COURAGE. CONNECTION. CHANGE.
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”
– Margaret Mead
Our Team
Alex Klein, MS, LCSW
Executive Director
For nearly 20 years, Alex has been working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families. Starting in entry-level, direct-care positions, Alex has steadily expanded his education, increased his training and certification, and broadened his experience and skills in this field. While rising within the ranks of previous organizations, Alex developed a vision for combining dynamic counseling and community partnerships to meet client needs in the least restrictive environment. Alex’s creation of SPBH is a manifestation of his prior experience and his mission moving forward: to direct a therapeutic program in which clients and families receive treatment on the path to living healthy and productive lives within their communities.
Alex’s professional experience has been centered around macro and micro treatment practices; he has held leadership roles in previous facilities, focusing on programmatic systems and staff training and development, while simultaneously maintaining a focus on direct-care, individual counseling, crisis management, and family systems work. His innovative contributions to agency structure, and his talent in providing quality care for individuals and families, have all lead to positive outcomes for the clients and staff with whom he has worked. A leader in both therapeutic content and process, Alex’s attention to organizational arrangement and service methodology are the cornerstones of SPBH; a program aimed to deliver the highest levels of training for his clinical and counseling staff, and the highest quality of care for his clients and the community.
Alex holds Bachelors Degrees in Psychology and English, a Masters of Science in Recreational Therapy, and a Masters of Clinical Social Work. He is a Licensed Psychotherapist with a broad range of experience in hospital programs and psychiatric units, residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding and day schools, and community clinics. Alex has extensive clinical and leadership experience in working with clients across the diagnostic spectrum at all ages and stages, from children to adults to families. Alex has intentionally sought opportunities with varied and diverse populations to develop his skills, become more well-rounded in his knowledge, and make a positive impact in both the mental healthcare community and the education system. In addition to leading SPBH, Alex manages a thriving private practice in Madison CT focusing on psychodynamic counseling, collaborative care, and crisis consultation.
Throughout his career, Alex has blended his passion for travel and adventure with his professional experience, leading groups of high-risk adolescents on foreign and domestic trips to engage in outdoor activities like mountaineering, rock climbing, alpine skiing, and water-based adventure, as well as humanitarian trips in which he has helped build facilities for, delivered food and medicine to, and educated and played with children living in poverty. Alex believes that the human connection to nature and the outdoors, and meaningful, shared experiences with others are impactful opportunities for expanding horizons and strengthening psychosocial development. Alex identifies that the foundations of mental health are built on a healthy diet, exercise, and maintaining points of contact within family systems and community connections. Alex’s work in forming community partnerships is intended to provide clients access to care across the continuum of supports and interventions available while keeping them connected to their families and communities. A native of upstate New York, Alex has created a second home on the Connecticut Shoreline where he has lived and worked for the last 15 years.
Janel Lynch Bacon, LMFT
Consultant
Janel possesses a natural gift for connecting with clients and helping them better connect with themselves. Her work as a clinician, as well as a leader in program development and staff supervision, are deeply rooted in her caring for others and aiming to better their lives. Over the last 20 years, Janel has melded her personal and professional experiences with formal education and certified credentials to become an effective leader and contributor in the field of mental health services.
Janel’s expertise lies in complex trauma and EMDR treatment modalities, child and adolescent development, couples therapy, and family systems. Her attention to detail in working with clients is her greatest strength, as she possesses an innate ability to identify and understand presenting issues, and to guide and educate on the path to self-discovery and healing. Janel is clinically-oriented in her focus; her relational approach allows her to join with her clients and build rapport, connection, and trust during their therapeutic journey. She has provided therapy for clients across the diagnostic spectrum, from children to adolescents to adults, and for individuals, couples, and families.
