Barbara Ganzel, PhD, LMSW

Therapist

Barbara's background includes 25 years in academia studying psychological trauma and teaching trauma-informed care. She has a deep understanding of how “big T” and “little t” traumas interact with lifespan development to create pain in our lives. 

Barbara is also trained as a hospice social worker and has a special place in her heart for mental health intervention with people who are seriously ill and/or dying, and with caregivers and those in grief. 

Barbara uses EMDR to desensitize/process distressing memories and negative cognitions about the self, along with mindfulness, stress reduction, resource development, structured problem solving, and ACT. Areas of clinical interest: 

• Trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, stress management.
• Issues related to aging, serious or terminal physical illness, comorbid mental health issues and serious physical illness.
• Challenges with academia -- undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff. 

Wendy Jones, PhD, LMSW

Psychotherapist

Wendy Jones became a Licensed Master Social Worker after a first career as an English professor. Work as a crisis-line counselor for a total of nine years, together with the wish to extend this genre of help and a fascination with the mind-brain, motivated this decision. Since becoming a therapist, Wendy has worked with a truly diverse clientele in terms of the ways people identify themselves: race, gender, heritage, socioeconomic status, belief, and age (from three to seventy). Her clients have for the most part sought therapy for depression, anxiety, and trauma, but she has also worked with people diagnosed with schizophrenia, autism, and substance abuse disorder. She has trained in AEDP (accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy), a mind-body based approach to helping clients deal with trauma; as a ballet major at the Performing Arts (the Fame school), and a lifelong participant in fitness regimens, Wendy is very aware of the ways that the body and mind interact. She is also especially interested in psychotherapeutic approaches grounded in attachment theory, the basic belief that the relationships we experience with others determine our ways of being and perceiving to a great extent, and in narrative therapy, because the story we tell about ourselves—our identity—similarly determines perception and behavior. Contemporary life is fraught with anxiety and fear, and we appear to have fewer external supports than ever before to deal with such stress. Seeking therapy is a smart and constructive way to find help in times of need. When not at work as a therapist, Wendy pursues her scholarly interests. She has written a book explaining the social brain using Jane Austen’s novels (Jane on the Brain: Exploring the Science of Social Intelligence with Jane Austen), writes a blog (Intersubjective) for Psychology Today, as well as publishing in other popular and academic venues. 

Beth Midura, LCSW-R

Therapist

Beth received her Bachelors degree from Lycoming College in Williamsport PA as a double major in Psychology and Sociology/Anthropology. Her Masters Degree in Social work was completed at Marywood University in Scranton PA. She received her Yoga Instructor Certification from Kaivalya Yoga Academy in 2011 and has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga for 20 years. Her yoga practice and instruction compliment her social work experience. Beth has been working in the social work field for the last 35 years. She has had the experience of working with individuals and families in a variety of settings. Her diverse experience includes working in a low-income housing project, Domestic Violence Shelter, In patient Medical Detox, Out patient Drug and Alcohol Clinic, Cattaraugus County Mental Health Clinic on the Seneca reservation located in Salamanca NY and Tompkins County Mental Health Clinic. For the past 22 years Beth has worked as a psychiatric Social Worker and Clinical Supervisor for the Tompkins County Mental Health Clinic. Working for Tompkins County Mental Health Clinic she has had the opportunity to provide mental health assessment/diagnosis, individual and group therapies, school based clinical services and clinical supervision. Her varied experience has provided the opportunity to work with individuals and families assisting them transiting through the transitions presented by the stages of life. Beth enjoys working with people through life stages from ages 5 to 95. When Beth is not working with people she enjoys spending time with her family and Australian Sheppard, Cosmo. You can often find her practicing yoga, working in her gardens, participating in out door activities , traveling, cooking/baking, reading or just relaxing beside a local waterfall.

Maggie Sawyer, LMSW

Clinical Site Coordinator/Therapist

Maggie is a warm, engaging clinician who seeks to create a safe space for the things that are hard to say. Her passions in therapy are truly hearing clients and helping them find comfort and relief from anxiety, panic, grief, and other concerns getting in the way of their happiness. She works from a trauma-informed, client-centered, and psychodynamic approach – this looks like helping people gain insight into their lives to unpack things that happened a long time ago that are showing up today, and working on changing patterns clients want to break free from. She believes in the transformative power of therapy combined with each individual’s strengths to create real relief. She holds a master’s degree in social work from Smith College and a background in psychology, and is always pursuing further training; currently furthering her somatic skills training in the Trauma Conscious Yoga Technique. Maggie has significant experience in trauma recovery. She has worked with queer and trans clients, those who have experienced incarceration, and immigrant and refugee populations, to name a few. She primarily works with adults, older teenagers, and couples. From learning to ground in the here and now to uncovering deeply held beliefs that may be holding you back, Maggie is here for the whole process.