At JFCS, helping people successfully meet life’s challenges is part of our enduring tradition. Among the many services we offer is individual and family counseling in each of our regions: San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, and the Peninsula.

JFCS’ counselors and therapists are highly trained clinicians with the experience and expertise to provide effective mental health services to clients who may be experiencing conditions such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Grief or loss
• Loneliness
• Significant life transitions, such as divorce, separation, job loss, or illness
• Difficulty forming meaningful relationships
• Other conditions relating to emotional well-being

Knowledgeable about the best practices in the mental health field, our clinicians take a practical approach to helping clients with their particular concerns.Our multidisciplianry team includes licensed clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists.

Counselors (by region)

San Francisco

Jean Kotcher, MFT
Areas of Expertise: Individual and couples therapy, depression, anxiety, trauma, and parenting

Abby Kovalsky, LCSW, Board-certified Diplomate
Areas of Expertise: disabilities, chronic illness, LGBT- and HIV-related issues, bereavement, and loss

Basia Leaffer, LCSW
Areas of Expertise: psychotherapy for adults in English, Russian, and Hebrew; issues of loss; immigration; and family dynamics

Benna Norman, LMFT
Areas of Expertise: family therapy; control mastery; psychotherapy with individuals, families, children, and couples; early childhood mental health; attachment

Sonia Sztejnklaper, LCSW, Board-certified Diplomate
Areas of Expertise: children, adults, couples therapy, school consultations

Marin

Rebecca Breen, LCSW
Areas of Expertise: couples/families, children, adolescents, parenting, behavioral issues

Linda Budowski, LCSW
Areas of Expertise: aging and transition, individuals and couples 60 and older, Spanish-speaking families and adolescents, parent guidance/consultation, adoption issues

Julia Chu, PhD
Areas of Expertise: aging and transition, individuals and couples 65 and older, disabled adults, caregivers to the elderly. Emphasis on clients with diagnosed medical conditions.

Liana Day-Williams, LMFT
Areas of Expertise: adults, children and families affected by domestic abuse and trauma, anger management, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting

Susan Gitlin, LCSW, Board-Certified Diplomate
Areas of Expertise: adults,  couples , mood disorders, chemical dependency and recovery, eating disorders, seniors, family counseling with adult families, consultation related to issues of aging (including housing options and caregiver issues)   

John Gusman, LCSW, Board-Certified Diplomate
Areas of Expertise: children, adolescents, adults, families and couples, depression and anxiety,  infertility and adoption issues, divorce and separation, sexual abuse, parent guidance/consultation, school consultation, premarital counseling, crisis intervention 

Alex Markels, LCSW
Areas of Expertise: couples, adults, adolescents, chemical dependency and recovery, acute and chronic mental illness, crisis intervention and assessment, substance abuse

Leslie O'Connell, PhD
Areas of Expertise: parent-child attachment, girls' development, family turmoil, child and adolescent transitions, child and adult depression 

Sonoma

Mary Hirsch, LMFT
Areas of Expertise: child and adolescent issues, couples therapy, adopted families

Alissa Hirshfeld Flores, MFT
Areas of Expertise: grief and loss; depression and anxiety; adults, seniors, and children

Liz Jimenez
Areas of Expertise: foster and adopted children and youth, group facilitation 

Vicki Wedegaertner, MFT
Areas of Expertise: family dynamics, aging, life transitions, bereavement

Peninsula

Chen Bentov-Hamam, MFT
Areas of Expertise: personal growth, behavioral issues, social skills, addiction, eating disorders, couple and family therapy, art therapy

John Bisenius, LCSW
Areas of Expertise: disabilities case management, adult clinical services

Nancy Fernbach, LCSW
Areas of Expertise: adolescents, couples, families, group therapy

Marlene Levenson, LCSW 
Areas of Expertise: individuals, couples, seniors; issues of aging, divorce, marriage, and the family

Diane Robson-Boris, LMFT
Areas of Expertise: teens, families, communication issues

Sara Saatchi, PsyD
Areas of Expertise: childhood behavioral disorders, infant and early childhood mental health

Kristin Stent, PhD
Areas of Expertise: childhood behavioral disorders and adolescent mental health

Donald Sussman, LCSW, Board-Certified Diplomate
Areas of Expertise: adults, persons with AIDS, adolescents, alcohol and drug abuse, work-related issues 

Laurel Woodard, MA     
Areas of Expertise: depression, grief, career issues (stress, transition from one job to another, balance between personal and professional lives), life transitions (divorce, widowhood, life-stage issues)

Nirit Zandman, MA
Areas of Expertise: special needs assessment and consultation (screening for learning and behavioral challenges), student placement, and educational plans

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