Staff

Jose A. Yaryura-Tobias, M.D.

Director Emeritus

Dr. Yaryura-Tobias is a biological psychiatrist and an internist with over 40 years experience in addition to being a writer and a poet. He has pioneered research in the dopamine theory of schizophrenia and the biological theory of obsessive compulsive disorder. He is authored and co-authored many books. He has presented and-or published over 270 scientific papers and book chapters. Dr. Yaryura-Tobias received his medical degree at the National University of Buenos Aires. He completed internships in Argentina, Canada and the U.S., originally specializing in internal medicine and later in biological psychiatry. He is a professor of psychiatry at New York University. He is a member of numerous national and international societies, and a founding member of the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine, the Argentine Society of Biological Psychiatry and the World Federation of Biological Psychiatry.

Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D., A.B.B.P., A.B.P.P.

Director

Dr. Neziroglu is a board certified behavior and cognitive psychologist. She received her Ph.D. in clinical, school-community psychology from Hofstra University and completed her post-graduate work in behavior and cognitive therapy at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is Board Certified in Cognitive and Behavior Therapy from the American Board of Behavioral Psychology (ABBP) and in Clinical Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). She is a Board Member and a Fellow of ABBP's Academy. She is also a member of many national and international societies and is on the Scientific Advisory Board of the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation. Dr. Neziroglu is Full Professor at Hofstra University, Department of Psychology and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at New York University.

Dr. Neziroglu has presented and published over 100 papers in scientific journals, including the American Journal of Psychiatry, Behaviour Research and Therapy, and the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. Additionally, she is the author and co-author of fourteen books on obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders.

Dr. Neziroglu is the co-founder and clinical director of the Bio Behavioral Institute in Great Neck, New York. At the Bio Behavioral Institute, she provides direct services, supervises all assistant psychologists and psychology interns, sponsors many doctoral dissertations, and conducts research.

Contact: neziroglu@biobehavioralinstitute.com

Sony Khemlani-Patel, Ph.D.

Psychologist/Executive Director

Sony Khemlani-Patel, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment and research of obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders. In addition to providing direct clinical care, Dr. Khemlani also supervises psychology interns and participates in various research projects. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical/School psychology from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. She has presented and published extensively on body dysmorphic disorder and also has publications on obsessive compulsive disorder and self injurious behavior. She has co-authored the book, "When Your Child Is Cutting."

Matthew Jacofsky, Psy.D.

Psychologist/Administrator

Matthew Jacofsky, PsyD. is a licensed psychologist specializing in the treatment of obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. He has presented and published on a range of topics including body dysmorphic disorder, refractory obsessive compulsive disorder, and self-injurious skin picking. He is also an assistant adjunct professor at St. John's University where he supervises and instructs students providing psychological services to various clinical populations.

Contact: jacofsky@biobehavioralinstitute.com

Matthew Lippman, Ph.D.

Psychologist

Matthew Lippman, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist specializing in the cognitive behavioral and exposure treatment of obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders as well as mood and thought disorders. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Dr. Lippman also has vast experience in the treatment of geriatrics and the serious and persistently mentally ill, specializing in the development and implementation of contingency management programs. He also provides clinical supervision to psychology interns at the Institute.

Alicia Slavis, Psy.D.

Psychologist

Dr. Slavis is a licensed psychologist specializing in cognitive-behavioral therapy. After receiving her B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, she went on to obtain an M.S. and Psy.D. at Baylor University in Texas. Further training was completed at the St. Louis Internship Consortium in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by a two year postdoctoral fellowship in the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Department at New York Presbyterian Hospital in White Plains, NY. Dr. Slavis also serves as the consulting psychologist for the Circle of Life Camp, Inc., a camp for children with juvenile diabetes in upstate New York. In addition, she holds a voluntary faculty position at Long Island Jewish Hospital- North Shore. Special interests include child and adolescent therapy, anxiety disorders, social skills groups, and pediatric health psychology.

Contact: slavis@biobehavioralinstitute.com

Keith Woythaler, Ph.D.

Psychologist

Keith Woythaler, Ph.D., is a licensed cognitive-behavioral psychologist specializing in treating children and adults suffering from anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, and mood disorders. Research interests include the treatment of anxiety disorders and the role of modern technologies (i.e., Virtual Reality) in the provision and efficacy of treatment. Dr. Woythaler received his doctorate in clinical and school psychology from Hofstra University.

Contact: woythaler@biobehavioralinstitute.com

Melanie Santos, Psy.D.

Psychologist

Melanie Santos, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist specializing in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, and mood disorders. She has extensive training in body image disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder and binge eating. In addition to providing direct clinical care, Dr. Santos is involved in various research projects at Bio-Behavioral. Dr. Santos received her doctoral degree from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology and received further training in clinical and health psychology at Geisinger Medical Center.

Contact: santos@biobehavioralinstitute.com

Jill C. Slavin Mashaal, PhD.

Psychologist

Dr. Slavin Mashaal is a licensed psychologist at the Bio-Behavioral Institute in Great Neck, New York. She specializes in cognitive behavior therapy of anxiety and mood disorders with a specific focus on obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders. Dr. Slavin received her masters and doctoral degree in clinical and school psychology with distinction from Hofstra University. Her doctoral dissertation involved implementation of a novel visual learning social skills intervention on youth with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Dr. Slavin provides individual treatment to a wide variety of diagnoses, leads group therapy and social skills training sessions, and is involved in ongoing research on OCD, hoarding, autism, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Slavin is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association for Cognitive and Behavior Therapies (ABCT), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and has presented her professional work at several national conventions.

Katharine Donnelly, PhD.

Psychologist / Behavior Therapist

Katharine Donnelly earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Hofstra University. Her areas of interest include acceptance-oriented therapies and obsessive-compulsive spectrum behaviors. She is the co-author of the book "Overcoming Depersonalization Disorder: A Mindfulness and Acceptance Guide to Conquering Feelings of Numbness and Unreality."

Susan Soll

Office Manager/Intake Coordinator

Susan Soll is Bio Behavioral's office manager and intake coordinator. She can be contacted regarding new appointments, financial questions, and insurance matters.

Contact: susan@biobehavioralinstitute.com

Beth Forhman, L.C.S.W., D.S.W.

Director of Marital & Family Therapy

Beth Forhman, L.C.S.W., D.S.W., is the Director of Family Therapy at Bio-Behavioral Institute. Dr. Forhman has been in private practice in Smithtown and Great Neck for 31 years. She has been an Adjunct Professor at Adelphi University for twenty six years, teaching in the M.S.W. and D.S.W. Programs. Dr. Forhman received her B.S.W., M.S.W., and D.S.W. degrees from Adelphi University. She has trained with Betty Carter, A.C.S.W., at the Family Institute of Westchester, and Jay Haley and Cloe Madanes at the Family Institute of Washington, D.C. She is an experienced clinician, teacher and supervisor who is well-versed in Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy and Bowen Family Systems Therapy, among other varied approaches to family and couple treatment.

Philip M. Ninan, M.D.

Psychiatrist

Philip Ninan, M.D. is a psychiatrist who has been affiliated with the Institute since 1981. After receiving his medical degree from The Christian Medical College, Vellore India University of Madras, he completed his Internship, Residency, and Fellowship in Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry in the U.S. He is on the Attending Staff at Winthrop University Hospital/Consultation Lisison Service, Department of Psychiatry in Mineola, NY and at North Shore University Hospital Manhasset, NY where he supervises 2nd year Psychiatry Residents. Dr. Ninan treats the full range of psychiatric disorders based on the biopsychosocial model. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).