Saratoga Center For The Family Staff And Board Of Directors

Bernard A. Amyot

Bernard A. Amyot, LMHC – Bernard holds a Master’s Degree in Community Psychology from Sage Graduate School and has participated in numerous professional training programs by renowned experts in grief and loss.  Bernard has been a Bereavement /Life Transition Counselor, trainer, workshop presenter at Haven Grief Counseling Center since 1994.  Bernard’s extensive experience has included counseling for loss due to:  suicide, homicide, heart attack, short-term illness and long-term illness.  In addition his experience includes counseling for job loss, job/career transition and divorce/relationship transition.  Bernard’s counseling philosophy involves the whole person (mind, body, spirit) and the ripple effect loss creates in the life of the survivor. He is skilled in both individual and group therapy.

Bernard has been working at Saratoga Center for the Family since 2009 as a Consultant Therapist specializing in individual therapy for adults and facilitating anger management groups and grief support groups.

Victoria Betesh

Victoria Betesh, LCSW-R, received her Master’s in Social Work at Yeshiva University in Manhattan, and training in Psychotherapy at the Institute for Modern Psychoanalysis, also in Manhattan. She has a clinical and administrative background in psychotherapy, community mental health clinics, adult medical day care, psychiatric partial care, working with formerly homeless families, and employee mediation/ counseling.  She’s done fieldwork supervision, in-service training, workshops, seminars, program design and development.

Her 30-year integrative background embraces both Western and Eastern disciplines and philosophies.  Some of these consist of research and training in stress-related disorders, Stress Management, Biofeedback, Feng Shui, Dream Work, Reiki, and more recently – Reconnective Healing®.

As a holistically-oriented practitioner in various healing modalities of a metaphysical/psycho/spiritual nature in the field of higher consciousness, Victoria focuses on assisting those that want to come into right relationship with their inner being, environment, work, and others.  She works to restore the person to health, to him/herself – to remind them of their potential and self-worth when there is a loss of self-esteem, and especially important – to look to the totality of the person.

David B. Brown

David B. Brown, Jr. LCSW  graduated from the University of Albany earning his MSW and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over two decades experience in outpatient, public school and agency based social work services. David’s specialties and interests include: ADHD, Adjustment Disorder, Anger, Depression, Anxiety, Asperger’s , Bipolar Disorder, Children of Divorce, Greif and Loss, Life Transitions, Parenting issues, Behavior Problems, ODD, Self-Injury, men’s issues and addictions.  David works with individuals and families ages six and over.  David’s treatment approaches include: Brief Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems, Play Therapy, Psycho-Dynamic and Family Orgin.

Lisa M. DeLugo-Blond, MS

Lisa M. DeLugo-Blond, MS received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at the Rochester Institute of Technology, followed by her master’s degree in Counseling and Community Psychology through Sage Graduate School.  Lisa interned at Saratoga Center for the Family and has continued on to begin her career in psychotherapy. Lisa is a member of the New York Mental Health Counselor’s Association.

Lisa is specializing in working with young children and adolescents with various disorders.  She is expanding her focus in areas such as grief counseling and post-traumatic stress disorder associated with military personnel.

Candice Dunn

Dr. Candice Dunn, PsyD obtained her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Candice Dunn, PsyD serves in the role of Clinical Director of the Center. Her special areas of interest are in family therapy and in the treatment of trauma.  Some of her previous experience includes the supervision of teams of therapists providing home based therapy to children at risk of removal from the home. Her specialized training in this work was intended to improve family structure to support the child to successfully remain in the home. Dr. Candice Dunn, PsyD also has specialized training in trauma treatment. She has experience in working with a variety of diagnoses, ages and ranges of clients.

Cathy Geniti

Cathy Geniti LMHC, CHT is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has also earned a certificate as a Certified Hypnotherapist.  She uses various approaches to her individual, family and group treatments based on the needs and comfort of her clients.  Cathy has been with the Center for the Family for more than 15 years.  She has developed and facilitated several programs in the community and at the Center including: Strengthening Families, Child Custody Stress Prevention, Child Abuse Prevention, Anger Management, and Survivors Groups.  Cathy specializes in working with children, adolescents and families who are victims of sexual abuse, undergoing family changes (divorce, separation, blended families), are in family crisis, or individuals who need assistance building self esteem and help releasing and managing anger.  Cathy has a strong belief that “We do not need to be products of our environment and/or experiences”, she works with clients on helping them to replace old negative thought patterns with new thought patterns that support the life desired by her clients.

