megan chesin, ph.d. (director)

B.A., The college of william and mary

Ph.d., city university of new york (CUNY)

Dr. Chesin completed her graduate studies in Clinical Psychology at the City University of New York and a postdoctoral research fellowship at Columbia University. Dr. Chesin has extensive training and experience in Cognitive Therapy (CT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). She currently provides training and supervision to psychologists and other practicing clinicians on MBCT and brief CT-based interventions to prevent suicide. She studies biobehavioral risk factors for impulsive-aggression, third-wave behavioral interventions, and mechanisms that explain treatment gains among impulsive and aggressive individuals. Her work has been supported by a foundation grant and is published in several leading psychiatry and psychology journals. During her graduate schooling and post-doctoral fellowship, she participated as a Research Scientist on several National Institute of Mental Health and foundation-funded clinical trials testing interventions to prevent impulsive-aggressive behavior, adaptations for suicidal Latinas, and biobehavioral treatment targets. She currently consults on a randomized controlled trial that is funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs testing Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicidal Behavior (MBCT-S) among high suicide-risk Veterans. She is the 2016 recipient of the Young Investigator Award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She is a Consulting Editor for Archives of Suicide Research and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Latina/o Psychology. In her spare time, Dr. Chesin enjoys hanging out with her two young children and her husband, politics, working out, all kinds of shows (from Broadway to TV) and movies.

Rachel Harris, M.A.

B.A., University at Albany, State University of New York

M.A., Teachers College, Columbia University

Rachel is a fifth-year student in the WPU Psy.D. program. Rachel is currently on internship at West Palm Beach Veteran Affairs Medical Center, West Palm Beach, FL. She is also working under the direction of Drs. Chesin and Alejandro Interian at the VA on completing her dissertation investigating the impact of the quality and completeness of the Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention on outcomes among high suicide risk Veterans. Her interests include the development and provision of culturally relevant mental health interventions for high risk populations who have experienced chronic stress, suicidal ideations, suicide attempts, and trauma.

Megan Sedita

b.a., b.s., Binghamton University, state university of New York

M.A., William Paterson University

Megan is a fifth-year student in the WPU Psy.D. program. She is currently on internship at VA Hudson Valley Health Care System, where she is working on both inpatient PTSD rotation and DBT rotations. She has previously worked at NYCBT, Rockland Psychiatric Center, and the Lyons VA. Megan works with Dr. Chesin on an implementation study of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicide Attempt. Additionally, she previously worked as a Mental Health Outreach Peer Educator at Binghamton University. Megan’s interests include mindfulness, suicide, and dating violence.

Dominique Porcaro

B.A., Barnard College, Columbia University

Dominique is a fourth-year student in the WPU Psy.D. program. She is currently an extern at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. She has previously worked at the Lyons VA and at the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital/Montefiore Medical Center-Adult/Rehab Track. Prior to attending WPU, she worked at CBT/DBT Associates in Manhattan. There, she developed an interest in CBT, DBT, & and other third-wave behavioral treatments. Her current research interests include examining the relationships between sexual assault and suicidality and other impulsive-aggressive behaviors.

Kathryn leslie

B.S., New York university

Kathryn is a fourth-year student in the WPU Psy.D. program. Kathryn is currently an extern at Rockland Psychiatric Center. She has previously worked at Pace University Counseling Center and at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation-Adult Neuropsychology Track. Previously, while studying at New York University (NYU), she assisted in a research lab studying youth civic engagement attitudes and behaviors. Her research interests include gender-based violence and harassment, trauma, and resilience.

Stephen Byrne, M.P.S.

B.A., University of Maryland, College Park

M.P.S., University of Maryland, College Park 

Stephen is a third-year student in the WPU Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program. Stephen is currently an extern at Westchester Behavioral Health Center on the inpatient Addiction Recovery track. He has previously worked at the College of Staten Island Counseling Center. He also teaches WPU undergraduates as an adjunct instructor. His prior experience consists of psychological and public health survey design, as well as training of data collectors. Stephen is interested in etiological models of borderline personality disorder (BPD), the ecological factors that maintain BPD, and gaining experience in DBT.

Kaitlin (Kait) Gilleran, M.A. 

B.A., Montclair State University 

M.A., Fairleigh Dickinson University  

Kait is a third-year student in the WPU Psy.D. program. Kait is an extern at Westchester Behavioral Health Center on the inpatient Psychosis and Related Disorders track. They have previously worked at the Lyons VA. While completing their Master's, they assisted in research labs studying personalities, sexual grooming, and the intersection of mentalization deficits and acts of targeted violence. They have externed at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital (forensic units) and worked in a crisis emergency department, which facilitated an interest in working with and researching populations experiencing symptoms of severe and persistent mental illness. 

KAYLA MALONEY, M.A.

B.A., State University of New York College at Geneseo

M.A., Iona University

Kayla is a second-year student in the WPU Psy.D. program. Kayla is currently an extern at the Lyons VA. While completing her Master’s degree, Kayla assisted in research studies evaluating the effectiveness of mindfulness training as a mobile-based program for reducing stress among undergraduate students. Kayla has also worked as a research coordinator at the Stony Brook University Hospital Psychiatric Department where she assisted in research on the effects of sleep deprivation on depressive symptoms. She has also worked closely with individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness in a residential setting through a nonprofit organization regulated by the New York State Office of Mental Health. Kayla is currently interested in researching mindfulness techniques and working with individuals who experience symptoms of a serious mental illness.

Aditya Vasavan, M.A.

B.A., St. Olaf College

M.A., New York University

Aditya is a second-year student in the WPU Psy.D. program. Aditya is currently an extern at Spectrum Psychological Services. Prior to attending WPU, Aditya worked as a clinical supervisor and direct care provider administering relationship development intervention for with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His current interests are clinical in nature and include integrating aspects of various therapies to create more comprehensive treatment for individuals with ASD.

Leah Cohn, B.A.

B.A., Reichman University

Leah is a first-year Psy.D. student at WPU. She previously worked as a lead Clinical Research Coordinator at the Depression and Anxiety Center, Icahn School of Medicine, managing a federally-funded trial comparing electroconvulsive therapy and IV ketamine for acute suicidal depression. She has also provided critical research support on studies testing treatments for depression in patients with diabetes. While an undergraduate at Reichman University, Leah worked at The Cognitive Aging and Neuropsychology Lab where she worked on a mobile application that focused on changing maladaptive beliefs related to COVID-19 in older adults. Her current interests include working with individuals who suffer from mood and anxiety disorders, particularly those with acute suicidal depression and PTSD. She is also interested in third-wave behavioral therapies as forms of treatment.