Our Clinicians

Natasha Black, Ph.D., Co-Director

Natasha Black, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist who received her bachelor’s from UCLA (magna cum laude and college honors), her master’s from the University of Southern California, and her doctorate from Fordham University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship from the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychoanalysis and is an advanced candidate at the NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis.

Natasha has previously held leadership roles in two federally funded grant projects—one a HRSA-funded school-based trauma treatment for adolescents in the Bronx, and another a SAMHSA-funded project in suicide prevention for college students. She also held a supervising psychologist position at Fordham University Counseling & Psychological Services for several years. Her prior training includes community mental health clinics, inpatient hospital-based treatment, school-based treatment, and substance abuse rehabilitation.

Natasha practices psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. She has specializations in trauma, depression, anxiety, women’s issues (e.g., career advancement and transitions), and adolescent psychotherapy. She has also taught a yearlong psychodynamic practicum at Pace University and has provided clinical supervision in numerous settings to psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health counselors.

In addition to her work at Westside Psych, Natasha maintains a private practice in psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, and psychoeducational consulting. Active in scholarship, she has published her work in the areas of psychoanalysis, suicide prevention, multicultural psychology, and psychological assessment, and she has presented extensively at the local, national, and international level.

Joseph Giardino, Ph.D., Co-Director

Joseph Giardino, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist who received his master’s from UPenn and his doctorate from Fordham University. He has received postdoctoral training in psychoanalysis and is an advanced candidate at the NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis. Joe trained extensively in community mental health and hospital-based settings, including Montefiore Medical Center, the James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at Penn Psychiatry.

Joe practices psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. He has specializations in trauma, men’s issues (e.g., father hunger, career problems), anxiety disorders, pain syndromes and chronic illness, and acculturation issues. He has held appointments at Fordham University and Pace University, where he taught multicultural psychology and a yearlong psychodynamic practicum course, respectively. He is a faculty member at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies (NIP), where he teaches in the Adult Training Program in Psychoanalysis & Comprehensive Psychotherapy. He also provides clinical supervision to psychoanalytic candidates and doctoral-level psychology externs throughout the NYC area. In addition to his work at Westside Psych, Joe maintains a private practice. He is active in scholarly work and publishing. He co-founded a scientific editing company with Dr. Black. He has published in international and Tier I journals on men’s issues and societal issues related to stigma and health. He presents regularly at psychoanalytic conferences. A fluent Spanish speaker, Joe can also provide psychotherapy in Spanish.

Cynthia Hernandez, MHC-LP, CASAC

Cynthia works with individuals from diverse backgrounds struggling with anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship issues, academic issues, chronic pain, and trauma. While possessing a background in multiple therapeutic modalities, Cynthia practices from a primarily psychodynamic approach to assist individuals in gaining insight into their internal conflicts and interpersonal patterns of relating.

Recognizing each individual’s unique needs, Cynthia tailors her treatment approach accordingly and believes in building a strong therapeutic relationship with her clients to create a safe and supportive space for them to explore their emotions and experiences.

Cynthia received her master’s degree in mental health counseling (MHC) from Fordham University and is also certified in substance abuse counseling. Her professional journey began as a substance abuse counselor in both inpatient and outpatient settings and after 6 years of working with individuals struggling with addiction, Cynthia pursued her MHC degree to broaden her scope of practice to individuals struggling with a wide range of problems and to deepen her therapeutic work with them.

Mariana Colmenares, LMHC

Mariana is a licensed mental health counselor who helps both adults and teens navigate a range of concerns, including unsatisfying relationships, self-esteem issues, cross-cultural challenges, trauma, and family dynamics. Her approach involves working with individuals at a deep level to understand root causes and help them achieve long-lasting growth.

Mariana strives to help her clients tap into their inner resources and connect with their authentic selves. She believes in a holistic approach to mental health and my perspective draws from an integrated view of the mind and the body and thus works with her clients to develop individualized treatment plans that address their unique needs and goals.

Mariana’s educational background includes a master’s degree in mental health counseling from NYU and a certificate in psychoanalytic psychotherapy from the William Alanson White Institute’s 1-year training program. Her prior clinical experience includes having worked at Fordham University’s counseling center and at a clinic specialized in providing psychodynamic therapy to clients with severe trauma. Mariana offers psychotherapy services in both English and Spanish.

Penina Kohanteb, LMSW

Beginning therapy is an important step toward greater insight and lasting personal growth. Penina is a licensed social worker who offers her clients a protected space within which they can make sense of the inner dynamics that shape their lives. Whether grappling with strained relationships, emotional distress, professional difficulties, or other painful symptoms, her goal is to help clients uncover the deeper significance behind their struggles and move toward more intentional ways of being.

Penina believes in the transformative power of self-reflection and recognizes that meaningful
change often requires time and patience. She approaches therapy with the understanding that
by carefully exploring one’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences, individuals can engage more
fully with life, and that, while therapy may not create a “new you,” it can facilitate the right
number of small changes needed to make all the difference.

With a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University, Penina draws from a diverse
professional background, including roles in outpatient clinics, services for disadvantaged youth,
residential care settings, and teaching.

Contact Westside Psych for a consultation today

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