Who we are

Lisa and Lara met in graduate school and continued their relationship while working at the New York Center for the Developing Child as therapists, developmental evaluators, and consultants. Realizing that they shared a similar commitment to children and families the two decided to open a practice together. They call it a collaborative to highlight the collaborative nature of children and parents working together, and the collaborative approach that shapes their work with families.

 

Lisa and Lara both hold master’s degrees in social work from Columbia School of Social Work and in early childhood general and special education from Bank Street College School of Education. Both are licensed clinical social workers, early childhood general and special educators, and each have extensive training as DIR/Floortime® clinicians.

 

Lisa and Lara have each worked with children and families in a range of settings including homes, schools, and community-based programs. They have created new programs, offered consulting to providers, and developed and implemented training for providers. Lisa and Lara have worked closely with the NYC Early Intervention Program, the Committee on Preschool Special Education, and other community-based programs.

 

Lisa Nadler, LCSW, MSEd

Lisa started her work in early childhood settings and community settings 15 years ago, teaching two- and three-year-old preschool classes and providing art workshops to children living in domestic violence shelters. In her role with the New York Center’s Early Childhood Mental Health Treatment and Consultation Program, she was a consultant to Head Start programs within the NYC area. She provided infant and early childhood mental health consultation to Head Start teachers and program directors, providing guidance, coaching, and teacher training in Carolyn Webster-Stratton’s evidence-based program The Incredible Years. Lisa was also a consultant to Harlem Children’s Zone Preventative Programs where she worked with and trained staff on topics of child development and engagement with young children. She also worked with families to provide developmental screenings and guidance for children birth to 5 years old at risk for learning and social-emotional challenges. Lisa's direct practice experience includes working with children from infancy to adolescence. She is a graduate of the William Alanson White Institute's Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy training program.

 

Lara Seligman, LCSW, MSEd

Lara’s work with children and families began in community-based settings – community centers, afterschool programs, and as an arts and crafts teacher, which led to work at a preschool where she fell in love with early childhood development. Born out of her interest in development across the life span, at the preschool she created an intergenerational program bringing together preschoolers and elders. In her role with the New York Center’s Early Childhood Mental Health Treatment and Consultation Program, she was a consultant to the Harlem Children’s Zone's Baby College where she provided developmental and mental health referrals and guidance to families, supported the Early Head Start Program, conducted trainings for staff, and provided ongoing collaboration with staff to heighten their social-emotional and developmental understanding. She also provided consultation to home childcare providers as part of an initiative to help providers identify and address trauma related to Super Storm Sandy, stressful life events, and other social-emotional challenges. As a consultant to Adelphi University’s Institute for Families, she developed curricula and taught a yearlong seminar series for home-based providers to help them fulfill coursework and continuing education applied towards a Child Development Associate Home Visitor Credential. Topics included child development, curriculum, parenting, and home visiting. Lara is currently an Adjunct Instructor at the Guttman Center for Early Care and Education at Bank Street College. 

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