Jewish Family Service Staff

Ruth Edelman LCSW

Ruth Edelman, LCSW is the Coordinator of the Family Mentor / Senior Friendly Visitor Programs, Special Needs Programs and Ohr Tikvah Jewish Healing Program. Ruth has an MSW from the University of Michigan, and holds postgraduate certificates in Infant Mental Health and Geriatrics. She has worked with children and their families for over 30 years in medical and social service settings. She has been involved in development of programs and services for older adults for the past 5 years. She has held supervisory positions overseeing social workers and psychologists, and has presented numerous workshops locally and nationally on work with children from birth to three, grief and loss, and supervisory and management topics.

“I believe strongly in the power of relationships for healing in our lives. We need one another. Most of us have much more to give than we realize. A supportive word, a caring gesture can make a difference to someone when they are feeling alone and struggling with some issue. The Family Mentor / Senior Friendly Visitor Program recruits, and trains volunteers who are matched with Somerset County families feeling overwhelmed with parenting and/or household management.”

“I love the program because it brings people with a need together with people who are in touch with their humanity. The volunteers are ordinary people, but they understand what 'being there' for someone is all about, and are willing to make a commitment to be a mentor to a family for a whole year. I learn things from the families and from the volunteers all the time. It is a richly rewarding experience to coordinate the Family Mentor / Senior Friendly Visitor Program.”

Elise Prezant

Project Coordinator

Elise Prezant has over 20 years of experience providing employment and vocational rehabilitation services in New Jersey and Georgia. Before joining JFS, she was the Manager of Career Services for Jewish Family and Career Services in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Prezant was responsible for the Career Counseling and Testing, Recruitment and Senior Employment programs. She has also provided vocational evaluation, vocational counseling, placement assistance and support to individuals with and without disabilities.

In addition, Ms. Prezant was the Executive Director of The Raritan Valley Workshop, an Easter Seal Facility in North Brunswick, NJ. The Raritan Valley Workshop provides vocational training for over 300 adults with disabilities on a daily basis.

Jeanne Lankin LCSW, ACSW

Jeanne Lankin is a NJ licensed clinical social worker. She received her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University and has worked over twenty years in a variety of outpatient mental health settings including University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Hillside/Long Island Jewish Hospital and Jewish Family Service agencies in Bayonne and Southern Middlesex Counties. She is also in private practice in Highland Park and Monroe Township, NJ.

Jeanne has unique training working with individuals, couples and families on a variety of issues including cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of phobias and an expertise in geriatrics. In addition to providing psychotherapy to JFS clients, she works in the Senior Mentoring Program.

Roger Sachs, LCSW

Roger A. Sachs received his M.S.W. degree from Adelphi University. Roger provides counseling services for children, adults, couples and older adults. He has extensive experience in counseling, supervision of social workers and graduate students and administering home health aide and older adult programs. In addition to working at JFS, Roger is also employed as a Senior Social Worker at Jewish Family Service of Metrowest.

Teresa Reitz, LCSW

Teresa Reitz, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S is a licensed psychotherapist who provides individual, group, and couples therapy. She provides services to children, adolescents, and adults and has been practicing for over 10 years in a variety of settings including schools, outpatient clinics, foster care agencies, hospitals, and psychotherapy group practices. Her areas of specialization include Anxiety and Depression, Behavioral Difficulties, Parenting Support, Grief and Loss, Peer Issues, Stress Management, and Trauma. Teresa is also a Registered Play Therapist and Play Therapy Supervisor through the Association of Play Therapy.

Teresa's treatment approaches include: Play therapy: “Prescriptive Eclectic Approach” — With young children Teresa utilizes play therapy treatment. Children often will use toys as symbols of their internal struggles. Play is a child's “words” and specialized training has allowed Teresa to help many children work through various difficulties that they were experiencing. Depending on the nature of the difficulties she uses either a non-directive or directive approach.

Her play therapy approach is a “prescriptive elective&rdquou; approach, meaning that she assess the scope of the difficulties and utilizes the best play therapy interventions, shown through the latest research, to show effective change and healing. Teresa also has training in sand tray therapy which often becomes part of her work with children and adolescents. Psychodynamic, Cognitive-Behavioral, Schema Therapy orientation—Teresa's approach with adolescents and adults is often based on her training and expertise with Psychodynamic, Cognitive-Behavioral, or Schema Therapy.

Depending on the issues identified she would discuss what approach she thought would work best for the issues at hand. Often in therapy there is some overlap of these models. Teresa is open to using creative interventions in therapy including technology (particularly useful with preteens and adolescents), journal therapy, art therapy, music, and sand tray interventions. Many clients have found that these creative approaches have allowed them to reach a greater level of healing.

