Kristin LitvakLCSW

I love to have a good time and I love making people laugh. Whether I'm working with an adult or a child, I have found that humor can go a long way in making connections and helping clients feel comfortable with me. While I know that not everyone is in a position to appreciate humor, depending on what they are going through, I believe that everyone has the ability to appreciate humor at some point in their life. It might not be now, but when I see that the client is ready, I love to infuse humor into my therapy sessions. As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine!

When I was in college, I majored in Psychology, with the intention of eventually going to graduate school to get a degree in School Psychology. However, during my junior and senior years of college, I had the opportunity to intern at a school for adolescents with behavioral problems. The social worker at the school, Mr. David, was my mentor. I loved the way he responded to the students and the way they responded to him. I also loved that the students sought him out when they needed help or advice. I began doing research into the field of Social Work, and discovered that I could get my degree in this field and put my love of helping people to good use. I also began to realize that if I majored in school psychology, I'd be limited in the types of jobs I could get upon graduation, whereas I realized that there was a great deal of career flexibility with a degree in social work.

Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to collaborate with psychiatrists, music therapists, art therapists, psychiatric nurses, other social workers, and providers from other disciplines. The wonderful thing about collaboration is the learning opportunities it provides. All providers have something special to offer their clients, and I've found that most providers are more than happy to share their skills and expertise with colleagues. I love to collaborate when I'm feeling stuck. Talking over an issue with another provider, whether it be a social worker, a psychiatrist, etc, allows me to feel confident in giving my clients the very best treatment.

• New York, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, 079396

Throughout my professional career, I have had the opportunity to work with a wide array of clientele. I started out my career working at an agency called Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY). I worked on multiple teams while I was there. The first team I worked on was the Geriatric Crisis Team; I had the opportunity to provide home visits and counseling to a geriatric population suffering from loss, bereavement, PTSD, depression and dementia. I also worked with the agency's Mobile Crisis Team (MCT). While working on this team, I had the opportunity to evaluate and treat adults who were in the midst of a psychiatric emergency. I was also able to determine what course of treatment would be helpful, whether it be an emergency room or another mental health provider. My next job was working in an outpatient mental health clinic that was affiliated with a busy hospital in the Bronx, NY. I carried a caseload of over 70 clients, and was responsible for providing individual and group counseling. The clients I worked with carried many different diagnoses, including depression, schizophrenia, PTSD and personality disorders. I was responsible for treatment plans and at times, acted as a liaison between the patients and their psychiatrists. My current job is in a public school in the South Bronx, New York City. I work with children aged 4-10 who have Individualized Education Plans (IEP's) and who need counseling as part of their mandated services. My children have anger disorders, attachment disorders and mood disorders. Additionally, many of them are in foster care and/or temporary housing. \