Mindfulness Program

Goldy Friedman, LCSW, is the Lead Therapist at InReach Behavioral Health, where she oversees clinical programming, supervises therapists, and leads a variety of skills-based and process groups for adolescents and adults. Her work focuses on individuals struggling with emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, trauma, and other complex mental health challenges. In addition to her work at InReach, Goldy maintains a private practice where she provides individual therapy and parent guidance. She is passionate about helping individuals and families navigate complex emotional challenges and make meaningful changes in their lives and relationships.

Aliza Shupac is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist who supports individuals, couples, and families impacted by trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. She is a Certified EMDR Therapist with over a decade of experience helping clients understand and heal from distressing emotional patterns rooted in past experiences.

Aliza has over ten years of experience providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples, children, and families. She brings advanced training in trauma treatment, EMDR, and evidence-based modalities that support long-term healing rather than symptom management alone. She provides a warm, non-judgmental, and trauma-informed therapeutic environment where clients can feel seen and respected. She works with both individuals and couples, integrating EMDR and other evidence-based approaches to process unresolved experiences and strengthen emotional resilience.

Racheli Teichman Rosenblatt, LCSW-R maintains a private practice serving clients across Florida and New York. She is particularly passionate about helping women heal from complex trauma, and finds deep meaning and inspiration in the work she feels privileged to do.

Racheli previously spent nearly a decade as a supervisor at JBFCS, guiding and supporting therapists working in yeshiva high schools throughout Brooklyn. She continually expands her clinical toolbox and has trained extensively in IFS, Somatic IFS, STAIR, and TF-CBT, with a strong focus on trauma-informed, evidence-based care.

Faye Wilbur, LCSW   specializes in helping people who have experienced a trauma heal and grow with a special focus on intrafamilial violence. She maintains a private practice, is an Associate Professor and clinical supervisor for Touro Graduate School of Social Work and provides trainings on a variety of topics. Ms. Wilbur likewise supervises clinicians in a mental health clinic as well as being a consultant and supervisor in not-for-profit organizations in the frum community . Ms. Wilbur feels privileged to be part of Ray of Hope 

Jaye practices psychotherapy, mentoring, and supervision in the Hudson Valley and via Zoom. Jaye was a former adjunct faculty at NYU Graduate School of Social Work, Clinical Supervisor and Coordinator of Group Services at GMHC, certified by the ABE as a trainer, educator and practitioner in Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy, and faculty member and trainer at the Psychodrama Training Institute of New York.

Jaye specializes in individual and couple therapy and has presented nationally and internationally on the integration of mindfulness, experiential investigation, and group process. She is the creator of an online program entitled Embodied Presence in Action. For the past four years, Jaye has been a facilitating teacher for the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies online Daily Sit.

Dr. Bin Goldman is a licensed clinical psychologist dedicated to wellness, healing, and growth within the Jewish community. Practicing in Teaneck, NJ, and the Upper West Side, he treats anxiety, trauma, and mood disorders in adults, children, and families. Dr. Goldman integrates CBT with mindfulness, ACT, IFS, and psychodynamic approaches, as well as trauma-focused modalities such as TF-CBT and the Flash Technique. He also conducts ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. As a trauma specialist with Ohel, he provides crisis and bereavement support and trains educators in building resilience. He has held leadership roles at ACHIEVE Behavioral Health and the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey and has taught and supervised at Rutgers and Columbia University. Dr. Goldman believes in the power of authentic personal spirituality for growth and healing, writing and lecturing on mental health, penimius hatorah, and Jewish meditation. He is also a musician, singer, and songwriter.

Leor is a dedicated social worker specializing in supporting individuals impacted by intimate partner violence. After graduating with a Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University, Leor began working as a therapist at the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. Using empathy and expertise, Leor employs a trauma-informed and culturally competent lens to support survivors of trauma working toward healing in both individual and group settings.

Dr. Malky Mayerfeld is a psychologist practicing in Monsey, NY. Following her position as a school psychologist at HASC Gan Ezra, Dr. Mayerfeld worked at Achieve Behavioral Health at Bikur Cholim, where she conducted individual and marital therapy, crisis intervention, clinical supervision, and the co-leading of several groups, including skills based DBT groups, process groups within the clinic’s Intensive Outpatient Program, and parenting groups for children with ADHD and emotional dysregulation. In addition, Dr. Mayerfeld maintains a private practice in which she incorporates a variety of methodologies, including Somatic Intervention, DBT, Sand Play Therapy, and EMDR.

Dr. Aliza Rosenwasser obtained her doctorate in Psychology from Pace University where she was psychodynamically trained.

Dr. Rosenwasser was both a clinician and clinical supervisor at ACHIEVE Behavioral Health where her work focused on both individual and couples therapy. She also co-led DBT groups, parenting groups and facilitated a Trauma supervision group for clinicians.

