OUR TEAM
Tommy Walker, Clinical Trainee, MHC Candidate
Tommy Walker is a graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Antioch University, currently completing his practicum at Maverick Psychotherapy Group. He brings a relational and liberation-focused approach to his clinical work, shaped by a mix of relational, contemplative, and trauma-informed work and a deep interest in how people make meaning out of difficult experience. Before this, he spent fifteen years in senior nonprofit leadership, drawn always to the human work underneath the organizational work.
He grew up in the Deep South, queer and trans, in a place where identity was complicated and sometimes dangerous. It's left him with an understanding, and deep respect for how difficult it can be to find safe spaces.
His clinical training includes a year-long Foundations in Contemplative Care program through the NY Zen Center for Contemplative Care, a year-long psychoanalytic and decolonial reading group exploring the inner world in the context of oppression and lived experience, and additional trainings in Emotion-Focused Therapy, shame and self-criticism, and Narrative Exposure Therapy. He is also actively studying Mentalization-Based Treatment.
His clinical interests include LGBTQ+ mental health (particularly trans and nonbinary experiences), complex and developmental trauma, relational patterns and interpersonal difficulties, moral injury and religious trauma, grief and loss, and identity development across the lifespan.
Jessica Li Phillips, LMSW
Jessica provides a warm, steady environment for clients to explore the internal narratives and adaptive patterns that may cause them distress. She works collaboratively with clients to build resiliency, honor their innate intuition, and develop new ways of being that are deeply aligned with their personal and relational goals. After over twenty years in the integrative health field, Jessica obtained her Master of Social Work from Fordham University. Her practice is informed by over two decades of dedicated Zen Buddhist studies, a lifelong commitment to teaching yoga and mindfulness, and her current professional training in Somatic Experiencing. Drawing on her background facilitating resilience and mindfulness programming for organizations such as National Geographic and PBS, Jessica brings a unique understanding to those navigating high-stakes professional environments, body-related distress (including athletes and dancers), and the complexities of modern parenting. In her clinical work, she is particularly interested in the intersection of psychodynamics and spirituality, exploring how intergenerational trauma and "internal parts" are held within the body. A long time New Yorker, Jessica now lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and two children. When not working, you can find her hiking, dancing or hanging out on the sidelines of soccer fields.
Avi Burnbaum, LMSW
Avi (he/him) takes a collaborative, compassionate, relational approach to therapy. He believes deeply in each person’s innate capacity for healing and growth, and works to create a grounded, nonjudgmental space where clients can feel safe to explore, process, and reconnect with themselves. His goal is to help people develop greater self-understanding while moving toward lives that feel more aligned, meaningful, and sustainable.
Avi’s work is strengths-based and integrative, blending mindfulness with somatic therapy concepts to support a deeper connection between mind and body. His approach is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Psychoanalysis. He also offers psychedelic integration support for those looking to thoughtfully process and make meaning of experiences with non-ordinary states of consciousness.
Avi has experience supporting clients with a variety of different backgrounds and situations including: post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, religious trauma, substance use, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, chronic illness, and injury recovery. He also enjoys helping people navigate life adjustments as well as major life transitions such as retirement, career changes, and changes in family dynamics.
Annie Lee, Billing Support
Annie Lee (she/her) is a certified medical biller and auditor through the AAPC, with more than 20 years of experience in various medical specialties. She is recognized for her steady, organized style and her dedication to supporting teams with clarity, professionalism, and care. Annie values dependable systems and thoughtful communication, and she takes pride in helping create environments where clinicians and staff can excel.
Annie lives in Northern New Jersey with her family. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active, maintaining a balanced lifestyle, and spending quality time with her children and two adorable miniature poodles. She is always eager to learn, grow, and bring positive energy to the teams she joins.
Cori Croot, LMSW
Cori (they/she/he) brings a strengths-based approach to their work, drawing on a mix of somatic practices, narrative therapy, parts work, and more to best support and empower each person. Cori specializes in supporting people with identities that include BIPOC, queer and transgender, polyamory/ethical nonmonogamy, and BDSM/kink. They work with clients to address issues of anxiety, depression, and trauma, as well as communication and relationship concerns.
Eital Schattner-Elmaleh, LMSW
Eital (she/her) works with individuals navigating depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, life transitions, identity questions, and the lingering effects of trauma. Her practice is grounded in anti-oppressive principles that acknowledge how systems of power and privilege impact mental health and wellbeing. She strives to create a therapeutic environment that feels safe, collaborative, and attuned to your unique cultural and social context.
Jamie McErlean, MHC-LP
Jamie McErlean (she/they) is a proud trans clinician at Maverick Psychotherapy Group. She holds a Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from SUNY New Paltz and has experience supporting adults of all ages with particular specialty working with transgender/nonbinary, queer populations, and questioning, and neurodivergent individuals while also working extensively with trauma, interpersonal conflicts, self-acceptance, and mental illnesses ranging from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and more.