In addition to her clinical work, Janel is a gifted teacher with extensive experience in the training and development of other clinicians, counselors, and crisis intervention coordinators. Throughout her 20-year career in previous facilities, Janel has been consistently promoted to higher levels of responsibility and management based on her ability to learn, teach, supervise, and develop her own skills, while helping her colleagues do the same. Her expertise in the clinical supervision of therapists and care providers, as well as her creation and implementation of systems for program development and staff training and certification, have been significant in increasing the sophistication of services delivered to clients and their families. Janel’s leadership at SPBH will ensure that all staff and families are understood and provided with nuanced quality care tailored to their individual needs.
Janel holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has worked in residential treatment centers, outpatient hospital programs, community clinics, and has nearly a decade of experience in managing her private practice in Madison CT, where she works as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for individuals, couples, and families. Janel is also a certified Yoga and Mindfulness instructor and former college athlete who firmly believes in the mind-body connection, the importance of diet, exercise, and experiences in nature and the outdoors as the foundations of mental health and personal development. A Connecticut Shoreline native, Janel has lived and worked in the area for many years and maintains a strong network of family, friends, and connections to colleagues and other agencies in the community.
Dennis Rinaldi, MPA
Director of Community Outreach and Business Management
Dennis Rinaldi joins the SPBH team from Harrison, New York. He graduated from Western New England University with a degree in Economics. At WNE, he was a stand-out basketball player and led his team as Captain, MVP, and the school’s first All-Conference first-team award winner. Dennis applies his positive on-the-court attitude to his work with children and families. He has always found joy working with kids and has led volunteer trips, nonprofit fundraisers, and community events to support youth development. Dennis also holds a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Connecticut.
After graduation, Dennis worked at a therapeutic boarding school for adolescents who, because of social or emotional difficulties, have been unable to make satisfactory adjustments in their home or school environments. He began as a teacher/counselor and was quickly promoted to an advisor/ residential administrator role. He spent 3 years working directly with families and young adults. He was a mentor, coach, and role model for residential students and the staff he worked with.
For the past 4 years, Dennis has been working as the Program Director at a non-profit organization founded by Paul Newman for children with severe and life-threatening illnesses. He manages a team of thirty-five counselors, overseas safety for all program activities, and focuses on providing a different kind of healing for children and their families.
Dennis has called New England home for the past 10 years and presently lives on the Connecticut Shoreline.
Jake Zoubek, LMFT
Associate Director
Jake comes to Shoreline Psychotherapy and Behavioral Health with 5 years of experience working directly with individuals with behavioral health needs, ranging from autism spectrum disorder to anxiety and substance use disorders. Jake completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in addictions at Keene State College. During his time at Keene State he worked with adolescents with autism, providing one on one care to improve maladaptive behaviors. Jake also spent 6 months in Spain, studying psychology at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, which afforded him an opportunity to grow as a culturally competent therapist.
Jake graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Masters of Family Therapy. During his time in graduate school Jake worked as a milieu therapist at residential substance program, providing support to adolescents struggling with substance abuse in an inpatient setting. He provided individual, group, and family therapy to adolescents and young adults struggling with substance use and co-occurring mental disorders. During this time, Jake also created and facilitated a parent support group for loved ones of clients. Jake worked as an in home counselor for a community mental health agency, helping adolescents with conduct/substance disorders navigate struggles within school, community, family and judicial settings. Jake brings a solution focused approach to therapy, providing clients with support while helping them take steps to achieve their goals.
At SPBH, Jake works with adolescents and their families, he is active as a clinician and as a connections coach. Additionally, Jake provides supervision and consultation for all of our Connection coaches.
In his free time you can find Jake snowboarding, rock climbing, and doing anything else that gets his heart racing!
Brittany Parker, LMFT
Clinical Director
Brittany has been working for over 8 years directly with adolescents and their families at a therapeutic boarding school in Madison, CT. She joined after receiving her undergraduate degree in psychology. She began as a counselor, where she built meaningful relationships with students and staff, assisted in crisis management, and lead diverse student activities. She served as an administrator and advisor, providing case management services to up to 10 students. Brittany helped develop, teach, and implement individual treatment plans for students. She worked in collaboration with psychiatrists and residential case managers, she developed goals and objectives for the students and their families.
