Our Team

The clinical team at Forward Therapy Group comprises expert therapists who are passionate about helping others. We have a strong commitment to help you start moving FORWARD into the realm of personal growth and self-awareness. All of our therapists have different strengths and trainings in various therapeutic modalities. Let us assist in finding the right clinician for you.

  • Founder and CEO

    LCSW-R, CASAC

    Marissa Kaufman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor with more than a decade of experience and training in the treatment of mental health and substance abuse.

    Marissa uses an individualized approach in her practice, including various psychodynamic treatment modalities, to create a therapeutic environment with the best interests of the individual client in mind.

    Prior to starting her private practice nearly a decade ago, Marissa worked at the New York Center for Living, where she facilitated an intensive outpatient treatment program for adolescents, young adults and families. Prior to that, she trained and worked at Bridge Back to Life, where her passion for working with young adults began.

    Marissa strives to meet individuals where they are, and help them get where they want to be. Her treatment specialties include substance abuse, anxiety, depression, codependency, adult children of alcoholics, trauma, fertility issues and supervision. In addition, Marissa has extensive training in psychodrama and spent 8 years training with Tian Dayton. She has also completed her Level 1 Internal Family Systems (IFS) certification, which is a trauma informed therapeutic model.

  • Clinical Director

    LCSW, CASAC-T

    Francesca Paparone is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Credentialed Alcohol and Substance abuse counselor trainee. Francesca received her masters degree from Fordham University and throughout her career has held positions in residential, outpatient and private practice settings.

    Francesca has extensive clinical experience working with individuals struggling with substance abuse and mental health concerns. She also specializes in supporting loved ones of substance abusers and people experiencing life transitions and relationship concerns.

    Francesca has an eclectic style, utilizing solution focused and motivational enhancement therapies. Approaching each therapeutic relationship from a non-judgmental and supportive place, Francesca encourages clients to take ownership over their own stories. Francesca’s holistic style of therapy allows clients to better understand their own behaviors and patterns and to take the first steps on their journey of healing.

  • Senior Clinician

    LMSW


    Harrison Tract is a licensed social worker who joined the practice in 2022.

    Harrison is dedicated to providing a nonjudgmental, compassionate and warm space where clients can safely explore their internal experience, process thoughts and identify and address unhelpful patterns and behaviors that may be hindering their personal growth, overall happiness and recovery. Harrison holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Emory University in Atlanta, GA., and a master’s degree in social work from New York’s Fordham University. He has several years of experience leading group, individual, couple and family psychotherapy at well-respected substance use treatment centers in the New York metro area. Harrison has more than a decade of experience in 12-step recovery and meditation practices which he draws from in his work with clients.

    Harrison is warm, empathetic and curious and strives to work with clients through a strengths-based, person-centered lens. His compassionate and collaborative approach is grounded in the belief that his clients are the experts in their own lives and stories. He believes in the importance of building a strong therapeutic alliance with individuals and their families in order to best support overall recovery and growth. Harrison has dedicated his life to traveling the road of wellness and assisting anyone he can help along the way.

  • Senior Clinician

    LMSW

    AJ Parr is a Licensed Master Social Worker and a Certified Crisis Counselor. She received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from New York University and her BFA in Dance Performance from The Boston Conservatory.

    AJ began her career in addiction treatment, working in Sober Living residences throughout New York City, providing recovery support to the residents. Prior to joining Forward Therapy Group, she worked at the New York Center for Living, an addiction and co-occurring mental health treatment center for adolescents, young adults, and families where she offered individual and group therapy. She has also worked with survivors of interpersonal violence at the Crime Victims Treatment Center, providing individual and group, trauma-focused counseling.

    She is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and has experience providing Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP). AJ aims to create safety, openness, collaboration, and a secure base. She uses Psychodynamic and Relational approaches to her work while integrating the principles of Trauma-informed care. In her work with clients, she brings awareness and curiosity toward the impacts of childhood experiences and encourages the cultivation of genuine self-compassion and self-expression. Additionally, AJ specializes in working with artists, supporting clients while they navigate the challenges that come along with having a career in creative arts. She approaches her practice from an anti-oppressive perspective, with mindfulness of the ways oppression and privilege impact each individual client.

