Alana Gross Kaminetsky

Dr. Alana Kaminetsky

Postdoctoral Fellow

akaminetsky@westchesteranxietytreatment.com

Alana Kaminetsky, Ph.D.

Dr. Alana Kaminetsky is a Postdoctoral Fellow specializing in the use of evidence-based treatments for anxiety and disruptive behavior disorders. Prior to receiving her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Hofstra University, she earned her bachelor’s degree from New York University, where she majored in psychology and minored in child and adolescent mental health. Dr. Kaminetsky provides a warm, empathetic, and collaborative therapeutic environment to instill hope and empower her patients to accomplish their goals.

Dr. Kaminetsky has provided a range of evidence-based therapeutic services and psychological assessments in many different treatment settings. Treating patients at numerous sites, including Hofstra’s Child and Parent Psychotherapy Services Clinic, the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CUCARD), Bellevue’s Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, and Westchester Jewish Community Services, has solidified her training in a wide array of treatment modalities.

Dr. Kaminetsky has received extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to treat children, adolescents, and adults with various anxiety disorders. She is a certified Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) therapist and has been trained in adapting PCIT to treat young children with anxiety, including those struggling with selective mutism. Dr. Kaminetsky has experience leading numerous groups, including social anxiety groups, parent management training for parents of children with ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders, and DBT skills groups. To optimize a child’s treatment, she often provides school consultations, teacher training, on-site classroom interventions, and instruction to camp counselors.

Dr. Kaminetsky’s research focuses on factors that impact treatment outcomes for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, with an emphasis on the role of parenting. She is a co-author on multiple posters at national conferences and is a member of several professional organizations, including the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and American Psychological Association.

  • Children
  • Adolescents
  • Adults
  • Individual
  • Groups
  • Parents

Education

New York University

Dr. Alana Kaminetsky received her B.A. in Psychology from New York University.

Hofstra University

Alana Kaminetsky earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Hofstra University.

Hofstra’s Child and Parent Psychotherapy Services Clinic

Dr. Kaminetsky has provided a range of evidence-based therapeutic services and psychological assessments in many different treatment settings, including Hofstra’s Child and Parent Psychotherapy Services Clinic.

Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CUCARD)

Dr. Kaminetsky has also worked at the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CUCARD).

Bellevue’s Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Unit

Dr. Kaminetsky worked at Bellevue’s Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.

Specialization

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems. Research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.

Anxiety Disorders

There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder and separation anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can cause people into try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms.

Evidence-Based Treatment

Evidence-Based Treatments (EBT) are based on scientific evidence. Psychologists and other mental health care professionals who use EBTs are dedicated to offering the best level of care available by constantly evaluating and comparing the effects of various treatments for a variety of children’s and adolescents’ mental health problems.

Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) can seriously impact a child’s daily life. Children with disruptive behavior disorders show ongoing patterns of uncooperative and defiant behavior. Their responses to authority figures range from indifference to hostility. Their behavior frequently impacts those around them, including teachers, peers, and family members.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a dyadic behavioral intervention for children (ages 2 – 7 years) and their parents or caregivers that focuses on decreasing externalizing child behavior problems (e.g., defiance, aggression), increasing child social skills and cooperation, and improving the parent-child attachment relationship.

Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. Inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. Some people with ADHD only have problems with one of the behaviors, while others have both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity.Most children have the combined type of ADHD.