Now Serving Communities in MetroWest Boston, Rhode Island, and Eastern Connecticut
We began this journey with Braver late January of this year. My son was really struggling with sudden OCD. It was extremely hard to watch him fight this battle that seemed to happen overnight. If it wasn't for his team at Braver, I am not sure he would have had the tools he needed to manage his OCD successfully. I am really thankful to his team, and the level of care and support that he has received. I, too, received a lot of support and guidance from them which directly benefited my son. He is in a good place now, and I could not be more appreciative to Braver!
— Parent of 11 year old with OCD
Ahoy, matey!
We're a team of dedicated professionals working tirelessly to improve the lives of kids with OCD & Anxiety.
❤️💪🙌
Meet Our Clinicians
FOUNDER
Brady Case, MD
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Case is a child psychiatrist, health services researcher, and educator. He received research and training awards and grant support from organizations including the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and served as an editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Previously at Bradley Hospital and Brown University, he and Dr. Garcia co-founded a behavioral health service with 99th percentile Press-Ganey satisfaction scores and the largest integrated team of academic psychiatrists and psychologists devoted to pediatric anxiety in the United States. In his spare time, he tries to reproduce the perfect slice of just-too-hot NYC pizza, circa 1989, for his wife, daughter, and son.
FOUNDER
Abbe Garcia, PhD
Chief Clinical Officer
Dr. Garcia is an acclaimed clinical psychologist, pediatric anxiety researcher, and an Associate Professor at Brown Medical School. As former clinical director of the Pediatric Anxiety Research Center (PARC) at Bradley Hospital, she and Dr. Case co-founded the Center’s intensive treatment service line and trained and supervised more than 25 exposure coaches in the care of over 1,000 children and adolescents. Earlier in her career, Dr. Garcia received a Career Development Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, K23) to study parent-child interactions among anxious youth and their parents. She was also co-investigator on the three largest NIMH-funded treatment outcome studies for youth with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. For the last 20 years, Dr. Garcia has been a sought-after supervisor and mentor to many talented psychology and psychiatry trainees. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her husband and two daughters and to work in her garden.
Amber Kaltenstein, PsyD
Child Behavioral Psychologist
Dr. Kaltenstein is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and families. After earning a doctoral degree from Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, she went on to work in both therapeutic and public school settings. Amber’s specialty is in the intersection between mental health care and our school systems. Amber enjoys spending her free time rock climbing, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.
Maud D'Arcy, APRN
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Maud is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with experience working in acute care across the lifespan. She is also a prior educator, and spent her early career teaching third grade in Brooklyn, New York. When teaching, Maud came to realize the distinct need for the expansion of access to optimal pediatric mental health care. After earning her Masters in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education, Maud went on to receive her nursing degree from Duke University and practiced both in emergency and psychiatric care of children and adolescents. She then obtained her advanced practitioner degree from University of Alabama at Birmingham. Maud enjoys spending time with her two dogs, family, and friends, and loves reading, traveling, and exploring the outdoors.
Caley Arzamarski, PhD, NCSP
Child Behavioral Psychologist
Dr. Arzamarski is a school psychologist and Clinical Assistant Professor at Brown Medical School, specializing in child, adolescent, and family therapy and school consultation. She graduated from the School Psychology doctoral program at Northeastern University, completed her clinical internship at Boys Town in Omaha, NE, and her post-doctoral fellowship at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Caley has spent the last 7 years collaborating on an interdisciplinary team in the Bradley Hospital crisis clinic and outpatient department. In her free time, Caley enjoys traveling with her family, learning about new cultures, hiking, yoga, and any competitive sport (including cornhole and pickleball). She also loves pretzels.
Kerri Kim, PhD
Child Behavioral Psychologist
Dr. Kim is a clinical psychologist with 15+ years experience in the treatment of children and adolescents with significant emotion dysregulation characteristic of mood and anxiety disorders. She earned her doctoral degree in clinical child psychology from the University of Kansas and completed her postdoctoral fellowship specializing in the assessment and treatment of pediatric anxiety at Children’s National in Washington, DC. Most recently the program manager of the Mindful Teen program at Bradley Hospital, Dr. Kim is also intensively trained in dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents presenting with suicidality, self-injurious behavior and other risk-taking behavior. She is dedicated to establishing collaborative treatment alliances to ensure youth learn the skills needed to thrive and live fully. In her free time, Dr. Kim enjoys spending time with family, friends and dog Lou Lou. She also loves cooking, traveling, and going to concerts.