  • Senior Clinician

    LMSW, CASAC-T

    Daniel DeCotiis is a licensed social worker who is passionate about working with individuals hoping to improve their lives and confront their fears. Daniel has specialized his therapeutic approach to help people build confidence, gain insight, and develop life skills to manage their mental health and substance use concerns. Daniel has experience working with people of all walks of life and has built a name as someone who builds strong connections by creating a safe and welcoming clinical environment. Daniel has spent much of his career working with young people and adolescents and has created a style of therapy that is lighthearted and deeply rooted in compassion.

    Daniel is trained in Motivational Interviewing and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and believes in the importance of evidenced based treatment options for PTSD, anxiety, depression, bi polar disorder, and substance abuse. Daniel started his personal journey in recovery as a college freshman in 2009 and has dedicated his career to helping people find hope and meaning in their lives. He strives to help individuals clarify their thinking and develop tangible skills to move into the next chapter of their lives.

  • Clinical Supervisor

    LMFT

    Natalie is a Marriage and Family Therapist, licensed in New York and California. She helps clients to tap into their inherent wisdom, utilizing the nervous system for insight and as medium for change and healing. Natalie works with clients to address the lingering pains that bind them to the past, empowering them to embrace a life that feels genuine and aligned with their true selves.

    Natalie earned her Masters from Pepperdine University and pursued post-graduate training at the Ackerman Institute for the Family and The Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia. She is a Parnell Institute Attachment-Focused EMDR Level 1-3 Therapist, enhancing her expertise in trauma-focused therapy.

    With an extensive background in Substance Abuse and Eating Disorder treatment, Natalie brings diverse experience from intensive outpatient programs, program development for transitional livings in Manhattan, and almost a decade of private practice. Grounded in attachment research, a relational approach, and a deep respect for the body's intuition, her style is integrative and flexible. She acknowledges that the practice of holding space can take many forms and looks forward to meeting each client with curiosity and compassion.

  • LMSW

    Alex is a Licensed Master of Social Work with over eight years of experience working with clients, their families, and a variety of systems within the behavioral healthcare field. Most recently, Alex served as the Director of Client Services at Ascendant New York, a residential facility in Manhattan, where he played a key role in developing and overseeing their programs.

    Alex’s therapeutic approach is rooted in compassion and transparency. He is dedicated to holding space for his clients, meeting them where they are, while also holding them accountable as they work towards their goals. Believing that every client is the master of their story, Alex utilizes a person-centered narrative approach, incorporating Internal Family Systems (IFS) work to help clients highlight and explore specific parts of their stories. He views the process of self-improvement not as a punishment, but as an opportunity to build a life filled with joy and fulfillment. Alex aims to use this method as a way to empower individuals to create meaningful and lasting change in their lives.

  • LMSW, RYT

    Alana received her B.A. in Psychology and Public Health from Muhlenberg College and then went on to obtain her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University. Alana is a Licensed Social Worker, Substance Abuse Counselor and registered yoga instructor. She believes a foundational piece of recovery is developing appropriate individual, familial and structural support systems. Helping her clients to incorporate these central components into the recovery process is what drives Alana’s passion for the work she does.

    Alana has experience working with a variety of populations within the substance use and mental health field. She has worked for inpatient detox, rehab and intensive outpatient programs. 

    Alana believes it is crucial to establish goals and develop approaches to address emotional issues with her patients; reinforcing skills in coping and communication, improving self-esteem, promoting changes in behavior and striving for improved mental well-being. This collaborative process allows one to increase self-awareness, gain new perspectives, and increase personal strengths. Through her work, she fosters a safe space where clients gain insight into how their experiences have impacted them utilizing various therapeutic approaches.