PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Jessica LePera, LMFTA

Jessica LePera is the Program Director at Center for Discovery- Southport ED OP and has been with Discovery since 2017.  Within Discovery’s Eating Disorder Programs, Jessica started her experience working as a Counselor III at the Adolescent RTC Facility in Southport, CT. Jessica continued by joining Greenwich IOP/PHP as a Program Therapist and became the Path to Peace lead due to her joy of working with the Binge Eating Disorder population. Jessica moved to the New Haven OP facility as Program Director before transitioning to Southport OP.

Jessica received her Bachelors degree from Southern Connecticut State University in Psychology, minoring in Forensics. She then continued her education at SCSU by gaining a Masters Degree in Marital and Family Therapy as well as certifications in Gestalt Therapy and Evidenced Based Practices. Jessica’s interest in trauma work influenced her to receive EMDR basic training and is continuing to work towards hours for certification. She has worked with both children and adults providing individual, family and group therapy while using a systemic lens.

Jessica has a passion for using theory in therapy that decreases anxiety, while increasing self- esteem and overall self-worth. Jessica’s goal within therapy is to bring the awareness of the clients inner strengths into their journey of recovery.

INTERIM ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Sara Jalbert, LPCA

Sara Jalbert is Interim Assistant Program Director at Center For Discovery, Southport Outpatient. Sara joined the Discovery team in 2017 and was previously a Program Therapist within Center for Discovery Eating Disorder Program. Sara has been with the Center for Discovery for 2 years. Sara attended the University of Saint Joseph where she earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. As a Master’s student, Sara received two rewards for Outstanding Research and Clinical Practice from her University, as well as Graduate Student of the Year from the Connecticut Counseling Association. Sara has conducted extensive research on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and domestic violence has presented at several conferences and has published her research on working with clients who have experienced trauma. Sara continues her journey as a Doctor of Psychology student at Antioch University of New England.

Sara has experience providing individual, group, family, and couples counseling in residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient settings. Sara practices trauma-informed therapy and have guided many clients to recovery through issues including mood disorders, eating disorders, trauma, grief and loss, addiction and more. Sara has extensive experience in conducting dialectical behavior therapy in individual and group settings.

Sara believes that a client is the expert on his or her own story; and utilizes integrative therapeutic techniques including narrative, body-focused, and cognitive behavioral therapies. Sara seeks to guide each client to better understand and rewrite their story on their journey to recovery.

Registered Dietitian

Rachael Utstein, MS, RD, CD-N

Rachael is a Registered Dietitian at Center for Discovery Southport Outpatient and Center for Discovery Greenwich. Prior to studying nutrition, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Education from Binghamton University. After completing her undergraduate degree, Rachael decided to combine her passion for education with her passion for nutrition and went back to school to study dietetics. She received a master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from D’Youville College in 2018. Through her dietetic internship, Rachael gained experience working in a variety of different inpatient, outpatient, and community settings. Rachael practices with a non-diet, weight inclusive approach and firmly believes in the nutrition philosophy “all foods fit”. She is excited for the opportunity guide others in rejecting the diet mentality and developing a positive relationship with food.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Jacquelyn Bucci, MS, RD

Jacquelyn Bucci is a Registered Dietitian at Center For Discovery Eating Disorder Program in Southport Outpatient.  In 2014, Jacquelyn obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the College of Charleston in South Carolina.  After completing her undergraduate degree, Jacquelyn discovered that she wanted to pair her strong science foundation with her love of nutrition.  In 2015, Jacquelyn enrolled in the Master of Science program in Nutrition at the City University of New York – Hunter College to begin her journey to become a registered dietitian.  Upon completion of the degree, Jacquelyn was accepted to her dietetic internship in 2017 through the University of New Haven, where she received fieldwork training and supervision by registered dietitians in various settings including inpatient acute care, residential eating disorder treatment, outpatient mental health/substance abuse, and community nutrition.  Jacquelyn has a strong passion for providing nutrition education and guidance to individuals to help them form a positive relationship with food, rejecting the diet mentality and understanding that all foods fit. Jacquelyn is excited to bring her previous work experience and training to Center for Discovery to further strengthen what she has worked on and help clients on their journey in recovery.

PRIMARY THERAPIST

Agnieszka Sikorska, LMFTA

Agnieszka Sikorska is a Marriage & Family Therapist who earned her master’s degree from the Marriage & Family Therapy Program at Southern Connecticut State University. She also earned a master’s degree in Pedagogy of Early Education at University of Warmia and Mazury in Poland where she was born and raised. Agnieszka is bilingual, and bicultural, which allows her to relate to themes of acculturation, immigration and broad spectrums of diversity. Agnieszka has worked therapeutically with children, adolescents, and adults in individual, family, couple and group settings. She provided guidance and professional support for treatment of depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, Adjustment Disorder, as well as took part in the treatment of loss, adjusting to life changes, relational difficulties, and family struggles related to addiction.

Agnieszka grounds her therapeutic work in supporting a person’s inherent strive to change and grow, as well as in potential to heal and adapt. Her relational approach to treatment is based on a person’s intra and interconnections, their improvement, and stabilization, their strengths, and interdependence. Finally, Agnieszka strives to be attentive to the wholesome sense of personhood in aspects of spirituality, emotionality, physicality, and intellectuality.

