FAIRFIELD EATING DISORDER PROGRAM

Samantha Bathija, MA, LPC

Samantha has been the Program Director since this program’s opening in 2014. She has dedicated her career to understanding eating disorders as a powerful window into the unconscious mind and a manifestation of unresolved pain and trauma. Samantha has been deeply invested in bringing this lens to the program with equal investment in cultivating joy and authenticity in each patient. This passion began at a young age and was further developed while working towards licensure at a time when eating disorders and addictions were treated predominantly through a behavioral and medical lens. Beyond all this, Samantha has witnessed so much magic within these patients who initiate the journey inward. It is as though life itself begins to respond and facilitate this beautiful thing called “healing.”

Simone Tartaglia, RD, CDN

Simone Tartaglia is a Registered Dietitian, licensed in the state of Connecticut. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics from the State University of New York, College at Oneonta and attended her dietetic internship through the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut.

It was through this internship that Ms. Tartaglia first became acquainted with Center for Discovery during a Community Nutrition rotation at Center for Discovery Eating Disorder Program’s adolescent program in Connecticut. Since then, Ms. Tartaglia has worked as a diet tech and counselor at Center for Discovery Eating Disorder Program. She is now the Dietitian at Center for Discovery Eating Disorder Program’s adult program in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Sondra Bogursky, MD

Dr. Sondra Bogursky graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and attended medical school at the Temple University School of Medicine. She completed a dual residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT.  She has continued on as faculty in the Yale Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program and has additional teaching roles at both the Yale Physician’s Associates Program and the St. Mary’s Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Dr. Bogursky is board-certified in both Pediatrics and Internal Medicine.  She joined the Center for Discovery team in April 2015 and functions as the Medical Director at the Fairfield adult location where she provides medical care in the treatment of eating disorders.

Dorcas Asamoah

Dorcas Asamoah is a CT and NY Licensed Registered Professional Nurse with master’s concentration in Public and Health Care Administration from Long Island University. She also earned numerous certifications which includes Gerontology and Long-Term Care Administration. Her career began more than nine years ago as a surgical nurse; her passion to help others allowed her to advance her career in diverse nursing fields. In addition to working in a hospital setting as a medical surgical nurse, she has experience in community nursing, visiting nursing, and long-term care. She started working for Center for Discovery in 2019 and is very committed to quality patient care. She loves working with women and enjoys being part of a team that is working together for the good of the patients.

Kateryna Melillo, LMFTA

Kateryna holds a master’s degree in social psychology and is a licensed marriage and family therapy associate. In 2007, she began her career as a school psychologist and expanded her work to private practice with people of all ages and backgrounds. Kateryna has extensive experience in couples and family therapy, and was trained in gestalt psychotherapy and systemic constellations. Her unique background, education and work experiences make her a compassionate professional that challenges patients while simultaneously creating a safe, warm and non-judgmental environment to explore and process their struggles. Kateryna is passionate about treating eating disorders as they mirror a person’s relationship to life and love and provide a window into unhealed trauma.

Angela Florio, LCSW

Angela Florio earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Trauma and Violence Studies and Alternative Forms of Therapy from New York University, and her Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University. During graduate school she interned at the Queen’s Family Court and Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, providing support for youth and families involved in the criminal justice system. Since graduating Angela has worked primarily with survivors of trauma in a variety of settings; such as in-home family therapy, an outpatient AIDS clinic, and a shelter for trafficked women in Peru. Angela was drawn to work with individuals struggling with eating disorders as she found that most of her clients, regardless of background, were attempting to repair a disconnect between mind and body. She began working with Center For Discovery in 2017 as a floater therapist for residential treatment facilities. She is excited to continue working with Center For Discovery, assisting clients to heal and develop safe relationships with their bodies, and to grow in their recovery.  Angela is trained in EMDR and is working towards full certification as an EMDR therapist.

Melissa Rizzitello, LCSW, LCADC

Melissa has been the On Call Program Therapist since 2017. She enjoys approaching therapeutic work by utilizing an eclectic style and ultimately basing her approach on noticing the individual in their environment. Melissa works collaboratively to identify her patient’s strengths, ideally discovering the skills within and helping the patient heal themselves in the process. She frequently utilizes family systems, exploring core beliefs and the nature of interpersonal relationships. Melissa loves integrating creative modalities such as art, music and psychodrama. She takes on a holistic approach and believes that in order to find healing, we need to nurture our full selves, including mind, body and soul.

Saer Smith

Saer is a licensed clinical social worker (LSWAIC) with a passion for eating disorder recovery. Saer has a bachelor’s in history from the University of South Florida and a master’s in social work from Smith College. Previously, they worked as a live-in house parent in an adult eating disorder residential. They also completed clinical internships with Veritas Collaborative’s adolescent inpatient eating disorders program and Tapestry’s adolescent eating disorder residential. They joined Center for Discovery Edmonds in November of 2020. Saer is passionate about helping teens and their families learn skills to challenge eating disorders and build towards recovery. Saer enjoys bringing honesty, openness and humor into the therapy room and encourages patients and families to have the hard conversations that move us forward.

In their personal life, Saer is more than a little obsessed with their cats and talks about them as much as others will allow. They also talk a lot about Alaska, their home away from Seattle. In their off-time, Saer provides diversity and inclusion training and consulting for organizations. Saer is passionate about developing programs that are inclusive to all.

Allyson Pisani

Allyson is an aspiring therapist and has received her bachelor’s degree in psychology with Summa Cum Laude accolades from Grand Canyon University. Currently, Allyson is working toward her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling, also from Grand Canyon University. She is passionate about working with patients with eating disorders as she has seen how eating disorders can cause a disconnect between the mind and body. She has witnessed how holistic approaches can influence treatment and recovery, and this is something that Center for Discovery prides itself on. Allyson started as an ED technician with Center for Discovery and is now the milieu manager. She oversees the environment of care for patients and ensures that the facility is safe and nurturing. Allyson strives daily to ensure that all patients feel accepted and welcomed in our facilities, ensuring all of their physical needs are met and that their environment is conducive to their recovery.