Meet Our Experienced Care Team
With years of experience in private practice, we provide high quality care in a warm and professional style.
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Keri Wasser, MD, is a Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist. She conducts comprehensive clinical assessments and develops and oversees detailed treatment plans incorporating her expertise in psychopharmacology and emotional and cognitive development across the lifespan.
Dr. Wasser graduated Summa Cum Laude with her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and received her MD from the NYU School of Medicine. She was Chief Resident of Psychiatry at NYU Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital and completed her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the NYU Child Study Center.
Dr. Wasser developed and taught an undergraduate course on positive psychology at NYU. She also taught a course on psychiatry and psychopharmacology to students at NYU School of Medicine. She previously worked as an attending psychiatrist at Morristown Medical Center and Goryeb Children's Hospital and has been in full-time private practice in Montclair, NJ, for over 15 years.
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Ron Wasser is a licensed psychologist who works with adults, couples, and families in psychotherapy and consults with professionals on the psychology of their careers. A major focus of his practice is men’s mental health, particularly addressing issues related to being a husband, father and career.
Dr. Wasser previously worked at the NYU Child Study Center and Rutgers University.
As a consultant and coach, Dr. Wasser has worked with the MBA and Executive MBA programs at Columbia Business School. He was also a member of the Boswell Group, a psychoanalytic management consulting practice based in New York.
Dr. Wasser received his BA from the University of Michigan. He received his MA in Psychology from The City College of New York (CCNY). He was a Chancellor's Fellow and received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). Dr. Wasser completed his Clinical Internship at the New Jersey VA Medical Center. He has also trained at the Ackerman Institute for the Family, Bellevue Hospital, Bronx Children's Psychiatric Center, the Beck Institute, and the New York Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
Earlier in his career, Dr. Wasser developed and led the sales and marketing departments of a growing business acquired by a public company.
NJ License # 4997 NY State License # 019318
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Adam Torrisi is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with adolescents, adults, and families. He works with clients experiencing anxiety, stress, and depression, as well as managing social, performance, and professional issues. With significant experience in educational leadership, Adam helps families with issues related to school anxiety, social disconnection, and school refusal. He works thoughtfully and collaboratively with clients, helping them reflect on their day-to-day behaviors so they can improve their coping skills, productivity, and well-being. Adam also has extensive experience working one-on-one with college and high school athletes experiencing performance anxiety and performance consistency issues. He has worked with teams, professional organizations, and law enforcement agencies to address team dynamics and group culture.
Adam has been in education and educational leadership for 20 years. He began his career in the Student Assistance Program in Bernards Township and then worked with adolescents in the Bernards Township Department of Special Services. He has served as a middle school Vice Principal in Basking Ridge for the past ten years.
Adam holds an MSW from the University of Central Florida and an MS in Educational Administration from the University of Scranton. He earned his BA from Montclair State University, where he played for the Men's lacrosse team.
Earlier in his career, Adam served as an assistant and associate head coach for the Montclair State University Men's lacrosse team, where he helped lead the team to 3 straight appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament. He also served as an assistant coach at Glen Ridge High School and was head coach of the NJ Riot lacrosse club.
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Patti Gazzola is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over a decade of experience diagnosing mental health issues, prescribing psychotropic medications, and counseling patients and their families so that they may take an active role in optimizing their mental health.
Patti enjoys treating patients throughout their lifespan - however, her passion lies in treating children, teens, and young adults.
After obtaining her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, she worked as a critical care RN at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She then returned to Penn to complete graduate work and become a nurse practitioner, graduating in 2011.
She has worked as a psychiatric nurse practitioner for a pediatric eating disorders center and department of adolescent medicine at a large teaching hospital, where she has been interviewed and published in the field of pediatric eating disorders. She also previously treated members of the undergraduate and graduate student communities at Drew University through her work at student health services.
Patti sees psychiatric care as a collaborative, dynamic, and interactive relationship between patient and provider. She values establishing a congenial, trusting relationship with patients and families and enjoys providing supportive psychotherapy and medication management when indicated.
