Dr. Dori Brender

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Helping young adults and their families overcome severe anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and 'failure to launch' dynamics.

The Philosophy

Evidence-Based Treatment Tailored to You

I work collaboratively with my clients to identify clear goals and develop a personalized, active plan to achieve them. Using structured interventions like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), we work hard to avoid aimless talk therapy. We will actively dismantle avoidance behaviors and build distress tolerance. Essentially, my goal in treating you is to get myself fired—meaning I aim to equip you with the tools, self-sufficiency, and emotional endurance necessary to overcome future problems on your own.

When a young adult is stalled by intense anxiety, severe emotional dysregulation, or a 'failure to launch,' it paralyzes the whole family. You may be watching your child withdraw from school, retreat to their room, or become overwhelmed by the demands of adulthood, leaving everyone feeling stuck. Standard weekly therapy often isn't enough to break this cycle. You don't just need a space to vent; you need an active, structured roadmap from a psychologist you can trust.

The Expertise

Hospital-Level Training, Private Practice Care

For over a decade, I have been working in high-acuity settings, helping young adults navigate complex behavioral and emotional roadblocks. This rigorous background allows me to bring highly structured, evidence-based protocols directly into a private, outpatient setting—intercepting crises before they escalate."

"My specialty is complexity. I work best in cases where the path forward is not clear. In my role leading the DBT team for the college program at Zucker Hillside Hospital (Northwell Health), I developed a deep expertise in helping young adults rebuild academic and social endurance. In this role, I:

  • Treat college, graduate, and medical students navigating high-stress transitions.

  • Lead advanced therapy groups (DBT parent groups, adult ADHD CBT groups, DBT skills groups).

  • Provide supervision and training in CBT and DBT to doctoral clinical psychology trainees in the outpatient clinic.

  • Train psychiatry residents in the application of CBT and DBT.