Brittany graduated with her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State University. Brittany completed her clinical internship hours at a residential boarding school, providing student counseling sessions, family sessions, and group therapy. During her year and half of clinical supervision, she worked with individuals and couples under the guidance of a trained Marriage and Family therapist. This experience has guided the development of her theoretical orientation as well as enabled her to gain knowledge and receive feedback in her work.
As a former college field hockey player, Brittany offers a deep understanding of the athlete’s role as well as the inner workings of the larger sports community. The application of this experience helps guide her work with high school and college athletes struggling with mental health conditions who may experience the stigma of seeking professional support. Brittany believes in a holistic approach that integrates systems theory and emotionally focused therapy, while emphasizing the importance of staying active to help clients achieve their ultimate potential.
Liz Peri, LCSW
Senior Clinician
Liz was fortunate to know early in her life that her passion would be working as a therapist. She was curious about other’s emotions from a young age and often wondered how other’s were feeling. As a teen, Liz was often found on the phone listening to her friends and was already developing her therapist skills. It was clear she would need to study social work. And so, her journey started by applying early decision to a small school in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Her time at Muhlenberg College was a beautiful adventure full of academic rigor and social excitement. Liz studied social work as her major and Spanish as her minor. She had opportunities to learn more by interning in a Domestic Violence Shelter for women and children and intern at a residential facility for teens. Her path towards social work continued at University of Connecticut School of Social Work for her Master’s Program. Further internships included in-patient psychiatric unit at John Dempsey Hospital and at Glastonbury Youth and Family Services.
Harbor Health Services located in Guilford, CT would be where Liz began her official career. At this LMHA, she focused on Dialectical Behavior Therapy and TARGET trauma skills therapy for PTSD. She enjoyed individual therapy with adults, as well as group therapy and Intensive Outpatient Program. This time felt very rewarding for her. She continued on to Stonington Institute where she focused on substance abuse treatment. Liz has a great depth of knowledge when it comes to recovery issues and addiction for the individual and their family members. She has seen the power of recovery for many clients on the other side of their pain & addiction. She also worked outpatient for many years at Sound Community Services in New London, CT. She worked with many adults dealing with a variety of mental health issues including anxiety, PTSD, OCD, depression, psychosis, bipolar, borderline personality disorder and dual diagnosis. It was very clear to Liz that therapy had the potential to decrease suffering for so many at any stage of life. At this point, Liz became interested in returning to working with adolescents. A highlight in her career was at The Grove School in Madison, CT working with teens and their families at this therapeutic residential facility. These teens were dealing with issues such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, Aspergers and learning disabilities. Developing special connections and relationships with these teens was a powerful and meaningful experience. Her 20+ years in this field has shown Liz that healing can happen in a safe therapeutic environment.
Liz loves the magic that happens in therapy. She loves to see an end to personal suffering and see her clients build a life worth living. She loves the process from beginning to end. And always has great respect and admiration for any person who can walk through her door to begin the process of healing. She is non-judgmental and willing to welcome any person desiring help or changes in their life. Liz has a strong background in mental health disorders and addiction issues. She provides individuals therapy and also works with couples and families. She has a great deal of knowledge related to chronic illnesses or illnesses that may be terminal. She refers to dealing with physical ailments or diseases as being “healthy sick.” She has coined this phrase as a way to reframe and look at the full spectrum of life and disease.
Liz is married and has two step children and one puppy. She is an avid runner and co-founder of Outrun38.
Liz is available for virtual therapy clients only.
Gretchen Holthausen, MS, LPC
Senior Clinician
Gretchen Holthausen is privileged to work as a Licensed Professional Counselor to develop knowledge, build self-advocacy, and sustain growth within teenagers, adults, and families. She utilizes an empathic, holistic, and client-centered approach to honor exactly where individuals are in their lives and develop a trusting therapeutic relationship within a safe space. Founded upon the belief that people do better when they can, Gretchen works with individuals to identify and work towards meaningful goals and, ultimately, through acceptance and empowerment, bring about change and fulfillment.
