Meet the practitioners

  • Nina Schmidbaur

    Owner, Somatic and Play Therapist

    Nina Schmidbaur, LCSW is the owner of Clovelea and a somatic play therapist.

    (She/her)

    Nina is a somatically trained therapist and owner of this healing collective. She provides psychotherapy to children and adults through an attachment lens. She has spent the past 15 years working in inner-city public schools, with children in anti-violence programs and in Residential Treatment, home, homeless shelters in India and America, and UNICEF’s Child Protection department. The focus of her work includes individual and family therapy, community outreach, and providing psycho-education to organizations and schools. She has conducted research on attachment and started outpatient mental health clinics. She also provides trainings to organizations and schools and lectures on art, somatic, and play therapy.

    She servers her community as the co-president of the Hudson Valley Guild of Mental Health Professionals, Vice President of the Saugerties Public Library, and Chair of the Saugerties Arts Commission.

  • Acupuncture

    Dr. Rory Crouse, L.AC DACM

    Dr. Rory applies a holistic approach to patient care. He treats whole body pain and discomfort using Acupuncture and cupping - he has extensive experience helping patients get relief from lower back, neck, shoulder, and sciatic pain as well as muscle tightness and headaches. Rory also treats mental/emotional conditions including anxiety and depression. He often supplements his treatments with a combination of meditation, nutritional advice, traditional herbal medicine, and stretching exercises to correct underlying imbalances. Through a well-rounded approach combining pragmatic research with traditional east Asian medical theory, Dr. Rory is committed to helping patients reach long term relief and optimal health.

  • Acupuncture - Women's Health + Fertility

    Megan Crouse, L.AC MSTOM

    Megan is a New York state licensed Acupuncturist who earned her Bachelor’s degree in Medical Anthropology from Ithaca College and Master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. Megan’s passion is in treating women’s health. She specializes in helping women with their unique fertility journeys and supporting them through all stages of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She has had the pleasure of helping couples conceive children naturally, as well as provided complementary support alongside western interventions such as IVF and IUI. Megan also treats gynecological conditions, menstrual irregularities, and symptoms of menopause. She designs a unique treatment plan for each patient using a variety of healing modalities including acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, moxibustion, and cupping. Megan is dedicated to helping others feel well and to being of service to the Saugerties community.

  • Shannon Cruz-Herr

    Psychotherapist

    Shannon Cruz-Herr, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst.

    (she/her)

    Shannon Cruz-Herr, LCSW is a Psychotherapist and psychoanalyst. She works with both individuals and couples. She has an expertise in anxiety, relationships, and questions surrounding gender and sexuality. With a background in yoga and the arts, Shannon focuses on the mind-body connection and works with clients who may be experiencing a disconnect between their mind and body.

  • Danielle Powell

    Somatic Postpartum, Adult, and Child Therapist

    Danielle Powell, LCSW-R, PMH-C works with children and parents.

    Danielle offers individual and family therapy for postpartum folks, new parents, and children in their first five years of life. Danielle's practice is attachment-focused and rooted in overcoming past trauma, anxiety, depression, or the myriad of other experiences that can manifest during these transitional times of life. With a background in Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, and Play Therapy, we develop a plan together to help you develop the connection and reflection needed to increase your sense of well-being and relationships.

  • Diane Zeitlin

    Child Therapist

    Diane Zeitlin, LCSW

    For nearly 20 years Diane has worked with children in both private practice and in a school for children with special needs. While encouraging each child’s unique strengths, she helps work through such struggles as feelings of insecurity, managing anger, developing self-confidence, and navigating relationships with family, friends, and teachers. She aims to provide an atmosphere of warmth, attunement, and empathy. Building a trusting alliance is always her first step. She also collaborates closely with parents in order to exchange information and insights, provide parenting tips, and think together about their child's social/emotional goals and needs.

  • Sandy Silverman

    Psychotherapist

    Sandy Silverman, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst.

    Her work is informed by her training in relational psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, couples therapy and somatic experiencing. She has helped people struggling with anxiety, depression, family and relationship difficulties. She has extensive experience working with complex trauma, dissociation and loss. Many of her clients are members of the LGBTQ community.

  • Nick Kamen, LMSW

    Saugerties Therapy Center

    Nick Kamen, LMSW

    He has dedicated himself to the mental health field, recognizing therapy as a pathway for building connections, empowerment, and personal exploration. Through a warm and collaborative approach, Nick creates an environment where clients feel empowered to freely express themselves and navigate complex emotions. His expertise covers addressing concerns like anxiety, substance use, depression, low self-esteem, relationship challenges, and trauma. Nick completed his education at NYU Silver School of Social Work in 2018. He is currently being supervised by Nina Schmidbaur, LCSW.

  • Nataliya Sannikova, Mental Health Counseling Intern

    Saugerties Therapy Center Intern

    Nataliya Sannikova, Mental Health Counseling Intern

    Her work is rooted in a commitment to listening, empathy, learning, and guiding my clients through their experiences and emotions. She believes it is important to understand the intersectionality of each client – our identities and backgrounds shape who we are and should be considered and supported in a therapeutic setting.

    Her practice is LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent affirming. She looks at the neurodivergent diagnosis and any other disability as being part of various human experiences. She is passionate about finding ways of advocating against the stigma in life and research around such diagnoses of Autism, ADHD, and AuDHD. Nat is supervised by Nina Schmidbaur, LCSW at the Saugerties Therapy Center.

    FOCUS: Individuals, children & teens, couples, and groups.

    EXPERTISE: ADHD, Autism, and Relationships (including Consensual/Ethical Non-Monogamy).

  • Saugerties Therapy Center

    Benji Marx, Music Therapist

    He is a board-certified music therapist deeply committed to harnessing the transcendent power of music, combined with verbal processing, to assist children and adults in navigating life’s challenges and cultivating more fulfilling lives.

    Benji specializes in creative arts therapy, where he is dedicated to helping individuals express their internal emotional world through music, fostering self-understanding and the processing of challenging emotions. He firmly believes that self-expression, creativity, and self-compassion are the cornerstones of a healthy life outlook.

    His approach combines evidence-based techniques with a compassionate and non- judgmental environment to promote growth and healing. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of working with diverse populations, addressing a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and trauma. Benji has found creative arts therapy to have particularly positive results with children, individuals with autism, and clients with developmental disorders.

    FOCUS: Children & Adolescents, Adults, and families.

    EXPERTISE: Neurodiversity, Developmental Disorders, Anxiety, Depression.

  • Samantha Bennahum, LCSW

    Psychotherapist

    Samantha Bennahum, LCSW works with adult individuals and couples.

    Samantha specializes in working with people who have received a life changing diagnosis. Depression and anxiety surrounding infertility, chronic illness, and aging are among the challenges many of her clients seek to overcome in therapy. Her expertise was developed working with people requiring organ transplants, experiencing her own fertility challenges, and helping individuals and couples as they navigate their journey with assisted reproductive technology. Samantha provides a compassionate and safe space to help people grieve losses, free of judgment or assumptions, explore new possibilities, and develop a renewed sense of self.

    Samantha received her Master's in Social Work from Fordham University and completed post-graduate training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, palliative care, substance use, and fertility. She is a Certified Fertility Mental Health provider.