Yehuda Mandel, LCSW, Associate Director & Clinical Supervisor

Yehuda’s interest in the world of clinical psychotherapy commenced as a young man when he began mentoring adolescent boys struggling with personal, relationship, and religious issues. After working with scores of teens, Yehuda began teaching in a Yeshiva high school servicing boys of different cultural and religious backgrounds. For four years Yehuda taught and counseled teenagers struggling with academic issues, behavior problems, substance abuse, and family dysfunction. In his last year of teaching, Yehuda realized that he would be able to take his skills to the next level by obtaining a graduate degree in clinical social work. After graduating with honors from Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yehuda became involved in a research project analyzing characteristics and personality profiles of sexual offenders as well as male sexual abuse victims in the Orthodox community. After a few months of research, Yehuda began working in Tikunim Counseling Services, working with adolescent and adult males challenged with clinical, relational, sexual, and personality struggles. Yehuda was trained in various classical models of psychotherapy including psychodynamic theory, cognitive behavior therapy, and solution-focused therapy. Additionally, Yehuda was trained and obtained supervision in various trauma-specific treatment models such as TF-CBT and IFS. He also achieved designation by EMDRIA as an EMDR certified therapist. Yehuda incorporates all the aforementioned models into his treatment approach choosing the modalities that respond best to each person’s specific set of challenges and abilities. Yehuda believes that when a person comes into the office, there is often a great deal of shame. There are often experiences that the individual is embarrassed to talk about, fantasies that he is not ready to share, and urges that he is uncomfortable admitting to. It is important for the person to realize that when he enters the therapy room there is no judgment about his character or spiritual level. The fact that he is addressing his concerns is itself a great accomplishment. While much of his work is with individuals, Yehuda also works with families, institutions, and communities to develop appropriate ways to set up safety protocols and to deal with individuals in their midst who have violated sexual boundaries. Yehuda also provides trainings to the staff members in various sleep-away camps regarding appropriate boundaries with campers. In addition, Yehuda supervises talented TCS clinicians, working with them to maximize their effectiveness. In recent years he also began teaching advanced clinical practice courses in his alma mater, Wurzweiler School of Social Work. As a way of rounding out his schedule Yehuda spends time each week teaching young men in Yeshiva Ma’ayan Hatorah. For recreation, Yehuda enjoys spending time outdoors appreciating nature together with family and friends.

Chaim Dovid Prupas, LCSW

Chaim Dovid obtained his Masters of Social Work from Long Island University with a concentration in addictions. He is licensed in New York and New Jersey, and currently divides his time between the Brooklyn and Lakewood offices. Chaim Dovid specializes in teens and adults that struggle with various problematic behaviors and are experiencing difficulties with emotional regulation. He has extensive experience with Anxiety, depression, sexual deviancy, and trauma and works with those who have been sexually victimized as well as perpetrators. Chaim Dovid previously has worked in an intensive outpatient for teens where he provided individual and group psychotherapy services to adolescents diagnosed with attention disorders, anxiety, depression and substance abuse. He also worked in Ocean Mental Health Project Recovery where he worked with adults with co-curing disorders of Mental health and addictions. Over there, he conducted groups as well as individual therapy and received supervision in addictive behaviors as well as using the 12 steps as a tool to facilitate recovery. Chaim Dovid takes a holistic approach when it comes to therapy. He recognizes that there isn’t one factor that contributes to a person’s mental health. Working on trauma, relationships, core beliefs and unhelpful cognitions are all part of the healing process that enables a person to reach their goals. Chaim Dovid uses a multi integrated modalities in therapy, including Existential Therapy, CBT, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Therapy is client based and involves the client recognizing values and goals and working towards them. Chaim Dovid has additionally furthered his expertise by obtaining training and supervision in several areas. This includes Trauma Focused CBT, Trauma Narrative, Attachment theory, as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Chaim Dovid enjoys spending time with his family, learning, playing sports, skiing and the great outdoors.

Meyer Shifrin, MSCC LAC

Meyer Shifrin MSCC LAC is a Passaic resident with 17 years experience empowering young men and adults in a variety of roles. He worked as a Mesivta Rebbe, Bais Medresh Sho’el U’maishiv, and mentor for teens and young men. He lectures to adults, from beginners to Judaism to Yeshiva alumni, on a variety of Torah topics as well. A strong proponent of positive psychology, Meyer Shifrin uses practical and solution-focused techniques to empower his clients to reach their goals with greater awareness of themselves, their emotions and their ability to succeed. His approach is that under the right therapeutic environment, the individual is his own best resource. Meyer has a Masters degree in Clinical Counseling and is trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as well as Mindfulness techniques for trauma-focused healing. He is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for individuals with a Borderline Personality and other Mood disorders.

Bentzion Gruber, LMSW, CASAC, CSAT Candidate

Bentzion is valued and appreciated for his many talents in helping people reconstruct their lives. Whatever the path, clients learn to not just survive but thrive in their newly empowered lives with his personal involvement and support in every step along the path of recovery. His client-centered approach and empathy resonate with clients of all ages and backgrounds. Trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), Bentzion’s specialties cover the range of issues we face today, with deep experience and demonstrated success in helping people recover from sex and other addictions, sexual abuse, sexual trauma and victimization, and perpetratory behaviors. Bentzion has been working in the field of addiction since 2013, is a NYS Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) and Licensed Social Worker (LMSW), and is training as a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist at The International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals. Previous to Tikunim, Benzion’s experience included successful engagements at drug detox centers, inpatient, and outpatient rehab facilities, including Catholic Charities of Orange County (CCOC), the Turning Point at the Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital of Westchester Medical Center (WMC), and has been personally involved in the recovery of many addicts and their families. He now sees clients in Monsey and in Brooklyn. 

Rivky Deutsch, LMHC

Rivky obtained her Masters in Clinical Counseling from Bellevue University. She’s currently practicing as a licensed Mental Health Counselor in New City, NY.

Rivky is a deeply compassionate person, whose mission is to help individuals navigate challenges and complex life experiences. She guides her clients carefully down to the core of their struggles, while creating a safe and supportive environment, to ultimately achieve healing and rehabilitation. Her goal is to give her clients an opportunity and tools to find healing, to recognize and actualize their full potential, and live a meaningful, emotionally healthy, and fulfilling life.

Rivky has an unwavering dedication to her clients and the mental health field. She works with adults and teens who struggle with symptoms of anxiety, depression, bipolar, childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, and difficulties with relationships.

Rivky has experience working with individuals in a hospital setting, at an organization dealing with mental health crisis, suicidality, addiction, and abuse, as well as at a mental health clinic. This has provided her with the ability to work with diverse populations and ages, various causes of distress, trauma and mental health challenges.

Rivky utilizes a combination of approaches and modalities in accordance to client’s needs, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Inner Child Work (Pia Melody), ACT, and Narrative Therapy.