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.

Jennifer McIntire, PhD Special Education, BCBA has been working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder since 1998. Jennifer received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Massachusetts in 1991 and spent the next four years as Research Director at Emory University’s preschool for children with ASD in Atlanta, Georgia. She then moved back to New England and began working for the New England Center for Children as a Teacher and Research Assistant. While there, Jennifer took her coursework for her master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis through Northeastern University. Jennifer received her BCBA certification in 2001 and worked as a private consultant to school systems and individual families in the MetroWest area for several years before deciding to come back to the Pioneer Valley to raise her three children. She spent 12 years in the public schools in the area, serving as an Autism Specialist, Behavior Specialist and Program Coordinator for intensive special education programs for children with social emotional needs, severe special needs, and social pragmatic needs. In 2016, Jennifer received her PhD in Special Education from the University of Massachusetts, with a research focus on Children with Autism and Manding. Jennifer enjoys teaching about Applied Behavior Analysis and has served as an adjunct at several universities, including her current position at the University of Massachusetts.  She also serves as the Treasurer on the board for the Massachusetts Chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children.

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.

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.

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.

I earned my Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Family Child Studies from the University of Guelph, Canada, and graduated from Northern Vermont University with a Master's degree in Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis. I passed the BCBA exam in October 2020. I have great experience in supervising and training behavior interventionists, collaborating with educational teams and families as the primary care coordinator, providing crisis support, facilitating the reintegration of students into a less restriction educational environment, and conducting behavioral assessments and development comprehensive behavior intervention plans. I have a passion for working with students with trauma and social emotional deficits.