Serving Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, and New Jersey by tele-therapy
Our Team
Mieke Rivka Sidorsky
Founder & CEO, LCSW-C, CST, C-PST
Rivka uses her compassionate nature and warm personality to improve the quality of life for her clients. She believes in her clients and helps them gain the strength to believe in themselves too. Rivka is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor, an IAPST Certified Psychosexual Therapist, an IAPST Certified Psychosexual Supervisor, a licensed clinical social worker, a Social Work Board Certified Supervisor, a Faculty Lecturer, a published author, a Harvard University research fellowship recipient, and an experienced lecturer. She is a professional member of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health, the International Society for Sexual Medicine, and the International Association of Psychosexual Therapists. She has been working with women and couples since 2007. She was personally mentored and was trained in sexual dysfunction and sex therapy from internationally renowned Dr. Laura Berman, Oprah's relationship and sex expert, at the Berman Center in Chicago. After her time at the Berman Center, she completed seven years of post-graduate training in female sexual dysfunction. Additionally, she worked at the Center for Intimacy After Cancer Therapy, offering her services to counsel women after surviving breast cancer. She served for three years as a Member of the Board of Directors for In Shifra's Arms, a non-profit organization providing counseling and referrals for women with unplanned pregnancies. In addition to her private practice, Rivka is a writer, researcher, and public speaker. She , female function and dysfunction, and on intimacy after cancer at professional conferences, universities, hospitals, and for community events. She is an invited guest to train doctors, nurses, faculty, fellow therapists, and students at the University of Maryland Health Center, The University of Maryland School of Public Health Graduate Program in Marriage in Family Therapy, and at a number of professional conferences such as the National Association of Social Work Clinical Conference. She is a Faculty Lecturer at The Integrative Sex Therapy Institute on topics which include female sexual dysfunction, sexual pain, and performing sex therapy with diverse religions and cultures. She received her Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration with her Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology from Brandeis University. She has lived in many countries around the world, particularly in Asia and the Middle East and feels confident in her ability to provide culturally-sensitive therapy to those of different religions and cultures. She lives in Silver Spring with her husband and their five children. Licensed to practice in Maryland, Virginia, and DC
Hanna Yerushalmi
LCPC, CST
Hanna creates a warm space to help clients feel comfortable sharing intimate conversations. She grew up in the Midwest, where kindness is a priority and listening is the first step in a relationship. When working with clients, her goal is to provide a warm, accepting atmosphere. Hanna is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor for the state of Maryland. Hanna's passion is empowering those around her to be their best selves and build strong and healthy relationships. She helps individuals and couples who are struggling with anxiety, relationship issues, grief, intimacy challenges, and trauma. Her experience includes working in areas such as women's health, low desire, differences in sexual desire, painful sex, unconsummated marriages, pre-marital relationships, couples conflicts, pregnancy and postpartum, infertility, addiction, sexual assault, attachment trauma, body image, anxiety, sexual anxiety, low libido, dealing with stress, parenting, and depression. She is in training to become a certified sex therapist. Prior to her training as a therapist, she helped hundreds of individuals and couples in her work as a pastoral counselor. Clients of all religions and varying levels of observance will feel accepted and welcomed by Hanna. As a first generation American, she has an awareness and appreciation of the beauty and complexity of different cultures. Hanna has a Doctor of Ministry from the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. She received her Master’s Degree from Bowie State University and her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Cincinnati. She is licensed in the state of Maryland as Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and is a Nationally Certified Counselor through the National Board for Certified Counselors. In addition to her work as a therapist, Hanna is a writer, teacher, and motivational group leader. Currently, Hanna lives in Annapolis and together with her husband, is raising four children by teaching them about kindness and the value of listening.