Stephanie Miller

Stephanie Miller LMHC, NCC earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a concentration in family and child studies from Keuka College.  She then graduated from Sage Graduate School receiving her Master’s Degree in Counseling and Community Psychology. She is licensed in New York State as a Mental Health Counselor; she also recently received the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential through National Board Certified Counselors (NBCC) by meeting the high standards set by the profession. She has experience working with various populations for the past nine years formulating exceptional skills for the work she performs in her professional career. She is skilled in diagnostic assessment techniques and treatment planning for numerous diagnoses with experiences working with children and adults of all ages. She enjoys conducting individual counseling and family therapy using a wide-range treatment approach based on the needs of clients.

Ann Simpson

Ann Simpson-McDowell, LCAT – Ann is a New York State Licensed Creative Art Therapist (LCAT) and earned her Master’s Degree in Art Therapy from Vermont College and Union Institute.   Ann has been involved in post-master’s level art therapy assessment work through Vermont College, Union Institute and George Washington University.   Ann’s interest in body, mind, spirit, and energy work recently led Ann into coursework on Quantum Integrative Medicine, Reiki, and other natural healing capabilities.

Ann has worked for over 15 years as a bereavement counselor at Haven Grief Counseling Center, where she combines her training in the bereavement process and art expression in individual and group therapy sessions.  Since developing a pilot program of Haven Support in Capital District Schools in 1998, she has facilitated bereavement groups at the elementary, middle and high school levels at numerous schools within 12 Capital Region school districts.  Her partnership with school communities also includes workshops, trainings and presentations to faculty, school counselors, parents and other community agencies serving children and adolescents.  Following 9/11/01, she joined New York State’s Project Liberty, participating in the training of counselors in New York City, Long Island and Poughkeepsie.

Ann has been working at Saratoga Center for the Family for over 2 years as a Consultant Therapist specializing in art therapy and grief and loss issues for all ages.

Michelle Smallwood

Michelle Smallwood, M.S., C.A.S. earned her Bachelor’s degree from Union College.  She graduated from the University at Albany’s Counseling Psychology program with a Master of Science in Community/Mental Health Counseling and a Certificate of Advanced Study in School Counseling.  She is a New York State Permit Holder in Mental Health Counseling.  Her special area of interest is in the treatment of trauma and she has expertise in traumatology as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional through the International Association of Trauma Professionals.  Michelle primarily specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families who are victims of abuse, most predominantly related to sexual abuse treatment and prevention.  She currently facilitates the Trauma Survivors groups at the Center and has facilitated other trauma related Non-Offending Parent and adolescent sex offending prevention groups.   Michelle has experience in family therapy, grief and loss counseling, school and college counseling, couples work, and group therapy and development.  Michelle has worked with a broad range of presenting issues and diagnoses, client needs, and treatment approaches.  As a passionate, dedicated, and multi-talented counselor and educator, Michelle is devoted to empowering individuals and families to find enrichment in their lives, discover hope and healing during life’s challenges, enhance self-efficacy and safety, and ultimately discover personal meaning and growth along the way.

Rebecca Rainstrom

Rebecca Rainstrom, MA LMHC – Rebecca earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a concentration in family systems and women’s health from St. Lawrence University. She then graduated from Sage Graduate School receiving her Master’s Degree in Counseling and Community Psychology. She is licensed in New York State as a Mental Health Counselor. Rebecca has worked in the field for 12 years, with the experience in addiction, healing from sexual abuse and other traumas, grief and loss, depression, anxiety and behavioral issues in children. At the Center, Rebecca facilitates the Strengthening Families program, Women’s Mental Health therapeutic group, as well as providing individual, family, and mental health therapy.  She has experience working with children, adolescents and adults. Rebecca uses a wide range of treatment approaches, to best ensure meeting the client where he/she is at and meeting their individual needs.