Our Staff

Bruce Hubbard, PhD

Director, Licensed Psychologist

For over 20 years Dr. Bruce Hubbard has helped people of all ages improve their lives with Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. Having established one of the earliest cognitive behavioral practices in New York City, Dr. Hubbard went on to form the Cognitive Health Group. There, he helped pioneer the fusion of cognitive-behavior therapy with mindfulness techniques and traditional psychotherapy. Dr. Hubbard is a faculty member at Columbia University, a frequent lecturer at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, and a former Clinical Instructor at New York University School of Medicine. He has published and presented papers on anxiety, depression, thought disorder and integrative evidence-based psychotherapy. He has also served as consultant to hospitals and clinics seeking to maximize effectiveness through cognitive and behavioral approaches. Equipped with the added insight that can only come through personal experience, Dr. Hubbard is committed to broadening the understanding of anxiety and depression as valid, treatable health concerns. Dr. Hubbard's professional work is further enhanced by the practical study of mindfulness meditation and yoga.

Hayley Pessin, PhD

Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Hayley Pessin is a Senior Psychologist and Director of Training at the Cognitive Health Group. She specializes in providing cognitive behavior therapy and integrative psychotherapy for depression and anxiety. Along with her expertise in CBT, Dr. Pessin is certified in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), a similar, clinically proven therapy which emphasizes relationships and social experience. Dr. Pessin has extensive experience treating the emotional effects of medical illness, grieving and loss, areas in which she conducts ongoing research and has been extensively published. Dr. Pessin is a member of the faculty at Payne Whitney, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Fordham University, and completed her clinical internship at Long Island Jewish Medical Center- Hillside Hospital.

Sara Hickmann, PhD

Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Sara Hickmann is a New York State Licensed Psychologist specializing in cognitive behavior therapy for depression, anxiety, relationship stress, transitional issues, and peak performance for adults and adolescents. Dr. Hickman received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She completed her clinical psychology internship and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital. There she specialized in alcohol and drug treatment, behavioral health group therapy and hypnosis. Among her past accomplishments, Dr. Hickmann was academic advisor for the football team at San Diego State University, coordinated eligibility and the Academic Support Program at the University of San Diego, was a Health Educator for the Athletics Department at the University of Virginia, and served as a tutor and supervisor for UCLA’s Athletic Department. Sara’s doctoral dissertation was entitled, “Impulsivity as Predictor of Athletic Success and Negative Consequences in NFL Football Players.”

Daniel Selling, PsyD

Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Daniel Selling is licensed psychologist specializing in couples therapy and relationship enhancement work. He has extensive training and expertise in the field synthesizing traditional components of couple's therapy with an innovative family systems approach that is active, present, and focused on individual growth, communication, connection, and intimacy in relationship. Dr. Selling offers empowering solutions to couples and families. An additional focus of his work has been his commitment to families going through a separation or divorce. He has helped many couples and children work through these often complicated transitions emphasizing the importance of open and honest communication with a specific focus on the emotional well being of their children; often the innocent bystanders. Dr. Selling serves as the Deputy Director of Mental Health and Director of Substance Abuse Treatment for the New York City jail system. He is an expert in forensic psychology and mental health disability law. Dr. Selling received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.

Ginna Fineran, MA

Psychology Extern

Ginna Fineran is a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at the City University of New York. She has extensive training and experience in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a type of Cognitive Behavior Therapy directed toward management of emotional impulses and interpersonal challenges. She has provided CBT and DBT in a wide range of inpatient and outpatient settings, where she has developed specialties treating anxiety disorders, depression, and borderline personality disorder. In addition to her clinical work, Ginna is part of an ongoing research study on DBT. She has presented papers on emotion perception, childhood sexual abuse, and stalking behaviors.

Sumati Gupta, MS

Psychology Extern

Sumati Gupta is a clinical psychology doctoral candidate at Columbia University. She has been trained in cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment for adults suffering from depression and a variety of anxiety symptoms, including panic, phobias, posttraumatic stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. She also has experience working with eating disorders, substance use, and trauma at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital and New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Hospital. In addition to her clinical work, she has published papers on emotion regulation difficulties, resilience to trauma, and eating disorder symptoms.