I am a licensed psychologist in Pittsburgh, PA. and a founding co-owner of Avellar Warden Psychological Associates.

I currently specialize in psychological “flow” and peak performance mindsets. I do this by helping people fully in activities they are passionate about, cultivating on-the-spot mindful awareness, and maximizing their ability to creatively solve issues. I have considerable experience in mindfulness meditation, holistic forms of healing, and working with sexual and gender minorities. I am also dedicated to supervising and training the next generation of psychologists.

My style of therapy blends Person/Client-Centered Therapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Contemplative & Buddhist Psychology, Interpersonal Process Therapy, and Career Counseling.

I am passionate about healthy living through nutrition and exercise, spending time in nature, high-performance driving, flow-states, and spoiling my beloved kitties, Roy, Katie, and Tails.

Education and Career

Prior to establishing Avellar Warden Psychological Associates, I opened my first practice, Avellar Wellness LLC, an active telehealth training clinic, where I supervise doctoral trainees providing low-cost therapy to people without insurance or in economic need. I have also served as full-time faculty in the Clinical Psychology PsyD Program at Point Park University. There, I served as Placement Coordinator, Director of Clinical Training, and Interim Psychology Department Chair.

I earned my Ph.D. in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and completed my doctoral and post-doctoral residencies respectively at the University of Delaware and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

I am a licensed psychologist in Pittsburgh, PA. with over 25 years of experience in the field and a founding co-owner of Avellar Warden Psychological Associates.

After many years of providing evaluation and clinical service, my primary roles now are overseeing the business side of AWPA and providing supervision to our next generation of psychologists.  While, I am not actively taking new clients, I do provide initial diagnostic, intake assessments and can help you transition into treatment with one of our psychologists or refer you to an appropriate provider. 

My specific areas of expertise include: complex differential diagnosis, co-occurring medical and psychiatric concerns, and adoption issues.

Education and Career

Prior to cofounding AWPA, I worked as a psychologist, in both clinical, medical and research settings.  I earned my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh and completed my doctoral internship at the Pittsburgh Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Outside of being a psychologist, I am also a mom of 3 grown children and a lacrosse coach.

As a licensed psychologist, I aim to cultivate strong therapeutic relationships with my clients. I provide an empathic and safe environment that allows for exploration of experiences that may feel threatening or uncomfortable.

My style of therapy draws from a blend of humanistic, constructivist, existential, relational, and psychodynamic approaches. I will work with you to explore how life experiences have contributed to you struggling to make meaning or feeling stuck, which may present itself in a variety of ways, such as depression, relationship issues, anxiety, and so on. I also incorporate a critical approach to psychotherapy that considers you and your experiences through a lens that includes the societal, political, and historical, which allows me to understand you holistically, within your context.

Outside of my work, I enjoy spending time with loved ones and my pets, going for hikes and spending time outdoors, collecting and listening to records, and playing my guitar.

*Dr. Bobak accepts most commercial Aetna, Highmark/Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UPMC plans. She also accepts self-pay and out-of-network options. Dr. Bobak is also a certified member of The Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), allowing her to work with clients across most states in the U.S.

As a licensed psychologist, I will help you work through a range of issues, whether that’s depression, anxiety, or any other life transition issue. In each step of your journey, I will encourage self-empowerment and positive growth. I will also work with you to identify the areas of your life that may no longer serve you. I use an integrated psychotherapy method grounded in existential, phenomenological, interpersonal, and gestalt approaches.

I will tailor your treatment to incorporate your worldview, values, and creativity, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model. I also incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to ensure that we manage acute suffering along the way. If you’ve ever felt different or marginalized, I am committed to providing you a space that is welcoming and inclusive.

My interests include reading, camping, popular culture, painting, crafting, and playing darts. I also consider myself a life-long learner, and enjoy researching various topics in my free time.

*Dr. Caldwell accepts most commercial Aetna, Highmark/Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, and UPMC plans. She also accepts self-pay and out-of-network options.

As a licensed psychologist, I strive to provide a warm, safe, and open relationship where we can not only explore existing patterns and problems, but also find insight into possible solutions. Everyone comes in with unique strengths, which I would like to empower as we work together to reach your personal goals. And I believe that healing occurs in relation, so I work diligently to attune to my clients. Doing my best to understand helps us move towards shared goals while respecting our individuality, autonomy, and identity as individuals.

I listen. I feel deeply. I provide compassion. Here and there I offer an interpretation, but mostly ask questions and watch the ways in which things unfold. I wander and wonder with the other, searching for clarity and meaning.

Outside of my practice, I enjoy spending time in nature, hiking and kayaking; practicing yoga; learning new recipes; traveling; and tending to my plants and pets. You can also find me practicing tarot and listening to Fleetwood Mac.