Samuel “Vladi” Highland, PsyD
Child Behavioral Psychologist
Dr. Highland is a licensed clinical psychologist and nationally credentialed health service psychologist with a specialization in treating children, adolescents, and families. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship in the Clinical Child Psychology Specialty Program at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and his predoctoral psychology internship at Family Service & Guidance Center in Topeka, KS. Dr. Highland graduated with a master’s and doctorate from Antioch University New England. Upon completion of fellowship, Vladi remained as a staff psychologist for about a year at Bradley Hospital & Hasbro Children’s Hospital before joining Braver. He enjoys fitness, the outdoors, time with loved ones, and exploring anywhere with mountains or places to swim. Vladi is also a fan of true crime documentaries and all things peanut butter.
Jen Trachtenberg, PhD
Child Behavioral Psychologist
Dr. Trachtenberg is a clinical psychologist with expertise in assessing and treating child and adolescent anxiety disorders. She earned her doctoral degree from American University, completed a pre-doctoral internship at New York’s Bellevue Hospital and NYU Child Study Center, and provided post-doctoral clinical services focused on child abuse prevention and treatment. Dr. Trachtenberg has worked with children, teens, and families in various settings, including academic medical centers, private practice, and Boston University’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. Along with her passion for supporting brave kids, she has interest in mindfulness practices that enhance youth well-being. Dr. Trachtenberg likes spending her free time with her family, friends, and dog and enjoys travel, indoor cycling, word games, concerts and musicals.
Hayley Genereux, PhD
Child Behavioral Psychologist
Dr. Genereux is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of child anxiety disorders and OCD. She earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Rhode Island and completed her clinical internship at the Institute of Living in Hartford, CT. Most recently, Dr. Genereux completed her postdoctoral fellowship at RICBT focusing primarily on the assessment and treatment of pediatric anxiety. She takes a collaborative approach to therapy and provides a warm and supportive environment for her patients to make meaningful change. In her free time, Dr. Genereux enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and her dog Murphy. She also loves boating, cooking, and traveling.
Meet Our Coaches
Emily Aliotta
Emily earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Northeastern University. In college, she pursued a minor in Spanish, building a profound appreciation for the language and a drive to become fluent. She has experience working as a substitute teacher at a K-8 school where she supported students' academic, social, and emotional growth. Emily proudly advocates for mental health awareness and promotes destigmatization through compassion and education. She spends her free time attending spin classes, reading, and discovering gluten free restaurants in the Boston area with friends.
Kaitlin Brear-Reyes
Kaitlin received her bachelor's degree in social work at Rhode Island College in 2021. She has a strong passion for empowering others and servicing those in need. For the last seven years, Kaitlin has worked with children and families in the early childhood education field. As well as working with children and families, Kaitlin has experience working with diverse groups in multiple settings. Kaitlin loves learning from different cultures. In her free time, she loves to paint, explore the outdoors, and spend quality time with her husband and children.
Aleksandra Deptula
Aleksandra received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Global Studies at Salve Regina University (SRU). She is currently enrolled in the Master's program for Holistic Clinical Mental Health Counseling at SRU. Aleksandra has over 7 years of experience working directly with youth and families mainly in after-school programs. As a multi-passionate individual, she enjoys coming up with creative solutions to challenging obstacles. In her free time, she loves doing any kind of outdoor activity, especially surfing or being in the mountains, hiking or snowboarding. Aleksandra also loves to travel, make art, and spend quality time with friends & family.
Ryan Dresser
Ryan earned his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Bridgewater State University in 2016. Since then, he has worked with hundreds of individuals with OCD and anxiety disorders in a residential setting, as well as having done outpatient exposure coaching. He is also a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. He is a big believer in the positive impact that exercise can have on one's mental health. One of his favorite things to do is coach and support someone to do something that they didn't think that could do. In his free time, he likes going out to eat, going to concerts, and spending time with loved ones.
Kelly Drogan
Kelly attended Providence College where she majored in psychology and minored in spanish. Throughout college, she worked in an on-campus developmental psychology research lab as well as focused her studies on child and clinical psychology. She has direct patient care experience working in early intervention with toddlers with developmental delays and their families. Kelly is most passionate about helping others, promoting kindness and confidence and expanding the conversation about mental health to reduce stigma. In her free time, Kelly likes to visit Cape Cod and hang out with her friends, family and two puppies.
Evan Hartley
Evan has a passion for people. He has spent the last 12 years working with a diverse clientele, in both in-patient and out-patient settings as well as with schools for autistic kids. Evan received a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Rhode Island College and has plans to further his education in mental health over time. In his free time, Evan collects records, listens to podcasts and is an avid golfer. He is vocal about having his own struggles with anxiety, which drove him to do what he does today.