Within her private practice in NY and NJ, Dr. Rosenwasser’s work is an intersection of her two main interests – attachment theory and complex trauma – and her work focuses on relationships and developmental trauma. Dr. Rosenwasser’s work with individuals, couples and the therapists she supervises, integrates a variety of modalities including psychodynamic conceptualization, mindfulness, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy DBT skills, trauma modalities like Somatic Interventions and EMDR, all firmly grounded in neuroscience. 

Goldy is a certified EFT therapist and supervisor. Goldy has extensive experience working with trauma victims and is a recognized expert in the strengths-based treatment of trauma victims, as well as clients struggling with sex addiction. She is a certified EMDR therapist and consultant who is trained in various other modalities of trauma treatment including IFS, Inner Child Work, Imaginal Nurturing, Somatic therapy among other effective therapeutic modalities. Goldy is an expert therapist and lecturer who has brought individuals and couples to a place in their lives where they can thrive on their own.

Shifi Lieberman, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who is focused on Creating Emotionally Healthy Families. Her passion is empowering and education parents to help their own children. Therefore, Shifi writes a weekly Newsletter and has created two popular virtual courses SOCIAL SKILLS MADE SIMPLE. and ANXIETY MADE SIMPLE. Additionally, Shifi has trainings in various Trauma modalities. To learn more about Shifi and to sign up for her Newsletter called “Socially Appropriate-ish,”

visit her website www.ShifiLieberman.com

Shoshana Friedman is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Clifton,
NJ. Dr. Friedman specializes in the treatment of trauma and attachment,
relationship and intimacy issues, anxiety disorders, and general life
transitions. She practices psychodynamically and integrates DBT, EMDR, IFS, SP
and other somatic-based treatments. Dr. Friedman previously worked in the
foster care system, served as the Director of Psychological and Counseling
Services at Bruriah High School and managed several university based research
teams. Dr. Friedman is particularly concerned with the impact of acute,
chronic, and complex trauma and provides research based interventions that
support trauma recovery, emotional healing, and healthier relationships. Dr.
Friedman is a member of the Hatzolah mental health unit and regularly
collaborates with community organizations. She currently works with
adults and families, facilitates group therapy sessions, and supervises other
clinicians and school-based professionals.

Dr. Friedman joined the Ray of Hope team in 2021
and describes facilitating ROH groups as, “an immensely meaningful and
transformative experience. Through the power of collective healing, these
groups foster a sense of community, validation, and empowerment, enabling women
to reclaim their identities, rebuild their self-worth, and embark on a journey
of healing and recovery. I am so grateful for the opportunity to witness the
resilience, growth, and renewed hope within these women as they support each
other and navigate their lives.” 

Temima Kupfer, LCSW, is a compassionate and dedicated Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private practice in Brooklyn, NY. With extensive experience in individual and group therapy settings, Temima is devoted to guiding individuals on their path to healing and personal growth. Utilizing holistic modalities such as EMDR and Somatic Experience, she offers a comprehensive and transformative approach.

Drawing from her practice experience in running group therapy, Temima understands the power of collective support and shared experiences. She creates a safe and nurturing environment where individuals can engage in group discussions, gain insights from others, and benefit from the therapeutic synergy of the group setting.
Temima’s profound understanding of human emotions and relational dynamics allows her to adeptly integrate this knowledge into her practice. She helps individuals explore how their personal experiences connect with their relationships, fostering growth and healing on multiple levels.

With her compassionate nature and unwavering dedication, Temima cultivates a safe and supportive space for transformative healing. Whether addressing trauma, building self-esteem, or navigating life transitions, her holistic and personalized approach empowers clients to discover their inner strength, resilience, and inner peace. 

Yami Breitowitz, LCSW graduated from Long Island University’s MSW program in 2012. Since that time, she has devoted her career towards providing sensitive and trauma focused treatment to individuals, families and groups. Yami brings her whole heart to each interaction, and deeply respects those who have the courage to seek out support and are invested in the healing journey. Yami has advanced training in several different modalities including Internal Family Systems, Trauma-Focused CBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Emotionally Focused Therapy amongst others. However, she has learned the most from the people she has been privileged to work with. 

Desiree Nazarian is a trauma focused psychotherapist who has a specialization in intimacy and sexual and relational trauma. Desiree works alongside her clients to navigate the complexities of intimate partner dynamics and betrayal and is passionately skilled in the overlap between sexual, hormonal, and mental health. Desiree is a first-generation Iranian American who deeply understands the role culture and family systems play in identity and boundary formation within religious and immigrant communities. Her work involves bringing attention to a client’s internal experience and allowing deep awareness of the spoken language of the body to allow for subconscious messages to be released and revealed. In previous years, Desiree worked in the nonprofit sector providing intensive holistic and supportive counseling and service provision to Holocaust Survivors while identifying the impacts of their generational wisdom and trauma. Desiree is a Certified Partner Trauma Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist and is a member of (IITAP) International Trauma and Addiction Professionals. She is also an active member and student of The Embody Lab and is has received her Somatic Attachment Certification in 2023.

