develop better coping and problem-solving skills. I enjoy working collaboratively with teachers, doctors, community providers, etc., in order to give a whole-person approach to our work together.

Welcome. I believe that vulnerability is at the heart of change and also one of the most fearful and difficult things one can do. It takes effort to change and space to feel safe to explore what we want and how best to achieve that. In my practice I hope to provide that space for clients to examine their thoughts and feelings and make informed choices about what is best for them.

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I graduated with my master’s degree from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT and received licensure in Massachusetts and Connecticut as a mental health counselor. I have worked with various populations and ages, including adolescents, young adults, adults, families, and couples. I am trained in DBT whose base in empathy and building skills to increase awareness, self compassion, and communication with others informs my practice. I specialize in working with those who struggle with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, identity development, low self esteem, and relationship issues. I am trained in LGBTQ+ populations and BIPOC. I provide high levels of empathy and understanding to help guide you on the journey of your choosing and look forward to exploring that with you.

The most significant factor in successful therapy is the client-therapist relationship.

With this in mind, I adopt a warm and collaborative approach to therapy and provide a safe environment for my clients to express their worries and begin to make changes in the way they choose to live their lives. 

These worries manifest in many ways: social anxiety, panic disorders, deep sadness and grief, trauma in all its varied forms past and present, attention deficit disorders, focusing and organizational concerns, and relationship and communication issues.

Mine is a strength based approach to therapy, with initial training in psychodynamic and relational theories at Smith College School for Social Work, as well as early training in cognitive behavioral therapy.  I have a strong background in the arts and welcome the use of creative endeavors in the work of therapy.   As we explore your particular history and presenting concerns, new personal understandings begin to arise and take form.  Within this process, we seek out know coping strategies and develop new skills relevant to your life today.

​Over the years, I have developed a broad knowledge of mindfulness practices and a strong belief in the importance of the stories we have learned to tell ourselves about our lives.  Discovering, encouraging and practicing new understandings inevitably leads to a fuller and more authentic sense of self.

All of us have emotions and sometimes our hurt can drain us of our ability to be, think, or act in ways that we truly want to live and show up in the world. Everyone has their own challenges to face, sometimes, quite early in life. I have spent the entirety of my 13+ years of clinical practice working in various settings with children as young as 5 years old. Life seems particularly hard these days for adults, children, and families as a whole. 

The vulnerability of a child who is facing any sort of difficulty in their life has the ability to impact that child’s developing brain. This may be seen through social challenges, school behavioral concerns, academic concerns, low self worth, and the list goes on. 

My roles over the years have shifted from in-home therapist to outpatient therapist, primary clinician at a therapeutic after school program for children and teens with serious emotional/behavioral challenges, to a school based counselor.I truly love working with children and developing a therapeutic connection. I believe strongly in their own inherent ability to see themselves as individuals who are capable of learning and growing. 

Trauma-informed practices are my primary approach for all clients. I draw from an ARC (Attachment, Regulation, and Competency) framework which focuses on attunement, awareness, and skill development. This framework captures the vital life skills that one needs early on, including relationship development, managing life transitions, forming core beliefs and identity for the self, as well as regulation skills during and after challenging times.   

My graduate studies at Springfield College (Springfield, Mass.) helped me see a path for integrating the body, mind, and spirit in a therapy setting. It is also typical of my practice to use a strengths-based model, attachment therapy, play therapy, CBT, mindfulness practices, integrative therapy, and ACT.

I am principally interested in sharing my clinical skills with children aged 5-11.

I also maintain my private practice and I am a clinician on the Eastern Counseling & Wellness team.

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.

Hello, and welcome. I bring a holistic and evidence-based approach to my therapy practice, including Western principles and cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavioral therapies. Through evidence-based practices and a collaborative approach, we can work together to strengthen your overall mental and physical well-being. I work closely with my clients to establish a positive rapport and trust, as the process of therapy is about introspection and willingness to explore behaviors and attitudes that impact your daily experiences. I use a solution focused and trauma informed approach to help you gain insights, offer you tools and skills, and overall empowerment to make lasting change and improvements.

I work best with adolescents and adults offering individual, couples and family therapy. I specialize with individuals who struggle with various life adjustment and transitions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, grief and trauma. I welcome and enjoy working with individuals that identify as BIPOC and LGBTQ, and I am dedicated advocate of social change leadership and justice education.

I graduated with my Master’s degree from Springfield College and received licensure in Massachusetts as a Mental Health Counselor. I hold certificates in mindlessness-based CBT, DBT, and trauma informed care. Additionally, I am fluent in the languages of English, Croatian and Bosnian. 

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.