Elissa Stein is the founder and director of The Riverwalk Group. After practicing for 15 years on her own, Elissa yearned for a more integrative approach and believes that working as part of a team, using diverse evidence based modalities and treatments is the best way to offer collaborative, creative, professional care.
Elissa is a professional, licensed psychotherapist and works with individuals, couples and families. She believes in the power for all of us to manufacture a fulfilling life. Understanding oneself, relationships with others and what helps us become our most authentic selves is the key to living a life of meaning and balance. She partners with clients as they explore their challenges, where they are stuck and how to live a life worth celebrating. Elissa has an “emotional toolbox” that she uses to provide clients with tools needed during this exploration…. her goal is for her clients to develop an “emotional toolbox” as well. Elissa has had excellent clinical training and brings both psychological theory and cutting edge knowledge to her sessions. Her approach is integrative, yet straightforward and she brings qualities of compassion, encouragement and humor to the treatment room. Elissa feels it is a privilege to join people on their journeys and is grateful to do this work each day.
Elissa received her BA from Ithaca College and two graduate degrees from New York University, in special education and applied psychology. In addition to university training. Elissa has attended and gained certification from the Family Institute of Westchester, and received certification in the core and advanced training program in Marriage and Family Therapy. She also attended The Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy where she completed the certification program in Integrative Trauma. Elissa is bothInternal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) and EMDR trained and uses both integrative therapies regularly in her practice. For more information on EMDR and IFS, please look at our “How We Treat” (Therapeutic Modalities) page.
When she is not doing the work she loves, Elissa enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking with her dog Yoda, doing yoga, reading, and writing. She collects heart shaped rocks and inspirational quotes and believes in the tremendous healing power of a good belly laugh.