About
Sarah Gugluizza, LCSW-R
Founder, Supervisor & Therapist
Sarah has spent her career servicing children, teens and their families in emotional, behavioral, academic & psychiatric capacities. Sarah has supported kids and teens through mental illness, trauma, developmental delays, learning issues, mood & behavior and substance abuse. Sarah engages adult clients through addressing life issues and transitions, changes and stressors; depression, anxiety, substance use, social & romantic relationships. Sarah's expertise further continues in the treatment of women facing maternal mental health concerns ranging from pregnancy & childbirth, postpartum experience, infant loss, new motherhood,
and the motherhood journey.
As an adjunct professor for several universities and presenter for continuing education programs, Sarah is an educator as well as clinician. Helping young social workers develop their craft and enter into the field is something she feels a great calling towards. She further provides guidance and supervision to her team, students, and fellow clinicians.
Being a parent of three further gives Sarah perspective to work with her child clients and their grownups, as well as women coping with challenges in maternal mental health and mothering from a perspective that is truly unique, authentic, humorous and warm. Sarah believes that her experiences with patients over time have gifted her the ability to offer comprehensive care. She prides herself in giving a safe, nurturing space that allows clients to grow, learn, change, and overcome their challenges.
Sarah is certified in Child and Family Therapy, Perinatal Mental Health Disorders, and Supervision in Field Instruction (SIFI)
Therapists of Rising Lotus Counseling
Selene Altamirano-Farrell, LMSW
As a Hudson Valley native, Selene has supported individuals and families in our community for 15 years. Her background in nonprofit community-based work regularly informs how she practices as a therapist. She is genuine, humorous, and creates a comfortable space where you can feel that the person you are being vulnerable with is also being a person with you!
Selene traveled abroad to South Africa as a student, where she was introduced to the philosophy of Ubuntu, translated to “I am because we are.” This idea that we are all interconnected and needing of each other has become a guiding principle that she has incorporated into her daily life and has greatly influenced how she works as a clinician. Selene often used CBT, DBT and Solution-Focused interventions to meet you where you are at in your current state.
Whether it’s a life transition, loss, anxiety, depression, difficult stage of parenthood, relationship challenge, role change or anything in between Selene strongly believes that you are the expert in your own life. She will always work to support you in growing, coping, and learning in ways that honor your experiences and strengths!
Gwen Cedfeldt, LMSW
Gwen approaches therapy with her clients from a trauma-informed, strengths-based place that is highly collaborative. She values her the individuality of her clients and recognizes that they are the expert of their own life.
Gwen is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and CBT. She specializes in working children, teens, and adults in the areas of trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, self-harm, and LGBTQ+ identity topics.
Though many people struggle with painful or traumatic life experiences. As your therapist, Gwen's goal is to create a validating, secure space to process and resolve those memories.
Gwen is currently only treating patients remotely using online telemental health, for anyone located in New York State.
Alina Staicu-Alexander, LCAT
There is something so valuable about every person having a space that is their own, where they feel safe enough to say and feel whatever comes up for them. Alina is a Creative Arts Therapist that prides herself in the facilitation of that space. She works from the core beliefs that curiosity leads to understanding, creativity + play can heal, and comfort is something many of us could use more of these days.
Alina serves children, teens and adults presenting with problems such as depression, anxiety, trauma, grief/loss, chronic health concerns, relationship issues and life transitions. She works from a client-centered and insight-oriented approach, offering traditional talk therapy and creative arts therapy, as she is fully aware that it can be easier to communicate without words.
It is important to Alina to intentionally build a trusting, affirming relationship where her patients feel completely accepted and seen. She has been known to use humor to bring levity to situations that can feel overwhelming and heavy. She believes that connecting with people in ways that are satisfying are essential to one's emotional health.
John Reed, LMSW
John's patients have been some of his best teachers throughout his career. He has expressed feeling fortunate enough to have had the opportunities to serve in a variety of settings including inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse treatment as well as working in the community at a local non-profit agency.
John works from a trauma-informed stance, utilizing motivational interviewing, mindfulness, play, and CBT/DBT informed therapies. With extensive experience, and a unique understanding of substance misuse, he can offer patients diverse paths to recovery, anywhere from abstinence to harm reduction.
By working together and drawing on his patient's strengths, John easily creates a therapeutic partnership with his clients. Personalized treatment is built upon your innate resiliency, enabling you to develop new ways of thinking to profoundly impact your sense of competence and self-worth.
Through collaboration, we will form and work towards attainable goals to help you ease any suffering and reach your full potential. John is aware of how difficult it can be to ask for help, especially when wrestling with powerful feelings and complex issues. He is happy to support you in your time of need.
Diana Gongora, LCAT
Diana works with children, adolescents and adults and gained her professional experience working in inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings, schools and day treatment centers. She strongly believes in meeting her clients exactly where they are in their life without any judgement. It is in those moments that there is great power in truly being able to listen to someone and learn from them, in order to best be able to help them with their needs and goals.
She believes that all people are individuals and that their mental health treatment should match uniquely with who they are. Her patients are commonly people with anxiety, depression and trauma histories. Diana aims to create therapeutic goals together with her clients that encourage and inspire them to live the best life they can, no matter where they have been before; as well as learn how to better manage future possible challenges by developing and exercising new coping skills.
Diana uses a holistic approach when engaging in her work as a clinician through Psychotherapy and Art Therapy. She feels that is the key factor in maintaining new healthier life paths when on a therapy journey.
Diana has lived in the Hudson Valley for 20 years and spent several years in Europe. She speaks Spanish and German and can hold therapy sessions in either language in addition to English.
Jodi Swain, Intake Coordinator
Jodi, our Intake Coordinator will usually be the first person you will speak with when you contact us by phone and email. She can answer any questions you might have, talk with you about your presenting concerns, understand how we can best help you, and match you with one of our therapists that will fit you best.