In addition to working with children, adolescents, adults, and families in a community-based clinical setting over the last three years, Gretchen has worked for 12 years as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist within a Connecticut public high school. In turn, she has experience across multiple environments in routinely supporting individuals with ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Depression, executive functioning difficulties, Gender Dysphoria, and PTSD. In addition to helping individuals and families process and work through divorce and family conflict, she also specializes in assisting teenagers in accessing appropriate supports, increasing independence, and navigating the transition from high school to post-secondary education and work.
Gretchen welcomes all individuals regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity and/or expression. She brings a positive, honest, strength-based approach to her clinical work while incorporating research-based techniques founded in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), meditation, mindfulness, and psychoeducation.
A firm believer in the power of laughter within the context of hard work, when appropriate, Gretchen incorporates humor in her work with individuals and families. Finally, she subscribes to the notion that no success is too small to honor. As it takes a great deal of courage to make intentional change in one’s awareness, behavior, perspective, response, and understanding within the therapeutic process, it is important to celebrate growth each step of the way.
Emily Kipness, LMFTA
Associate Clinician
Emily has a strong passion for working with kids of all ages. She is currently a Certified Child Life Specialist at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital in the Pediatric Emergency Department where she works with children and families from birth through age twenty-one. As a child life specialist, her primary job in the hospital is to help children and their families deal with the stresses and anxieties of hospitalization. Part of Emily’s job as a child life specialist is to provide developmentally appropriate procedure preparation, diagnosis education, therapeutic play, sibling support, and grief and bereavement education and support.
Emily grew up in Guilford, Connecticut and received her undergraduate degree at Southern Connecticut State University in Liberal Studies, with a concentration in Psychology and Wellness. Emily is currently a third-year master’s student in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Southern Connecticut State University.
Emily has volunteered at a variety of medical camps. Emily loves to be outside and is very active. Emily sees a strong correlation in the mind and body connection. In her free time, Emily is often working out, spending time with her family, going on hikes and to the beach.
Emily is often told she is intuitive, insightful, and empathetic and finds these skills vital to possess when working in a helping profession. Emily believes that a good therapist gives their client the ability to recognize that the catalyst of change can only be ignited from within one’s self.
Jan Lynch
Office Manager
Jan is SPBH’s office manager. She ensures that our office runs smoothly and is often one of the first people our clients interact with during the intake process. In short, without Jan, SPBH would simply not function!
Jan is a native of Connecticut and has been living on the Shoreline for over 35 years. She enjoys going to the beach, boating, and spending time with family and friends.
In addition to her office manager role at SPBH, Jan has been working with the Westbrook school district for over 30 years as a Food Service Manager and enjoys being a care taker to her two grandsons.
Sam Stearns
Connections Coach
Sam graduated from Daniel Hand High School in Madison in 2010. She has spent the last ten years working as a teacher at a local daycare center. This experience has furthered her interest in working with children and families. She is often called a “people person” by friends, colleagues, and clients. Sam finds her work fulfilling, as each family she works with is so different. She enjoys getting to know her clients and working to understand the unique family dynamics. Along with her child care experience, Sam has experience working with in-home care.
Sam has been a Connections Coach with SPBH from the beginning. Sam is a wonderful support to clients and families. She is known for her strengths in building relationships with clients. She is a wonderful addition to our team.
Sam works with adolescents and adults in our Connections program. She lives locally on the shoreline of Connecticut.
On weekends, Sam enjoys playing golf and spending time with her family and friends.