Sasha Kasem-Beg
Sasha is a dedicated mental health advocate with a passion for working with kids of all ages. She earned her bachelor's degree in Sociology and Visual Art from Wheaton College MA. During this time, she focused on art as a tool for therapy and recognizing how valuable it can be, especially for neurodivergent kids. Sasha's proud to be a part of Braver’s team, working together to help end the stigma surrounding mental health. In her free time, you can find Sasha playing with her cats, listening to disco, or creating collages with vintage magazines.
Susie Knaack
Susie has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island and she is currently enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Rhode Island College. She has previous professional experience working with both neurotypical kids and kids on the spectrum. Susie is passionate about mental health and enjoys helping others overcome their struggles. She likes to spend her free time drawing, painting and watching TV shows.
Juliana Lanciault
Juliana earned a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Brandeis University. During her studies, Juliana worked with youth aged 0-5 in an educational setting to develop social-emotional skills. As someone who has personal experience with anxiety, Juliana hopes to cultivate a welcoming environment where children feel comfortable and supported. She is dedicated to advocating for mental health awareness and helping youth realize their full potential despite their struggles. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, playing Minecraft, and playing with her cat Murphy.
Brooke McKay
Brooke earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. While pursuing her degree, she was a research assistant studying cognitive and developmental psychology. Brooke learned to navigate the world with anxiety, and dedicated her studies to improving the lives of people struggling with their mental health. She believes that our differences make us stronger and that we should always be our authentic selves. Brooke loves spending time with her dog Mayfield, listening to pop punk music, and writing poetry.
Brian Parker
Brian earned his Bachelor's Degree in History and Secondary Education from Stonehill College in 2003. Brian has worked with young people for his entire career, but for the last decade, he has worked specifically with young people with OCD, anxiety and GAD as an exposure coach. He is adept at communicating, educating and building rapport with young people and their families to best ensure that the exposure model translates more fully into their households and throughout their lives. Brian is very excited to join the Braver team! When Brian has spare time, he enjoys cooking and trying new foods, watching soccer, basketball and movies, drawing, traveling and spending time with his family and their tiny, tiny dog. Over the past four years Brian has taken his coaching skills to another field- the local recreation soccer fields where he has coached U12 and U16 teams.
Silvana Porreca
Silvana received her Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Rhode Island. With personal experience managing anxiety from a young age, she is driven by a desire to support and empower youth, especially those facing similar challenges. She is passionate about guiding young people to find strength and confidence in themselves. Outside of work, Silvana loves to shop, binge-watch TV series, and spend time with her family and friends.
Mabry Sansbury
Mabry received their undergraduate Master of Arts degree in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. They are passionate about accessible mental health resources and raising public awareness of the epistemic injustice often faced by those who struggle with mental illness. In their free time, Mabry likes to tell stories through written fiction, curated playlists, and tabletop RPGs.
Kelsey Scott
Kelsey earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rhode Island College in June of 2023. Since then, she has acquired hands-on experience in educational settings, collaborating with both neurotypical and neurodivergent children. As someone who grew up as a kid with anxiety, Kelsey is very passionate about destigmatizing seeking support and promoting a culture of open communication about mental health. In her free time, Kelsey loves going to concerts, crocheting, and trying out new restaurants.
Eric Sousa
Eric has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He has previous professional experience working with neurotypical kids, both in in-patient and out-patient settings. He is vocal about his passion towards individual wellness, and strives to annihilate the lingering stigma that surrounds mental health conversations. In his free time, you can find Eric reading and writing, exploring the wilderness, or experimenting with recipes that he poached from Youtube.
Josie Tarantino-Woolson
Josie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a pre-professional mental health certificate from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She has been working alongside mental health experts to teach other mental health professionals, parents, and teens about the unique mental health challenges we face today, and how they can be treated with compassionate, evidence-based care. She is most passionate about demystifying mental health research and making information accessible and approachable to all audiences. She spends her free time completing puzzles, drawing sticker designs on her iPad, and taking care of her large plant collection.
Kris Valcorba
Kris is a dedicated, conscientious, and compassionate individual who is committed to empowering neurodivergent folks through the challenges of mental health and identity. In 2016, Kris earned his Bachelor’s degree in Photography at MassArt and UMass. He has 10 years of experience working hands-on with young adults in professional settings through teaching, learning, and facing everyday challenges. As a queer, neurodivergent, and body positive coach, Kris is passionate about helping others break through boundaries of social stigma while becoming the best version of themselves. In his free time, Kris loves watching films and going to shows. He loves to spend time connecting with nature through camping and kayaking with his family, friends, and pets.