PROGRAM THERAPIST

Rikkia Ben Yehudah, MA, EAT, LPC

Rikkia is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Expressive Arts Therapist with over 17 years of experience in the mental health field counseling youth and families. She earned her Master of Arts Degree in Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. She has worked in both nonprofit and private sector with jobs ranging from Adventure Specialist, to her 6 years working with Young Adults in DMHAS funded programs as a Clinical Director and now her clinical work as a therapist with youth and young adults. Rikkia has a proven passion for youth, young adults and families and looks forward to continuing to work in the New Haven area. She is trained in Risking Connections Trauma-Informed Care as well as the ARC model. She continues working towards a certification as an Adoption Competent Therapist through UConn Adoption Assistance Program. She is passionate about creating safe, supportive, and respectful spaces that meet clients where they are and allow them to move forward in understanding and strength to make meaningful and intentional healing changes in their lives. She incorporates creative arts experiential and bodywork (movement and relaxation techniques) into her therapeutic practice to engage clients through self-awareness and understanding of mental health symptoms.

ART THERAPIST

Elizabeth M. Madden M.A.A.T., LPC

Elizabeth has attained her Master’s in art therapy as well as being a Licensed Professional Counselor. She has accrued over ten years of experience in the field of expressive art therapy and psychotherapy. Working with children, adolescents, and adults as well as families who are challenged by trauma, loss, PTSD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and addiction. She has worked in both in and outpatient programs, schools, and community centers. Elizabeth has established her own private practice with offices in Newtown, Westport, and Greenwich. She has always had a passion for art and believes it can be used as a means of initiating and facilitating the process of healing through the expression of images and symbols. It is also a unique and effective approach for offering an alternative means of communication.

FACILITY COORDINATOR

Toni Brown

Toni Brown has a passion for working with the children and adult population which is what bought her to Center for Discovery. She began her journey with Center for Discovery in one of our Connecticut’s Eating Disorder Facility as a counselor/on call facility manager she recently joined the Southport Outpatient facility to further her career as a Facility Coordinator.

Toni will continue to pursue her education in Business Management to receive her degree. Her long term goal is to work in Operations so she can continue to assist clients towards their recovery.

As the Facility Coordinator, Toni handles daily operations including administrative duties, research, clinical documentation, and customer service. Toni continues to strive to keep the adolescents and staff safe while keeping the facility a place they can call home.

In Toni’s free time, you can find her watching all of her favorite shows or playing her favorite card game Unstable Unicorns.

PSYCHIATRIST

Ronald A. Grant, M. Div., S.T.M., M.D., D. Min., LP

Ronald Grant Is the Medical Director and Psychiatric Consultant at Center For Discovery Eating Disorder Program’s Southport outpatient program and Fairfield residential program that specializes in treating adults, adolescents and their families impacted by eating disorders, substance abuse and other mental health issues. He earned his MD degree from Boston University School of Medicine and trained as a physician and psychiatrist at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and New York State Psychiatric Institute. Ronald is also a Psychoanalyst having graduated from the C. G. Jung Institute of New York where he is a member of the faculty, a supervising and training analyst, and a past president of the Institute’s Board of Directors. Having done his undergraduate work at Tufts University, he is also a three time graduate of Andover Newton Theological School with an M. Div., an S.T.M., and a D. Min. in Pastoral Counseling.

Ronald has over forty years of experience working in the above areas and has been a medical director and psychiatric consultant to schools, churches and several different counseling centers. He has also been a supervisor to psychologists, social workers, psychoanalysts, pastoral counselors and psychiatric nurse practitioners. He has several certifications and is a Lifetime Member of the American Psychiatric Association. Ronald has special interests in Eating Disorders, Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Trauma, Spirituality and Healing. He has private offices in Greenwich, Westport & Southbury Connecticut where he works with children, adolescents, adults, couples & families.

DIETETIC TECHNICIAN

Rebecca McCollum, BS

Rebecca McCollum is a Dietetic Technician at Center for Discovery Eating Disorder Programs in Greenwich and Fairfield. Rebecca received her first Bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Currently, she is completing her second Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and was accepted into the Human Nutrition Master’s program at the University of New Haven. She is working towards applying for a Dietetic Internship and becoming a Registered Dietitian with a focus in nutritional genomics.

Rebecca promotes positive mentalities about food, body image, and mental health. She is passionate about teaching and believes food can be used as a tool to prevent disease states. Her greatest passion is supporting and empowering clients to have healthy relationships with others, themselves, and food.

Clinical Intake Coordinator

Christine Sacane, LMSW

Christine is the Clinical Intake Coordinator at the Southport Adolescent PHP/IOP program. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and continued her education at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Work, earning her Master of Social Work degree. She is a Licensed Master of Social Work.
Christine has worked with children, adolescents, and adults in individual and family settings, utilizing a strengths-based and solution-focused approach in the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, OCD, autism-spectrum disorder, and behavioral and emotional issues. She is passionate about the importance of family support systems in a client’s treatment, and also finds that warmth and connection with her clients is essential in establishing a safe environment where healing can occur. Christine believes in collaboratively working with clients to strengthen self-esteem, empowerment and interpersonal relationships as a path to healing.

A lifelong dancer of a variety of dance forms such as ballet, contemporary, lyrical, and group tribal-style bellydance has enabled Christine to deeply understand the positive effects dance and movement can have on mental health and body positivity and acceptance.