Community
Community partnerships
Crown Counseling is a Crown Heights practice. We work alongside the group homes, schools and community agencies our clients already rely on, so care does not stop at our door.
Who we work with
People with developmental disabilities
A dedicated group of our clinicians works within our partnership programs serving group homes for people with developmental disabilities. They work closely with each person’s family, house staff and service coordinators, so what happens in therapy carries into daily life, and the team is available for home visits.
Hamaspik, which supports people with developmental disabilities and their families across New York, is one of the organizations we partner with.
Schools
With a parent’s permission, our child and teen therapists coordinate with teachers and school counselors: sharing strategies, attending IEP meetings and writing letters of medical necessity when a child needs one. Our team includes a former school counselor and a psychologist who directed school-based programs for 13 years.
Schools can also bring Crown clinicians on site: counseling for students during the school day, social and emotional skills groups, training for teachers and staff, parent workshops, and psychological evaluations.
See our school programs →Community agencies
Our clinical director, Dr. Elka Jacobs-Pinson, supervises child therapists at a large agency and consults for several others, bringing 35 years of experience in early intervention, adoption, foster care, vocational rehabilitation and family court evaluations.
Our clinical supervisors came to Crown from agency work: a Brooklyn mental health agency, a Jewish family resource center, the outpatient psychiatry and psychology departments at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and The Jewish Board. An agency that needs a clinician on a case, a referral for someone it serves, or training for its staff can reach our leadership directly below.
We’re run by professionals
Our programs are led by the clinical director and overseen by licensed clinical supervisors, each with decades of experience in clinics, agencies and schools.
Leadership
Founder & Clinical DirectorDr. Elka Jacobs-PinsonDoctor of Psychology35 years in practice, including early intervention, adoption and family court evaluations. An EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist.
Director of Clinical OperationsRachel PelesLicensed Clinical Social WorkerRuns the systems around every course of therapy, from intake to the practice’s day-to-day operations, with a background in trauma treatment and clinical leadership.
Operations CoordinatorShmuel KesselmanLicensed Mental Health CounselorKeeps the practice running day to day. A counselor himself, with a Master’s in Clinical Counseling and a focus on young adults.Clinical supervisors
Clinical SupervisorBassya PinsonDoctor of PsychologyA psychologist since 1990. Directed school-based programs, intern training and parenting workshops for 13 years at a Jewish family resource center.
Clinical SupervisorChaya MermersteinLicensed Clinical Social WorkerFamily therapist who supervised interns and psychiatric residents in Mount Sinai Beth Israel’s outpatient clinics, and co-leads the SOVRI Helpline for survivors of sexual abuse.
Clinical SupervisorFaye WilburLicensed Clinical Social WorkerA long career at The Jewish Board in clinical, training and administrative roles, and an adjunct professor at Touro Graduate School of Social Work.
Clinical SupervisorJonathan GreenLicensed Mental Health CounselorWorks with teenagers and adults, with a focus on trauma, men’s issues and interpersonal conflict.Partner with us
Schools, agencies and community organizations can write to our leadership team about a referral relationship, a partnership program or training for their staff. Schools can also request a school program.
To refer a client today, call (718) 208-4780 or email Office@crowncounseling.com and our intake team will take it from there. With the client’s consent, we confirm their insurance and keep you updated on next steps.
When we are not the right fit
Some people need a level of care we do not provide, or a service outside our team’s expertise. When that happens we help them find the right place, from a specialist to a community clinic nearby, rather than leaving them with a closed door.
Ready when you are.
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll match you with the right clinician. We verify your insurance and get back to you — usually the same day.