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Brie Benaquista is a PMHNP-BC, board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with over a decade of experience working with patients and families in emergency, therapeutic, and educational settings. Brie works with children, adolescents, adults, and families and has extensive experience collaborating with school systems to meet the student's needs.
With the understanding that we are all unique, Brie provides personalized and individualized care while integrating evidence-based practice for her patients. She values forming trusting relationships with her patients and families that are collaborative to optimize care. Her approach is holistic and compassionate while incorporating medication management when appropriate.
Brie has instructed students entering the healthcare field and served as a mentor to students and new graduates. She received her BSN cum laude from Jacksonville University, her Post-Baccalaureate from Rutgers University, and her MSN magna cum laude from Husson University.
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Michelle Reeves, DNP, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with a decade of experience across inpatient, outpatient, academic, and community mental health settings. She provides comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and adults for an array of mental health issues and with a particular specialty in treating eating disorders.
Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Rutgers University School of Nursing. She previously worked at New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Westchester Division on the Self-Injurious Behavior Unit and most recently served as a Nurse Practitioner at Overlook Medical Center’s Pediatric Eating Disorders Program, where she provided evaluations and ongoing care.
Michelle is also an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at Felician University and has served as graduate faculty for Sacred Heart University and undergraduate clinical instructor for Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Michelle strives to create a warm, supportive environment where patients feel understood and supported.
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Sophie C. Henderson, PMHNP-BC is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with specialized experience in child, adolescent, and young adult mental health. She provides comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and medication management services.
Sophie graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She was selected for the prestigious Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Fellowship—an intensive program dedicated to expanding high-quality mental health care in underserved communities.
Sophie previously worked at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where she specialized in the care of children and adolescents with complex behavioral, emotional, and medical needs. She also worked at Urban Health Plan in the Bronx, providing psychiatric care within a multidisciplinary, community-focused child and adolescent department.
Sophie approaches psychiatric practice as a collaborative partnership with children, adolescents, and their families. She is committed to creating a supportive environment where patients feel understood and empowered.
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Melanie Edwards, MD is a Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist as well as a board-certified pediatrician. She provides comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, medication management services, and both individual and family psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and adults. She treats patients throughout their lifespan, in all phases of development, with particular interest in early childhood, parent management, and maternal mental health/reproductive psychiatry.
Dr. Edwards graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Human Biology, concentrating in Child and Adolescent Development. She received her MD from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai where she went on to complete her residency in Triple Board, a program combining General Pediatrics with both Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She served as Chief Resident during her 5th year of training.
Dr. Edwards spent several years during undergrad teaching at a play-based, psychology research-focused nursery school, and led multiple educational programs dedicated to spreading the joy of theater to local children and adults with special needs. She expanded this passion for theater to medical school, where she designed and implemented a course with the goal of increasing empathy by harnessing theatrical techniques. She also worked as a research coordinator for the NYU Langone Department of Population Health, and has since conducted several research projects that have been published and presented at national conferences.
Dr. Edwards strongly believes in a humanistic approach to medicine as a whole and thus psychopharmacology, aiming to tailor treatment to meet each individual or family’s needs. She hopes to ensure that each patient finds her office a safe and supportive environment, where they can express themselves both freely and openly.
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Meghan Spangenberg is the intake and billing coordinator with Montclair Behavioral Health. She graduated from Brown University in 2024 with a BS in Psychology. Meghan completed a capstone project in her senior year titled, “From Policy to Practice: An Assessment of the Implementation and Effectiveness of Emotional Support Animal Accommodations in New England Universities at the Wake of The COVID-19 Pandemic.” She plans to go back to school in the future to get her PhD in Clinical Psychology, but she is happy to be taking a break from school to work with the Montclair Behavioral Health team and plan her wedding with her fiancé.
Meghan has always loved working with people whether that be as a TA, from behind the barista bar or on the phone helping patients find psychiatric care. Her hobbies include reading (on average 50 books a year), making music (she released an album with her fiancé in 2024), and exploring NYC, where she just moved.
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