Teresa believes that the therapy relationship, along with clinical knowledge, is key in effective therapy. A good therapist should be able to create a feeling of safety, which allows clients to fully address issues and work towards their goals. Clients have often told Teresa that her down to earth style, sensitivity, and clinical knowledge made it possible to face the challenges that they were working through and experience genuine growth. Teresa is passionate about her work and respects all those who so courageously take the steps necessary to achieve growth and change.

Sudha Narasimhan, LSW

Sudha Narasimhan is a Licensed Social Worker and the Project Coordinator for the Home Sweet Home project at JFS. She received her MSW degree from Rutgers University in May 2010, with an emphasis in Gerontology. Before her employment at JFS, Sudha completed her clinical training as an intern with JFS during her last year in the MSW program at Rutgers.

During her internship, Sudha worked closely with children, individuals, couples and families by providing psychotherapy and case management services. Sudha continues to provide therapeutic and case management services and is also working with the Family Mentoring and Senior Mentoring Programs.

Cantor Lee Coopersmith, D. Min.

Cantor Lee Coopersmith, D. Min, is the new Community Chaplain of the Ohr Tikvah Jewish Healing Program. Cantor Coopersmith is a graduate of the School of Sacred Music of the Hebrew Union College — Jewish Institute of Religion in New York and was invested as a Cantor in 1982.

She received her Master of Sacred Theology and Pastoral Counseling Certificate from the New York Theological Seminary and the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health. Cantor Coopersmith is Cantor Emeritus of Temple B'nai Abraham, Livingston, NJ and has served Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, New Brunswick, NJ and Temple Sholom, Plainfield, NJ.

Evan Jaffe, LSW

Born in Denver, Colorado, Evan Jaffe graduated Cum Laude from Columbia University with a BA in Religion and received an MHL (Master of Hebrew Letters) from the Jewish Theological Seminary. In 2005, Evan graduated with a Masters of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania.

Evan has been counseling for almost two years, both at JFS and in the Hunterdon Community. Evan's involvement in community activities has served as a role model to many people for whom he has worked.

Karen Faigenbaum, MSW

Karen Faigenbaum received her MSW degree from New York University in May 2011. She is a licensed Teacher of the Handicapped and before her employment at JFS, Karen was a high school, special education teacher. She has experience working with children, adolescents, and families in a variety of settings.

Karen worked for the Lantern Organization with HIV-positive individuals residing in subsidized housing in the Bronx; she completed her final internship at the Neighborhood Counseling Center in Brooklyn, NY, where Karen provided individual psychotherapy, case management services, and co-facilitated a Trauma Survivors' Support Group. Karen co-leads the Social Learning Group at JFS for children diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome or other social skills challenges.

Carmen Ramos Ostow

Carmen Ramos Ostow (B.A.,Barnard College, Columbia University, 1971; MSW, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, 1987) is a LCSW with more than 30 years experience. Postmasters studies include a Certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice and Certificate in Clinical Practice with Adolescents, both from the Silver School of Social Work, New York University.

Ms. Ostow also has trained and has experience in working with victims of domestic violence and children and young adults on the autism/asperger's spectrum.

Karen Grossman

Karen Grossman, MSW, LCSW, earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Rutgers University. She specializes in therapy with children and families. Karen is a co-facilitator for JFS' Social Learning Group, which helps adolescents diagnosed with Asperger's, or other social difficulties, to improve their social skills.

She also works as an intensive in-home therapist for children and adolescents struggling with a variety of behavioral and emotional issues.

Karen has over 10 years of experience helping children, adolescents and their families to improve their relationships and enhance their quality of life. She has worked in a variety of settings as a case manager and as a family, group, and individual therapist. Additionally, she has worked in the fields of adoption and addiction counseling.

Peter Schessler

Peter Schessler is a licensed clinical social worker seeing adults, adolescents and children in psychotherapy. He is also involved in clinical supervision and staff development.

Mr. Schessler held clinical, supervisory, staff development and administrative positions with Jewish Family Service of Metrowest, New Jersey for 27 years. Prior to joining JFS in Somerville he practiced, privately in Essex County.

Talea Cornelius, LSW

Talea Cornelius, LSW, received her Masters of Social Work from Boston University in May 2012. She has experience working with groups, families, and individuals. She has interned and volunteered in a variety of settings, ranging from hospitals to inpatient units to school settings.

At JFS, Talea works with Holocaust survivors and does outpatient counseling.

Alexia Arntz, MSW, LSW

Alexia has been a Licensed Social Worker since 2010. She has experience counseling individuals ranging from adolescent through adult. Her background also includes group work in a variety of settings including grief support groups.

Clinical training through her internships included counseling individuals at Kean Counseling Center and working in a partial hospital setting with Dual Diagnosis clients. She especially appreciated the opportunity for therapeutic art groups with that population.