The Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute is thrilled to welcome two graduate clinical interns for the 2021-2022 school year, Anushua Arif and Yomy Biton. They will be providing psychotherapy, in person and online, to individuals, couples and families.
PSI takes seriously its position as an institute in the field of psychotherapy, providing high quality training to graduate students heading into clinical practice as social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and art therapists. Students receive individual and group supervision weekly, participating with staff at every level of learning, reflecting and growing.
It is always said, and it is always true- we learn as much or more from the students as they learn from us.
To schedule a free consultation or make an appointment, email intake@psinyc.org.
Yomy and Anushua will be offering psychotherapeutic services on a sliding scale.
Anushua Arif
“To transform the world, we must begin with ourselves. However small may be the world we live in, if we can transform ourselves, bring about a radically different point of view in our daily existence, then perhaps we shall affect the world at large, the extended relationships with others.”
― J. Krishnamurti
Anushua Arif has a B.A. in Creative Writing from CCNY and is currently working towards an M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Mercy College. As an immigrant and a secular Muslim, her interests lie in working with individuals in marginalized communities, hoping to help those struggling with cultural conflicts, racial and generational trauma, as well as identity crises. She is fluent in Bengali, Hindi and Urdu.
With a background in the arts, academia, and creative writing, from both here and abroad, Anushua aims to integrate the unique blend of traditional Western education with holistic Eastern influences in her practice. In her therapy sessions with individuals, couples and families, she draws from Internal Family Systems, as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, alongside incorporating mindfulness techniques, primarily through a strength-based approach. Anushua has also served as intake coordinator at PSI for the past year.
Anushua believes that clients are experts of their own lives. Through a trustful and collaborative therapeutic relationship, individuals can begin the process of gaining control over their thoughts and inner dialogues, in order to create new narratives that will grant them the lives they wish to curate.
Anushua can be reached at aarif@mindspirit.org.
Yomy Biton
Yomy Biton is currently pursuing her graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling at CUNY Brooklyn College. She provides counseling to individuals, families and groups. Many of her clients suffer from anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, mood disorders and more. Yomy has helped clients navigate issues involving interpersonal relationships, family dynamics, significant life changes and grief. Yomy is familiar with counseling clients of all cultural backgrounds, religions, genders, and sexual orientations. She speaks Spanish, Russian and is a beginner in Yiddish and Hebrew.
Yomy is a Certified Trauma Specialist and has experience working with trauma victims internationally including, victims of human trafficking, survivors of sexual abuse, mothers suffering from postpartum mood disorders, and adults with a history of childhood developmental trauma. She passionately assists her clients in overcoming hardships by transforming these hardships into strengths. Her approach has helped countless clients discover their most optimal, joyful, and integrated selves. As such, she is an avid believer in bringing spirituality and meaning-based solutions into therapy. Yomy also holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in fields related to helping impoverished communities worldwide. Currently, Yomy is a student of Internal Family Systems and Somatic Psychotherapy and integrates these methods with traditional Psychotherapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.
Above all, Yomy sees every client as a unique universe and tailors her treatment to match the client’s particular constellation of needs.
Yomy can be reached at ybiton@mindspirit.org.
Anushua and Yomy will be supervised by PSI staff therapists, Ann Durant and Kim Schneiderman.
Ann Durant, LCSW, received her MSW from New York University and holds a certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from The Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Study Center. She also has extensive training in Expressive Arts Therapy from numerous programs including The New England Art Therapy Institute and The Center For Touch Drawing.
Ann can be reached at (212) 780-3271.
Kim Schneiderman, MSW, LCSW, is a psychotherapist with the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute (PSI) in Manhattan. She is also the author of “Step Out of Your Story: Writing Exercises to Reframe and Transform Your Life.” She has taught self-discovery writing workshops at the New York Open Center, the 92nd Street Y, the JCC of Manhattan, among other venues, and guest lectured at NYU’s Post-Graduate certificate program in Social Work and Spiritual Care.
Kim can be reached at stepoutofyourstory@gmail.com.
