Background
Academic
New York University - BS in Music Therapy; Columbia University - MSW in Social Work; Hunter School of Social Work- Post Masters Certificate in Family and Marital Therapy
Work Experience
New York University - BS in Music Therapy; Columbia University - MSW in Social Work; Hunter School of Social Work- Post Masters Certificate in Family and Marital Therapy
Work Experience
- Faculty Member, International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation
- Adjunct Professor, New York University School of Social Work at Sarah Lawrence College
- Adjunct Professor, St. Thomas Aquinas College
- CBT, PTSD Research Clinician, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Weill
- Senior Staff - Workplace Services, New York Presbyterian Hospital - Westchester Division
- Senior Staff - Program Development and Coordinator, Inpatient Eating Disorders Unit - Holliswood Hospital
- Program Coordinator - Eating Disorders Program, Outpatient Child and Adolescent Department - North Shore University Hospital
- Family Therapist, Inpatient Unit - The New York Presbyterian Hospital - Payne Whitney
Professional Areas of Concentration
Eating Disorders
Former Coordinator of the Outpatient Eating Disorders Program at North Shore University Hospital (now NSLIJ) in Long Island, NY as well as the Inpatient Eating Disorders Program at Holliswood Hospital in Queens, NY, Deborah Cohen has been treating people with eating disorders for over 25 years. At NSUH, she was in charge of intake evaluations and through listening to patients' experiences as well as her own study with prominent researchers in the eating disorders field, Ms. Cohen came to have an in-depth knowledge of how eating disorders work and what methods are helpful for treatment.
She was then hired for her expertise in eating disorders at Holliswood Hospital in Queens to help set up an inpatient eating disorders unit. In that capacity she gave lectures to the staff and consulted on patients, ran inpatient eating disorder groups and developed a ten week course for outside professionals on eating disorders. Having had the opportunity to treat patients on an inpatient and outpatient basis has allowed Ms. Cohen to see a wide range of difficulties and further refine her treatment methods.
Ms. Cohen is a member of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), former board member and Vice President of the Long Island chapter of NEDA.
Family and Marital Therapy
Ms. Cohen began her career as an inpatient social worker at Payne Whitney where she functioned as a family therapist and supervised residents in family therapy. After completing a three year post-masters training program in family and marital therapy, Ms Cohen then taught family and marital therapy at the North Shore University Hospital Child and Adolescent Department for four years. She has worked with families and couples her entire career, both in the context of eating disorders, divorce, parenting problems and marital conflict.
Sexual Abuse and Dissociative Identity Disorder
While working at Holliswood Hospital on the eating disorder unit, it was noticed that a number of patients remembered traumatic events as their eating disorder symptoms were being brought under control from the inpatient treatment. For some patients, sexual and physical abuse was extraordinarily severe and begin at an early age. Some of these patients had developed what was then called Multiple Personality Disorder and is now called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). It was at this time, Ms. Cohen began her study of trauma.
Since that time, the field of sexual abuse, trauma and dissociative disorders has blossomed and a tremendous amount has been learned. The good news is there is much more media coverage, abusers are being prosecuted and many more individuals are willing to come forward to get help for their difficulties instead of blaming themselves. However, it is often still quite difficult for someone to acknowledge their own abuse and begin dealing with the effects it has had on them. Often individuals don't know how to manage their own feelings and are either flooded with feelings or unable to feel. Shame is frequently a barrier to treatment. An important therapeutic function is helping someone who has had abuse experiences to regulate their emotions and provide stability while beginning to explore issues at whatever pace is right for that particular client.
Many people who have DID come into treatment for other difficulties and are not aware they have DID. Others have become aware of it and either have not received proper treatment or are just getting into treatment. Having a therapist who is well versed in treatment of this diagnosis is important.
Faculty Member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. (ISSTD)
Trauma, Anxiety and Phobias
Living in a suburb of New York City, the 9/11 Trade Tower explosions hit all New Yorkers very hard. Luckily Ms. Cohen did not know anyone who was killed in the explosion, although she knew people who lost a loved one. Ms Cohen volunteered in the initial days after 9/11, helping family members who had a loved one in one of the towers. Through knowing Dr. Joanne Difede, who is a prominent researcher of trauma, she became involved as a research clinician for a cognitive-behavioral protocol for utility workers who were first responders to the 9/11 Trade Tower explosion and who consequently developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Having to comply with the rigors of a specific protocol allowed Ms. Cohen to learn some very specific skills in helping people manage anxiety.
Supervision and Teaching
Presently on the faculty at the International Society of Trauma and Dissociation and teaching courses in trauma and dissociation, Ms. Cohen has been supervising and teaching her entire career.She began her first job as a social worker at Payne-Whitney Clinic supervising psychiatric residents in treating families of hospitalized patients. While working at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH), she supervised residents, psychology and social interns in eating disorders treatment and family therapy and co-taught a course on family therapy for the child and adolescent department. She taught a marital therapy course for the inpatient psychiatric unit staff at NSUH and supervised and trained staff at Holliswood Hospital in eating disorders treatment.