 I have gained so much from my support groups with Ray of hope. It’s hard to think of one thing to they that I’ve gained, because there are so many. I gained companionship and a safe place to share my deepest struggles and pains in a safe and judgement free zone. Having this group has made me realize I am not alone on this journey and that there are other people who think or feel the way I do. I made great friends and feel a deep bond to the women I’ve met. Something else I’ve gained was a outlet for anything I’m going through that I feel I cannot disclose to people in my day to day life. Having the group over zoom with people from all over makes the environment feel extremely safe and I’m able to express myself freely, which is so helping and healing. But on top of all these wonderful gains I have received from ROH, the most exceptional one was a pivotal moment on my healing journey. It was my very first meeting and the very first time ever in my entire life that I lifted the rug and pulled out all the secrets that I buried deep and acknowledged the fact that I am a survivor. I unburied that secret the day I signed into our first meeting. When I looked around that zoom meeting room and saw all those faces looking back at me, looking just as scared as me, I had a stunning realization that we were all tired of holding this shame on our shoulders. We all had enough. And we all discovered that it was never ours to hold to begin with. The greatest gift I’ve received from Ray of Hope was permission to remove the shame, remove the stigma, remove the big ugly rug that never should’ve been there and embrace myself as a strong, thriving, and surviving warrior for everything I’ve been through. I feel so indebted to the organization for giving all these women a safe space to heal and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.

Dr. Eli Mandelbaum is a licensed psychologist practicing in New City, NY where he works with individuals and couples through a relational/attachment lens. He also runs ongoing men-only groups including a therapy/process group at his private practice and a support group for those who experienced pregnancy loss through the organization ATIME. Dr. Mandelbaum is also the Director of Clinical Coordination and Training for the Brooklyn based organization SIMHA (Sephardic Initiative for Mental Health). He received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from LIU Post and his undergraduate degree from Touro University. In addition to his doctoral training, Dr. Mandelbaum has also received advanced training in Psychoanalytic theory from New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute and, in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) from the Ackerman Institute.

Dr. Tamar Perlman is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been working with the Jewish community for the past decade. She received her doctorate from Ferkauf’s adult clinical graduate program and has since continued to seek further trainings in numerous modalities,including trauma treatment and couples therapy. She practices privately in Queens, where she works primarily with women and couples and runs supervision groups with other therapists. In addition, Dr. Perlman runs support groups for female survivors of childhood abuse. Framed within Torah text and Hashkafa, Dr. Perlman also lectures on various topics including attachment, marriage, self development and emotion regulation. She also runs topic focused series in small groups of women providing them with guidance and perspective on issues related to relationships and dealing with internal and external stresses.

Chani is a licensed clinical social worker with a unique understanding of mental health struggles in the Jewish community. Her experience includes individual and group therapy at a partial hospitalization program at a preeminent teenage mental health institution (Newport Academy), working with victims of domestic violence within the Jewish community (Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse), and counseling in a Modern Orthodox high school (Berman Hebrew Academy). 

She specializes in helping people navigate all types of mental health struggles including anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation in a safe and accepting environment. Chani guides her clients through self-discovery while reinforcing vital skills to self-regulate and communicate healthily. Using a variety of proven trauma-based therapeutic modalities including EMDR, DBT, CBT, and mindfulness, Chani’s clients learn more about themselves so that they can thrive outside a clinical setting.

Frady Kess is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in treating individuals and families facing the challenges of domestic abuse, addictive disorders, and relational trauma. Frady draws from different therapeutic modalities including humanistic psychology, EMDR, ACT, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Frady is a certified IFS therapist, as well as an approved IFS clinical consultant.  Frady maintains a private practice in Brooklyn, New York where she helps clients navigate complex family dynamics, codependency, and relational trauma. She is also licensed in New Jersey, Florida, and Washington DC.

“Emotional pain can wreak havoc on your life. My childhood sexual abuse has caused me so much pain – it wrecked my life. I struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, intimacy struggles both physical and emotional, and so much more. The intense shame that comes along with this type of abuse as well as the heartbreaking grief of a lost childhood; consumes me day in and day out. Combine all this with the intense feeling of loneliness – that while on the outside I look like everyone else, “a frum Bais Yaakov girl married for four years with a successful job,” on the inside I have a story and a secret that no one knows. It is so lonely and so shaming to walk around with this painful secret.