Gracie Farese, LMSW
Gracie Farese (she/they) works collaboratively and flexibly, trusting that each person knows their body, emotions, and experiences best. They have experience exploring topics such as depression, anxiety, attachment, life transitions, relational issues, gender, sexuality, LGBTQIA+ issues and intersections, grief/loss, and healing from trauma. Gracie’s approach integrates relational psychotherapy (attuning to patterns in past and present relationships), somatic exploration (listening to the body’s wisdom), parts work (understanding the needs of different inner parts), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (examining the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors), and trauma-informed care (recognizing the nervous system’s role in healing and resilience).
Esther Rosheger, LMSW
Esther Rosheger (she/her) is an LMSW therapist who brings a calm, genuine, and empathetic presence. Prioritizing trust, safety, and unconditional positive regard, Esther engages an eclectic approach with an emphasis on DBT and CBT. She uses mindfulness as a tool to connect clients with their thoughts, emotions, and body while learning to understand the wise mind. Esther supports her clients in a person-centered and strengths-based lens and recognizes self determination is helpful in understanding what is best for your healing and overall wellness. Esther works with people who have experienced trauma, anxiety, neurodivergence, and depression.
Jerrica Bloom, LMSW
Drawing on community-building experience and a background in the arts, Jerrica (they/them) collaborates with individuals of all ages, couples, families, and groups to navigate life’s challenges with openness and compassion. Their holistic practice centers the therapeutic relationship as a foundation for healing, emphasizing a trauma-informed and strengths-based approach.
Weishin Huang, LMSW
Weishin Huang, LMSW, MDiv (he/they) is a Licensed Master Social Worker who works with adults, and whose approach is grounded in somatic awareness, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care. He brings a warm, open-hearted presence to the therapy space, honoring the psychological insight and embodied wisdom that naturally unfold in your healing journey.
Carrie Ann Flemming, MHC-LP
Sascha Woolfe, LMHC (she/her) cultivates a safe, kind, therapeutic atmosphere, allowing clients to express themselves freely. She aims to be a gentle guide, meeting clients where they are. She has worked with a broad range of ages as well as issues centering on trauma, grief, neurodivergence, gender identity, anxiety, and depression.
Sascha Woolfe, LMHC, Senior Clinician
Sascha Woolfe, LMHC (she/her) cultivates a safe, kind, therapeutic atmosphere, allowing clients to express themselves freely. She aims to be a gentle guide, meeting clients where they are. She has worked with a broad range of ages as well as issues centering on trauma, grief, neurodivergence, gender identity, anxiety, and depression.
Hifza Ghurki, Billing Specialist
Hifza Ghurki has Bachelor’s in Economics from Pakistan and have completed medical billing and coding certification from Hunter Business School NY.
Talya Moonheart, LMSW, SEP
Talya Moonheart (they/them) is a somatic psychotherapist in training who believes deeply in our innate capacities to heal both individually and collectively. They view psychotherapy as an opportunity to slow down, gaze inward, so we may feel more connected to ourselves and to others. Talya offers an eclectic approach that draws from psychodynamic theory, Somatic Experiencing, attachment theory, and liberation health.
Thayer Case, LCSW, SEP, KAP, Managing Director
Thayer Kyusan Case (he/him/his) is Director of Maverick Psychotherapy Group and works with children (through Play Therapy), adults of all ages, and families. He has particular expertise in treating grief, anxiety, depression, attachment issues, ADHD, sensory integration and mild autistic spectrum issues, stress reduction, issues with spirituality, and trauma (Chronic and Acute PTSD).
Fay (Francesca) Aaronson, LCSW-R
Fay (Francesca) Aaronson (she/her), LCSW-R, has been effectively working with children, adolescents and adults for over 25 years in private practice, school and agency settings, providing counseling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families and groups.
Sherry F. Adams, LMHC, Senior Advisor of Business Strategy
Sherry F. Adams (she/her) received her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University. She provides a safe and inclusive environment for adults to explore who they have been, who they are, and who they want to be.
Donna Andres-Hogan, LMHC
Donna (she/her) is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and young adults who are experiencing difficulties managing their emotions, navigating relationships, and life’s challenges. She provides a safe and empathic environment to help clients express themselves and identify areas in their life where they feel stuck or are experiencing distress.
Linda Balloqui-Smith, MCAT, LMSW
Linda Balloqui-Smith (she/her) is a dynamic psychotherapist who for the past two decades has been working with families, adults, and couples in private, inpatient, residential, and outpatient settings. She believes therapy is a process that helps us reach our authentic selves through self-awareness, reflection and efficacy where strengths get fortified and challenges confronted.