Vanessa Truglio, LMFTA
Virtual Coach
Vanessa is a wanderlust and adventurer at heart. She wholeheartedly believes that her unique experiences and journey to arrive at her present careers in the field of mental health are what make up her ability to be a compassionate therapist and coach. Her academic, personal, and professional experiences took shape from studies in psychology, Spanish, music, medicine, and education both in the U.S. and in Chile. Vanessa was an teacher of various subject areas and in different educational settings for 9 years. She delved into the field of mental health through taking on an educator/counselor role at a residential, therapeutic school in Connecticut, where she experienced the intensity, challenge, and fulfillment of working with a high acuity population of adolescents. As Residential Administrator, counselor, and advisor in this same milieu, Vanessa discovered her passion of working with not just adolescents but their families who face challenges alongside the social, emotional, and relational challenges of their child. Her work in individual, family, and group therapy here motivated Vanessa to hone her skills in family systems work- being passionate that problems are not linear in nature, and for the belief that the family unit surrounding the individual is an essential component for sustainable change. Vanessa pursued her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State University, where she further cultivated her enthusiasm and appreciation for a systemic approach.
Vanessa currently works with adolescents, couples, and families in various formats. She is a family therapist for a wilderness therapy program in Utah with her passion for allowing families genuine and vulnerable experiences of connectedness and transformation that are rare to come by in the “real world”. Additionally, Vanessa provides virtual therapy and coaching to parents in the unique and challenging time of family adjustment of children in and out of therapeutic services. At SPBH, Vanessa serves as a virtual Connections Coach, working with individuals at various life stages and with various transitional needs.
Vanessa brings an integrative approach to coaching and therapy. Her toolbox of systemic therapy tends toward evidence-based practices of CBT and DBT, attachment theory, EFT, and experiential modalities. Her work is infused by a love for teaching, by curiosity and creativity. She embraces any chance to incorporate art, music, animals, and movement into a therapeutic or simply “out of the box” experience- even in virtual format! When not accompanying clients, Vanessa can be found camping, mountain biking, traveling, and adventuring with her beloved dog Millie.
Sarah Garcia, MFT Intern
Sarah is a graduate student at Southern Connecticut State University where she studies Marriage and Family Therapy. Currently, Sarah works in a recovery program for women struggling with substance use. Sarah has joined SPBH as an intern to continue to grow her clinical skills. Sarah believes therapy is a place for people to share and explore their own stories and that in the exploration, healing begins. Sarah creates a space where people can learn and discover themselves through story.
Sarah believes in the mind body connection and enjoys working with her clients to understand the signals in their own bodies and how that connects to the rest of their mental and emotional health. She uses solution, narrative, and emotionally focused approaches to therapy.
In her free time, Sarah enjoys riding and working on her bicycle, rock climbing, and snowboarding.
Marissa McCarthy, LPC
Senior Clinician
Marissa encompasses a vast knowledge of counseling theory, practice and strength building with children, adolescents and families – and she is excited and honored to work as a Licensed Professional Counselor outside the public school walls with children and families at Shoreline Psychotherapy & Behavioral Health.
Marissa received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a concentration in Children and Youth, and a Minor in Sociology. Through the University of Hartford – Marissa earned her Master of Science Degree and Sixth Year Certificate in School Psychology. She also holds a specialty in Clinical Child Counseling. She continues to stay current in her involvement with the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the Connecticut Association of School Psychologists (CASP).
Marissa has long standing experience supporting individuals with Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, PTSD, and relational and family issues. She also prides herself in the ability to assist in families’ navigation through the transition from public school to secondary education and life/work after high school. Many of Marissa’s most used approaches in therapy are based on practices such as solution focused therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness.
Utilizing a client centered, collaborative approach focusing on the individual, Marissa feels strongly that in the present moment, one is only able to do the best they can with ‘what they have right now’. Marissa’s gift and testament is in assisting individuals in finding their own strengths and power which can increase their ability to cope and succeed in life. Marissa utilizes an empathetic, genuine and nurturing nature with others while also empowering one’s own ability to self-advocate and thrive.
When Marissa is not working with children and families in the school or counseling office, she enjoys spending time with her two bulldogs and feels that the power behind the human-animal connection is greatly therapeutic.