Staff

Robert Udewitz, Ph.D.

Rob Udewitz has been helping clients for more than two decades applying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and biofeedback methods. He has been integrating these approaches treating a wide array of psychological pIMG_5451aroblems and in his work with peak performance training.

He serves as an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University Teachers College Clinical Psychology Program. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Fordham University.

He specializes in the treatment of anxiety and stress that has become an impediment to people’s lives. Rob believes that each person he works with possesses great strength and ability that they may utilize to help them overcome obstacles.

In his work with athletes and business professionals, Rob draws on his own research and athletic experience to help clients set and achieve goals for success. He serves as a consultant for the United States National Fencing Team and works with athletes in many sports competing at all levels. Himself a runner, Rob utilizes an integrated mind-body approach complemented by state of the art biofeedback equipment to help his clients transcend problems and reach their potential.

Rob served in the New York City public schools as a psychologist assessing and treating learning disabled and emotionally disordered children. He continues to consult with the public and private schools, applying behavioral approaches to improve the social and academic functioning of the children he treats. Rob is one of only a handful of psychologists trained in applying cognitive behavioral and biofeedback techniques in his work with children and adolescents.

Rob is a member of the American Psychological Association, The New York State Psychological Association, and The Association for Applied Biofeedback and Psychophysiology. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Hofstra University.

Jessica Masty, Ph.D.

Jessica Masty uses cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as mindfulness and biofeedback approaches to treat a variety of psychological problems in adults, adolescents, and children. She has extensive training and experience in the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, trauma, attention and behaviorMasty disorders, and general problems with emotion regulation and relationship effectiveness. She administers behavioral parent training, stress management training, and biofeedback training.

Jessica received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a Child & Family specialization from Fordham University. She received her M.A. in clinical psychology from Fordham University and her B.S. in psychology from Ohio State University. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical psychology internship at Westchester Jewish Community Services, where she worked in a community clinic doing individual therapy, leading dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills training groups and clinician workgroups, supervising psychology trainees, and teaching CBT mini-courses to other clinicians. She received specialized training in DBT, CBT for trauma and abuse, assessment and treatment of developmental disabilities, and psychoeducational testing. Jessica has also had clinical externship training on the inpatient unit at Brooklyn Children’s Center, on the ADHD service at the New York University Child Study Center, in the adult outpatient psychiatric clinic at Hillside-Zucker Hospital at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and at the Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research.

Jessica has published articles and chapters on pediatric psychopharmacology and research ethics related to pediatric oncology trials and adolescent research participation. She has also worked on family studies of schizophrenia. Jessica’s doctoral dissertation research explored the characteristics of the parent-child relationship in families with children who have been diagnosed with selective mutism.

Jessica has taught various psychology courses as an adjunct professor and teaching fellow at Fordham University. She taught graduate lab courses in personality assessment, in addition to teaching undergraduate courses in abnormal psychology, adolescent and adult development, research methods, and social psychology. She has given a variety of professional workshops on evidence-based treatments for anxiety, depression, insomnia, and PTSD.

Heidi F. Candell, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.

Heidi Candell treats clients at Behavior Therapy of New York (BTNY) in our midtown location as well as in Westchester County, New York. heidi She holds a Master’s degree in social work from New York University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University. She completed her clinical internship at Neheidiw York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in the treatment of patients with personality disorders, utilizing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).

Heidi has extensive training in using evidence-based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to treat clients with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, and other disorders.

Prior to joining the BTNY treatment team, Heidi worked in the Family Mental Health Clinic of Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) in The Treatment Center for Trauma and Abuse in lower Westchester. During that time, she was the team leader of the WJCS DBT program and provided comprehensive, one-on-one treatment.

Subsequently, Heidi became the Assistant Coordinator of DBT Services for all four of WJCS’ clinic locations, where she led the adult DBT skills group, developed the larger DBT program, and supervised fellow clinicians in the treatment. She was intensively trained in DBT by Behavioral Tech, LLC (Dr. Marsha Linehan’s organization that founded the DBT protocol), and utilizes mindfulness and emotion regulation to modulate behavior and improve overall well being.

Heidi is also a member of the New York State Society of Clinical Social Workers/Interpersonal Neurobiology specialty, National Association of Social Workers, Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the DBT global online consultation team.

Itzik Zur, Ph.D.

As an experienced Karate athlete and a soccer goalkeeper, I was drawn to learn more about the human dynamics that affect performance. I have extensive hands-on experience working with young athletes, top-notch athletes, and business clientele from a diversity of backgrounds, cultures, skill levels, and ages.

My Ph.D. research focused on studying how emotions are associated with athletic skill execution. I believe that educating people on how to be mindful of their emotions and how to manage and channel them during a peak performance environment is a critical factor in performance enhancement.

I implement a range of methods including emotional control strategies, performance profiling, visualization, performance development, bio-feedback training, attention control training, routine development, goal setting, assessments, and more.

I teach my clients to improve their mental strength and gain a quiet, non-judgmental mindset to maximize their potential. Overall, I have worked with roughly 100+ athletes, with many of them reporting a noticeable improvement in their performance, mental ability, and well-being.

In addition, I serve as an adjunct assistant professor at the Bronx Community College and Lehman College at the Department of Health and Physical Education.

I hope to have the opportunity to work with you.

Itzik (Isaac) Zur, Ph.D.

Melissa June, B.S. 

My name is Melissa June. I am the intern at Behavior Therapy of New York. I graduated from Villanova University in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology minor. During my time at Villanova, I was apart of the women’s track and field team. As a sprinter, I specialized in the 100 and 200 meter. My time as a student-athlete gave me a unique experience. As a collegiate athlete, I have seen first hand the stress that athletes endure struggling to balance academics, athletics, and a healthy mindset. I intend to pursue a career in Sports psychology to assist athletes in managing the internal and external stresses they may face.