LCPC, CST
Shmuel Feldman
Shmuel creates non-judgmental, calm, and open environment to help clients discuss personal and difficult topics. When working with clients, his goal is to create a calm and comfortable atmosphere where clients can talk about their most intimate and personal struggles. Through working together, Shmuel helps clients discover strengths they were not aware of, build support systems for long-term success, and improves their ability to regulate their emotions. ​ Shmuel has been working with boys and young men as a teacher for over 25 years helping them strengthen self-esteem, work on emotional regulation, build compassion toward others, and improve their relationships with others. His calm, non-judgmental, and kind personality helps clients who struggle with depression, self-esteem, and anxiety. Shmuel helps men who experience performance anxiety, premature ejaculation, difficulties with sexual performance, and with compulsive sexual behavior or pornography addiction. He always treats the individual underneath the issues and helps them overcome their challenges. He also works with men who have spouses with a number of sexual dysfunctions such as pelvic pain, vulvodynia, sexual anxiety, sexual aversion, and low sexual desire. Marriages with a female sexual dysfunction or unconsummated marriages require extra support for those husbands. He helps men navigate intimate relationships where there is a difference in sexual desires, helping men with low libido or with sexual frustration. Shmuel has experience with couples and helps them communicate more effectively and compassionately. He is in training to become a certified sex therapist under supervision by Mieke Rivka Sidorsky and is licensed to practice in Maryland. He enjoys helping clients of all religions and has experience in Pastoral Counseling through his training at Loyola University Maryland. Clients of all religions and varying levels of observance will feel accepted and welcomed by Shmuel. Shmuel has a a Master's of Science in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University Maryland. He has a Bachelor'sDegree in Human Services from George Washington University. He lives in Silver Spring with his wife and their seven children.
LCSW-C
Jonathan Keng
Jon builds relationships with clients in order to create an environment of trust and safety. In doing so, clients are given the space to discuss topics that are difficult. He has particular strength in working with both adults and with teens who struggle with all different aspects of relationships. Jon has been working with diverse clients during his time as a therapist, helping to empower them for growth and change. His warm, calm, and nurturing personality has helped clients who have dealt with trauma, depression, and anxiety. Jon is sensitive to all different types of sexual issues such as male performance anxieties, erectile dysfunction, and compulsive sexual behavior. He is also comfortable helping women navigate issues of low sexual desire, differences in sexual desire, and discomfort or anxiety with sex. He engages actively with couples to improve communication, increase intimacy, and talk through issues of infidelity, differences in sexual desire, or all types of conflict. One of his greatest strengths is his acceptance for all clients no matter what gender orientation. He welcomes LGBT clients or clients who wish to discuss non-traditional relationships. He is in training to become a certified sex therapist under the supervision of Mieke Rivka Sidorsky, and is licensed to practice in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. Before his training as a therapist, Jon received his Masters in Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, Pennsylvania. He went on to receive his Masters in Social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Jon has a passion for clients of any and all cultural, spiritual, or religious backgrounds and hopes to help navigate the social barriers to treatment. Currently, Jon lives in Silver Spring with his wife, dog (Mèi Mèi), and cat (Mr. T).
Crystel Britto
LCMFT
Crystel believes that the therapy room is where all clients should feel safe, cared for and able to be their best selves. Her style is compassionate, engaging and curious. She empowers her clients with self-compassion, a safe space to develop insights from patterns within their personal and family history and culture, and therapeutic tools to help them achieve their outcomes. Crystel has worked with clients addressing various issues such as communication issues within relationships, fear of intimacy and processing sexual assault. She is passionate about working in the areas of women's health, low desire, differences in sexual desire, sexual trauma, couples conflicts, infidelity, anxiety, sexual aversion, sexual anxiety, depression, performance anxiety, painful sex, and self-esteem/body image. She excels at all aspects of couples therapy such as helping couples communicate better, helping them meet one another's emotional and unmet needs, and helping them improve intimacy and sexual satisfaction. She has worked with couples as early as in pre-marital therapy as well as older couples who have been together for many years. Focusing on Cognitive-behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Attachment-Based therapies, Crystel offers individual, couple and sex therapy in Maryland and Virginia, and is under sex therapy supervision by Mieke Rivka Sidorsky. Clients of various cultural backgrounds, spiritual and religious backgrounds often feel their beliefs and culture are honored during the therapeutic process as she acknowledges the impact they have had on client's lives. Crystel received her Masters of Science in Couple and Family Therapy from the University of Maryland, College Park, completing her thesis on clerical sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. She has worked with those with intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 8 years. She is a facilitator for the Prepare and Enrich premarital assessment and is a former Celebrate Recovery facilitator. She is currently working on becoming a certified trauma and sex therapist. In her spare time, she enjoys learning new recipes and reading good books.