*Dr. Chase accepts most commercial Aetna, Highmark/Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UPMC plans. She also accepts self-pay and out-of-network options. Dr. Chase is also a certified member of The Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), allowing her to work with clients across most states in the U.S.

As a licensed psychologist, I will help you cultivate self-compassion, curiosity, and courage to confront your life challenges. My work with each client is individualized and collaborative depending on a multitude of client factors. My approach is warm, well-rounded, and authentic.

I use an integrated trauma-informed, feminist, humanistic, psychoanalytic, relational, and existential approach to therapy that fosters openness and curiosity. I utilize Interpersonal Process, Internal Family Systems, Dialectical-Behavioral, mindfulness, and somatic approaches to psychotherapy. I enjoy working with clients of any and every background, and have special interests in grief, trauma, eating disorders, life transitions, spirituality, and intersecting identities.

In my free time, you can find me with the trees, plants, rocks, and rivers; creating art; eating, singing, dancing, and laughing with friends; nerding out over herbalism, astrology, spirituality and philosophy; and imagining liberatory futures. I am passionate about weaving ecopsychology and connection with nature into my practice.

*Dr. Edmiston accepts most commercial Aetna and Highmark/Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. She also accepts self-pay and out-of-network options.

As a licensed psychologist, I am passionate about being a therapist because I love connecting with people and experiencing the uniqueness and richness of life with them. Forming genuine and caring relationships is at the core of what makes this work meaningful and drives my intention to provide therapeutically transformative relationships to my clients.

I draw from several psychotherapy approaches including Person/Client-Centered Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Experiential Personal Construct Psychotherapy, Relational Psychoanalysis, and Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy.

I strive to embody wellbeing as a way of life, and I do so through exercise, healthy eating, and a daily meditation practice. In my free time, I enjoy listening to records, dancing to live music, spending time with loved ones, camping and enjoying the outdoors, playing basketball, reading philosophy, and traveling.

*Dr. Graham accepts most commercial Aetna, Highmark/Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UPMC plans. He also accepts self-pay and out-of-network options. Dr. Graham is also a certified member of The Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), allowing him to work with clients across most states in the U.S.

As a licensed psychologist, I specialize in working with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). I have extensive experience working with individuals who have experienced sexual trauma. I am certified in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), a leading trauma treatment. Furthermore, I have additional training in the treatment of OCD through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) treatment. No matter the approach, I strive to provide a safe, non-judgmental space to support clients through these challenging change processes.

I incorporate a holistic, integrative approach based on the client’s unique needs while acknowledging their individual culture, identities, experiences, and values. I find it especially rewarding being with clients through their journey towards self-compassion, change, and healing. I draw from various therapeutic practices, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), humanistic-existential therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.

Outside of work, I enjoy yoga, meditation, crafting, and spending time outdoors. As a lifelong learner, I also enjoy taking classes and reading, usually with my dog, Stewie, by my side.

*Dr. Lichtenstein accepts commercial Highmark/Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna plans. She also accepts self-pay and out-of-network options.

As a licensed psychologist, I enjoy working with adults, families, and children, plus assisting families and minors with solutions to behavioral issues. My approach is a holistic blend of Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), recognizing that every individual and family is unique. While I work well with most presenting concerns, I am especially experienced with anxiety, depression, PTSD, life transitions, ADHD, living with and adjusting to a disability or chronic illness, and helping people from rural communities.

I provide Geek Therapy for interested clients. This approach creatively integrates elements from your favorite video games, T.V. shows, comics, movies, anime, or fandoms into our therapeutic process. I am also currently offering short-term ADHD skills training for people who want to better manage ADHD symptoms that can affect their daily lives. This includes working on time management and time blindness, organization, motivation, impulsivity, and understanding ADHD.

Outside of my practice, I enjoy gaming, exploring Pittsburgh, connecting with friends, and taking road trips across the country. Before becoming a therapist, I served in the Montana Army National Guard, had a career in sales, and worked with individuals and families regarding disability.

*Dr. Sager is not currently accepting new patients.

As a licensed psychologist, I am experienced in providing care to clients facing life transitions, relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, and trauma. I work with adults at all ages, and I have specialized experience with independence challenges, family concerns, identity issues, and childhood trauma. Regardless of the reasons you are seeking help, your treatment will build upon your natural strengths and will be feasible and sustainable. The best therapy is founded on trust, and I will compassionately guide you through each step of your progress, taking into account your unique worldview, values and culture.

My style of therapy blends humanistic, feminist, psychodynamic, and internal family systems practices. Also, by using “somatic” therapies, I can help you understand the connection between your mind and body, with the aim of decreasing your physical tension, chronic stress, and helping you better learn to cope with your stress responses.

Outside of my practice, I enjoy cooking, eating, exercise and yoga. I also love discovering more about the world through reading, music, and the eyes of my two young children. 

 *Dr. Stough accepts commercial Highmark/Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna plans. She also accepts self-pay and out-of-network options.