As marriage and family therapists, our team is dedicated to serving the needs of individuals, couples, and families in NYC. Our team of highly-trained psychotherapists are available for guidance through whatever issues have led you to seek psychotherapy. Meredith Shirey Marriage & Family Therapy, PLLC is a private psychotherapy practice located in downtown Manhattan. The practice specializes in tr
eating issues from the context of couples therapy. Our clinicians treat couples who are married, dating, cohabitating, and those interested in premarital counseling. Some clinicians have specialized training in treating unique populations such as LGBT+ and military couples. Family therapy is offered by our clinicians who are specially licensed to practice marriage and family therapy. We not only treat traditional families, but also blended, LGBT, and military families. The practice specializes in relational therapy, but our work extends far beyond the setting of couples and families. Clinicians also treat individuals having difficulties in interpersonal relationships. These difficulties include dating, friendships, familial relationships, and working relationships. In addition to relationally-based issues, clinicians also treat mental health concerns using a variety of evidence-based practices tailored to the specific needs of the individual. Our clinicians are highly skilled in treating an array of issues including (but not limited to) anxiety, depression, traumatic events and PTSD, substance abuse and other addictive behaviors, bereavement and loss, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct and Oppositional Disorder, and other childhood-related disorders. See below for more information about each of our psychotherapists:
Meredith Shirey, MS, LMFT
Practice Director, Couples and Family Specialist
Areas of Speciality: Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy, Attachment-based and Insight-oriented Individual Psychotherapy, Clinical Supervision
Meredith is recognized as an expert on couple and relationship issues. "My approach to treating clients is to convey warmth and acceptance, while also being direct. I believe in balancing insight and behavioral change- meaning that I find the best outcomes in therapy come from a combination of helping clients learn about the origins of their issues, while also giving them tools to enact change in their present lives." Jamey Baumbusch, MS, LMFT
Assistant Practice Director
Areas of Speciality: Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Family Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy
Jamey works with individuals and families, and specializes in couples therapy as a Level 3 trained Gottman Method Therapist. Jamey combines the use of evidence-based models, such as CBT or family-based interventions for adolescents, with a focus on enacting and strengthening solutions. He is skilled at helping clients evaluate what is sustaining their problems and what are the pathways to healing and solution attainment. He has experience working with premarital couples, blended and second-marriage families, and q***r couples. Lauren Ares, MA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Areas of Specialty: Relationally-focused Individual Therapy, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Couple and Family Therapy
Lauren likes to focus on the strenghts of the individual, couple or family to bring out the tools that are already present. Lauren uses a blend of structural and strategic theraputic approches as well as attachment theory. She creates a collaborative environment to help clients see the pattern and how they can address it most effectively. She has experience with premarital, married, blended and divorced couples. Lauren also has experience working with Austism Spectrum Disorders in the family context and how a parent/couple can manage the associated obstacles.
Haley Selarnick, MS, MFT
Marriage and Family Therapist
Areas of Speciality: Pre-marital Counseling, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed and Medical Psychotherapy
Haley has worked with diverse populations through various modalities of treatment includes The Gottman Method for married and pre-marital couples and blended families. Haley has also worked with women at a transitional housing facility and school-aged children. Her work with individuals includes addressing trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, grief, low-self esteem, and chronic illness. She is also a certified Prepare and Enrich Relationship Check Up Clinician, which is for couples interested in exploring engagement, marriage, or co-habitation. Rebecca Brown
Marriage and Family Therapy Intern, Intake Coordinator
Rebecca is a graduate student studying Marriage and Family Therapy for clinical training specifically in the practice of couple and family psychotherapy. Rebecca works from a systemic lens of therapy, based on the belief that individuals cannot be fully understood in isolation and so, must be viewed as part of their family and other groups of which they hold membership. Rebecca utilizes the strengths and tools individuals bring to therapy to help elicit a natural and lasting positive change. Her approach to therapy is to create a collaborative, warm and non-judgmental space in which clients can feel comfortable being vulnerable.