Ms Cohen developed a ten week course on eating disorders at Holliswood Hospital, taught a course in cognitive behavioral treatment for New York University School of Social Work at Sarah Lawrence College and a course on recreational therapy at St. Thomas Aquinas College. She also regularly supervises professionals in private practice.
Working with people in the arts
A musician herself, Ms. Cohen has an understanding of the artistic process and how that relates to psychotherapy. She plays bass, guitar and sings in a band which plays rhythm and blues, country and blues. She earned a BS in Music Therapy at NYU.
Former Coordinator of the Outpatient Eating Disorders Program at North Shore University Hospital (now NSLIJ) in Long Island, NY as well as the Inpatient Eating Disorders Program at Holliswood Hospital in Queens, NY, Deborah Cohen has been treating people with eating disorders for over 25 years. At NSUH, she was in charge of intake evaluations and through listening to patients' experiences as well as her own study with prominent researchers in the eating disorders field, Ms. Cohen came to have an in-depth knowledge of how eating disorders work and what methods are helpful for treatment.
She was then hired for her expertise in eating disorders at Holliswood Hospital in Queens to help set up an inpatient eating disorders unit. In that capacity she gave lectures to the staff and consulted on patients, ran inpatient eating disorder groups and developed a ten week course for outside professionals on eating disorders. Having had the opportunity to treat patients on an inpatient and outpatient basis has allowed Ms. Cohen to see a wide range of difficulties and further refine her treatment methods.
Ms. Cohen is a member of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), former board member and Vice President of the Long Island chapter of NEDA.
Family and Marital Therapy
Ms. Cohen began her career as an inpatient social worker at Payne Whitney where she functioned as a family therapist and supervised residents in family therapy. After completing a three year post-masters training program in family and marital therapy, Ms Cohen then taught family and marital therapy at the North Shore University Hospital Child and Adolescent Department for four years. She has worked with families and couples her entire career, both in the context of eating disorders, divorce, parenting problems and marital conflict.
Sexual Abuse and Dissociative Identity Disorder
While working at Holliswood Hospital on the eating disorder unit, it was noticed that a number of patients remembered traumatic events as their eating disorder symptoms were being brought under control from the inpatient treatment. For some patients, sexual and physical abuse was extraordinarily severe and begin at an early age. Some of these patients had developed what was then called Multiple Personality Disorder and is now called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). It was at this time, Ms. Cohen began her study of trauma.
Since that time, the field of sexual abuse, trauma and dissociative disorders has blossomed and a tremendous amount has been learned. The good news is there is much more media coverage, abusers are being prosecuted and many more individuals are willing to come forward to get help for their difficulties instead of blaming themselves. However, it is often still quite difficult for someone to acknowledge their own abuse and begin dealing with the effects it has had on them. Often individuals don't know how to manage their own feelings and are either flooded with feelings or unable to feel. Shame is frequently a barrier to treatment. An important therapeutic function is helping someone who has had abuse experiences to regulate their emotions and provide stability while beginning to explore issues at whatever pace is right for that particular client.
Many people who have DID come into treatment for other difficulties and are not aware they have DID. Others have become aware of it and either have not received proper treatment or are just getting into treatment. Having a therapist who is well versed in treatment of this diagnosis is important.
Faculty Member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. (ISSTD)
Trauma, Anxiety and Phobias
Living in a suburb of New York City, the 9/11 Trade Tower explosions hit all New Yorkers very hard. Luckily Ms. Cohen did not know anyone who was killed in the explosion, although she knew people who lost a loved one. Ms Cohen volunteered in the initial days after 9/11, helping family members who had a loved one in one of the towers. Through knowing Dr. Joanne Difede, who is a prominent researcher of trauma, she became involved as a research clinician for a cognitive-behavioral protocol for utility workers who were first responders to the 9/11 Trade Tower explosion and who consequently developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Having to comply with the rigors of a specific protocol allowed Ms. Cohen to learn some very specific skills in helping people manage anxiety.
Supervision and Teaching
Presently on the faculty at the International Society of Trauma and Dissociation and teaching courses in trauma and dissociation, Ms. Cohen has been supervising and teaching her entire career.She began her first job as a social worker at Payne-Whitney Clinic supervising psychiatric residents in treating families of hospitalized patients. While working at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH), she supervised residents, psychology and social interns in eating disorders treatment and family therapy and co-taught a course on family therapy for the child and adolescent department. She taught a marital therapy course for the inpatient psychiatric unit staff at NSUH and supervised and trained staff at Holliswood Hospital in eating disorders treatment.
Ms Cohen developed a ten week course on eating disorders at Holliswood Hospital, taught a course in cognitive behavioral treatment for New York University School of Social Work at Sarah Lawrence College and a course on recreational therapy at St. Thomas Aquinas College. She also regularly supervises professionals in private practice.
Working with people in the arts
A musician herself, Ms. Cohen has an understanding of the artistic process and how that relates to psychotherapy. She plays bass, guitar and sings in a band which plays rhythm and blues, country and blues. She earned a BS in Music Therapy at NYU.