“When I heard about Ray of Hope I was incredibly nervous. I did not want to identify with “this group of people,” as I called it. I was also anxious about who I would meet at the meeting. We live in a close-knit Jewish community, “what if I meet someone I already know?!”

“I pushed through my fear and made that first phone call reaching out to Ray of Hope. From the beginning, Ray of Hope took away my shame by normalizing my fears and letting me know that I could ask anything.

“After our first support group meeting, I felt a massive burden roll off my shoulders. I can’t even describe the relief and comfort I felt to connect to others who are in the same situation as me. The relief.

“Oh, the relief! I finally have people who I can call, text, meet up with outside of our support group night, and share anything without shame. There is no judgment because everyone understands the intricacies and complexities of childhood sexual abuse. We get each other without having to explain anything.

“Now, I look forward to our support group meetings because it makes me feel normal and feel whole again. It reminds me that I am not alone and that people care about me. My husband loves that I go too! He did not go through sexual abuse, so he often feels helpless as how to help me and be there for me. It gives him so much comfort that there are people out there that can support me and give me strength to keep moving forward.

“Ray of Hope is a true blessing for me. I am so grateful to have a beautiful group of wonderful survivors in my life. So although I still feel depressed and I still struggle with intimacy, I finally have support and friends who can relate to my struggles. When I need them, they are always there to remind and reassure me that what I feel is not my shame, not my fault, and most of all, that I’m not alone.

“Ray of Hope has given me something so important that I never had before and I would not give it up for anything.”

Thank you.
Zeldy Broyde

“For a girl like me, hurt, traumatized, and broken, Ray of Hope gave me a lot more than just a sliver of hope – it unlocked for me a world of hope. A world of healing and understanding, a world of safety, of acceptance, of love.

“At the innocent and vulnerable age of 12, I was repeatedly molested by a trusted family member. Family members didn’t take this information seriously and I was basically a little girl trying to fend for myself, struggling to survive in an unsafe depressing world. A few years ago, I started going for therapy and my therapist suggested that a support group could be helpful for me. I wouldn’t hear of it. I thought, “no one will understand, no one can ever comprehend the pain that I am living with, I don’t want people to know, I can’t show myself to the world, I can’t live in this world anymore.” Despite my reservations, I pushed myself and joined Ray of Hope.

“The first support group session was scary. I did not want to be seen. But as I got more comfortable with the girls, with the facilitator, these support group sessions became my lifeline. Now we have become a family – a beautiful, accepting, and healing family. I finally feel understood. I don’t feel judged. I feel appreciated – like I have a purpose in this world.

“It is so amazing to feel connected to women just like me who also went through this horrific trauma. Recently, two new women joined our support group. This is a huge step for them! It is vulnerable and sometimes a frightening leap. When they first joined, I proudly introduced myself and encouraged the newcomers. Our support group leader pointed out that during our first session, I was shy and closed but now I am welcoming new members! It was an amazing reflection that gave me such an awareness of the power of support groups.”

 “Shame, fear, despair, hopeless, That is the way I felt on a cold December day in 2019. The memories of my childhood assault had resurfaced from deep within my brain just a few weeks prior. It had been hidden all these years and reappeared after a hard and traumatic miscarriage.

“Walking down the street with my toddler, the world around me looked dark and bleak. I felt completely alone, as if no one else could possibly understand the pain I had been through, and the effect it was still having on myself and my relationships.

I may still be feeling alone, or not feeling at all if I had not taken the plunge and reached out to Ray of Hope on my therapist’s recommendation. My anxiety mounted days before the first meeting but faded away once the meeting started. The therapist who led the meeting was somehow able to take a group of people who went through horrific trauma in their lives come together and feel safe opening up and finally letting others listen and help.

“Ray of Hope has given me a new lease on life. The support group sessions help me come to terms with what was done to me. The relationships I have built with other survivors of abuse have helped me understand how I can still open up and trust. Without Ray of Hope, I don’t know what would have happened to my marriage and my relationship with my husband. Although I know the road ahead will not always be easy, with the incredible help I am getting I now look to the future with hope.”

Zeldy Broyde is a dedicated individual who prioritizes her roles as a mother of four and as an active member of the Haverstraw, NY community. She possesses a deep-rooted desire to make a positive impact and provide assistance to others. Leveraging her personal life experiences, Zeldy has established a significant platform that empowers individuals whose lives have been impacted by sexual abuse to find their voices, offer and receive support, and collectively heal. As the founder of Ray of Hope, a non-profit organization, Zeldy is committed to promoting the well-being of both our present and future Jewish communities. She humbly embraces the advancements and eagerly tackles the challenges associated with overseeing such a vital organization. Witnessing the transformative journey of Ray of Hope members is an immensely fulfilling and rewarding experience for Zeldy, who considers it an absolute privilege to contribute to such a noble cause.