Mental Health Coaches

To schedule a free 60 min session with one of our volunteer mental health coaches, please click here.

Our social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health coaches are well-versed with trauma, domestic abuse, and helping survivors adopt and exercise effective coping skills to empower them through challenging custody/divorce litigation.

If you would like to volunteer to assist our parents in need, please navigate to our Get Involved page.

 

Nadine Macaluso, lmft, PhD

Dr. Nadine Macaluso, known to her patients as Dr. Nae, is the real-life inspiration behind Naomi Belfort's character in "The Wolf of Wall Street." She survived a turbulent eight-year marriage to Jordan Belfort, marked by abuse, greed, and trauma.

Following her experiences, Dr. Macaluso relocated to California. Her journey of trauma and healing inspired her to return to school at age 39, where she earned her Master's in counseling and a PhD in somatic psychotherapy. She further specialized with a two-year postdoctoral training in the Neuro-affective Relational Model (NARM).

As a therapist, Dr. Macaluso combines her education and personal experiences to help others heal from trauma. Her practice focuses on assisting patients in connecting with their authentic selves, fostering confidence, resilience, and agency. Dr. Macaluso firmly believes in the potential for post-traumatic growth, instilling hope in her patients and guiding them to reach their potential in life and love.

Vanessa M. Reiser, LCSW

Vanessa Reiser is a mother, author, entrepreneur, 2X Ironman and psychotherapist licensed in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Florida, specializing in narcissistic and cult abuse.  She is also the founder of Tell a Therapist, LLC and is best known for her run across the state of New York (285 miles in 11 days) in a wedding dress to raise awareness for narcissistic abuse.  She also subsequently ran across NJ, CT, MA & RI.

 Her insights are both personal and professional, giving her a unique lens into this insidious form of domestic abuse.  She recently published "Narcissistic Abuse: A Therapist's Guide to Identifying, Escaping, and Healing from Toxic and Manipulative People," available at Hachettebookgroup.com

Vanessa holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern California with a focus on community organizing. Vanessa is also a social media influencer, sharing life-changing information that is educational and validating to those impacted by narcissistic abuse. Vanessa has been interviewed by prestigious news and media outlets like People Magazine, The New York Times, Fox News, MSN, and The New York Post.  

JULIET FABER, MA, LCSW

Juliet is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience practicing psychotherapy with adults and families. She has recently worked on the Interventional Psychiatry Program at Weill Cornell Medicine and as clinical therapist at the hospital’s Institute for Geriatric Psychiatry’s Emotion, Cognition and Psychotherapy Lab.

She earned her BA and MA at King's College, London and MSW at CUNY's Hunter College where she presented on the role of mediation in social work. Juliet worked with HIV+ women patients as part of her training, and draws on her experience working with patients in recovery from substance abuse and addiction to help individuals regain their motivation for healthy lifestyle choices and so improve their mood and wellbeing.

 

Gisselle Zuniga

Gisselle Zuniga is a certified clinical hypnotherapist trained in Rapid Transformational Therapy® (RTT®) and the founder of Greater Success, a practice dedicated to helping individuals reclaim their confidence, clarity, and emotional well-being. With over 30 years of experience in the corporate world, including leadership roles in a Fortune Global 500 company, Gisselle brings a unique blend of strategic insight and empathetic understanding to her therapeutic work.

Drawing from her own personal challenges, Gisselle deeply understands the complexities of balancing personal trauma, healing, and rebuilding life. Her interest in mental health care is driven by a passion to support others in overcoming obstacles and achieving personal growth.

Gisselle offers a holistic, trauma-informed approach that includes initial discovery calls, personalized therapy sessions, and ongoing support to empower clients to take back their power and create lasting, positive change. Aligned with the mission of Mommy’s Heart Foundation, Gisselle is committed to walking alongside families on their journey toward safety, healing, and self-renewal. Whether you're working to reduce anxiety, rebuild self-worth, or envision a new future, she is here to empower both parents and children to reclaim their lives with strength and resilience.

 

SHARDA GEER

Sharda Geer is of Guyanese descent, raised in a strict spiritual home and a school for meditation and spiritual development. In search for better education opportunities, at 19 years old, Sharda migrated to NYC, USA. She pursued a career in Mortgage Banking and in 2011, left the industry as an accomplished Operations Manager and Underwriter of 15 years.

During her Corporate career, Sharda Geer struggled to fit her spiritual beliefs and practices into the life of modern society. She experienced a major culture shock at many levels including socially as well as spiritually. This inner conflict ultimately led to the decline of her health. Sharda suffered from many illnesses including depression. As she fought her way through them, she discovered the world of Natural Medicine. She was relieved to find a thriving community that spoke her language and understood her core beliefs about life, Spirit, identity etc.

In 2008, Sharda found a healing modality known as Quantum Feedback (Aka Biofeedback). She obtained her certification as a Biofeedback Specialist from Quantum Academies in 2010.

Sharda continued to further and expand her education in the field of Health and Wellbeing. She has subsequently earned her Certification as a Spiritual Life Coach from Holistic Learning Center in 2012, Energy Healing in BioGenesis in 2011 and Reiki Mastership in the Usui method in 2018. Sharda continues to upgrade her skills by studying the works of Tony Robbins, Robbins Madanes Training, The Coaching Institute, IQUIM, Kripalu, Youth Coaching Institute, Waldorf Training, Rudolf Steiner and many more.

Sharda’s mission and interests are broad, and all surround the healing of emotional wounds and the evolution of consciousness individually and globally. Her heart’s work involves education of children that is in harmony with the natural process of development of a human.

To inquire about other offerings by this provider and/or to schedule directly with provider via Email:
shardageer@dutemalifeinstitute.com

 

EDWIGE GILBERT

Transformation Guide and Founder of New Life Directions, reinvents lives and creates Fresh Starts driven by a purposeful vision. As an international speaker and author of "The Fresh Start Promise" and "Victim to Victorious", Edwige turns stress into success by clearing unwanted habits and behaviors, creating self confidence and exuberant enjoyment of life, or as she calls it in French, "Joie de Vivre".

She has been featured on Lifetime TV (“The Balancing Act”) on national radio and in such magazines as New York Magazine, Personal Excellence, Woman’s World, American Health, Allure, and Women’s Fitness. Edwige holds certifications in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (N.L.P) Hypnotherapy, Substance abuse counseling, Behavior Change,Yoga and Qigong. Some of her clients include, MTV, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, the Corcoran Group, Expedia, Pritikin weight loss center, Unit 4, the Alzheimer’s Association to name a few.

Check out her website: newlifedirections.com