Ivy Edelstein
LCSW-C
Ivy is genuine, compassionate, and engaging. She believes that people have an innate drive towards health and wholeness. She works collaboratively with clients to help them recognize their internal strengths and gain insight, confidence, and the necessary skills to face life courageously. Ivy specializes in relationship counseling and has over 20 years of experience leading women on a path toward deep personal growth. From dating to engagement to marriage to older adulthood, Ivy helps women with every step of their relationship journey. She helps women work through a wide variety of concerns, such as sexual trauma, patterns of choosing the wrong partners, dating issues, relationship stress and distress, relationship conflict, intimacy issues, low sexual desire, sexual aversion, dealing with differences in sexual desire in their relationship, and pain with sex. Ivy works with both single women and women in relationships. She supports women in challenging relationships with hope and tools to breathe new life into the relationships. Ivy is especially skillful at helping women develop a strong sense of autonomy and personal empowerment. She also has specialized knowledge of working with clients with a religious background, in which their faith plays an important role in their relationships. Other areas of work include attachment trauma, infertility, pregnancy loss, parenting issues, grief and bereavement, anxiety, depression, and stress. Ivy holds a certificate in Advanced Trauma Treatment from the prestigious Ferentz Institute. She completed an extensive certificate course in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She is a sought-after public speaker on issues of women's empowerment and building and maintaining healthy relationships. Ivy is licensed to practice in Maryland. She received her Master's Degree in Social Work from Yeshiva University , in New York. She received her Bachelor's Degree at University at Albany-State University of New York . She lives in Silver Spring with her husband and their four children.
Mara Yacobi
LSW, CSE
Mara is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and culturally sensitive environment for each client. Mara has over 15 years of experience in the field of sexuality. Mara’s goal is to empower each client with the knowledge and insight needed to help them build inner strength and attain personal growth. Her areas of expertise include: sexual/intimacy challenges, sexual anxiety, performance anxiety, stress, anxiety and depression, body image, low self-esteem, parenting concerns, pregnancy loss and infertility counseling, relationship issues, sexuality education and personal growth. She has worked with many clients overcome fear of intimacy, fear of penetration, vaginismus, performance anxiety, and general discomfort around all areas of sexuality. Mara utilizes a multi-dimensional approach to therapy, exploring each individual’s biological, psychological, social and spiritual self. By implementing this approach, Mara can evaluate each individual or couple to provide solution focused and insight oriented therapy. She also welcomes collaboration with psychiatrists, primary care providers, and nutritionists to ensure comprehensive care. Mara started her career as a Sexuality Educator and has also delivered trainings and keynote speeches at local and national conferences all over the country on a wide range of topics including healthy relationships, affirmative consent, STI and pregnancy prevention, and how to talk to children about sex(uality). Mara is licensed to practice in New Jersey under Denise Ardito, LCSW and is under sex therapy supervision by Mieke Rivka Sidorsky, LCSW-C. Mara received her MSW from New York University in 2006, a Bachelors from Simmons College and Certificate in Sexuality Education from Planned Parenthood University. As a mother of four, Mara has both personal and professional experience with managing the everyday challenges of parenting and balancing family with work.
Lisa Karasik
Intake Coordinator, RN
Lisa is a registered nurse with a background in quality and patient safety. She most recently worked as a Nurse Navigator in a healthtech company focused on reducing pharmaceutical costs. Prior to this, she served as a Patient Safety Specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital where she handled adverse safety events. Lisa also worked for an EHR company, contributing to the development of regulatory workflows. Her nursing background includes positions in an outpatient neurology clinic and a cardiac surgery ICU. Lisa holds a Master of Public Health with a focus in Health Systems Administration from the University of Haifa and a certificate in Quality and Patient Safety from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. She obtained her BSN from Columbia University and her BA in Neuroscience from Queens College.