Our Team.

It's important to recognize that no therapist possesses the expertise to address every issue effectively. That's why we have a collaborative team!

Educational & Training Backgrounds of our Staff Include

Rutgers University
Montclair State
Seton Hall
Fairleigh Dickinson
Kean University
Monmouth University
California School of Professional Psychology
SAFE PATHS: Sexual Abuse Family Education
Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute

Dr. Maria Salvanto

Founder & Clinical Director:

the owner and founder of The Parent TRAIN, holds three graduate degrees in psychology. She has dedicated her career to supporting children and families and is a qualified diagnostician and performs testing and assessments regularly.

Karen Johanning, LPC

Assistant Clinical Director:

is a senior clinician with a diverse background in various clinical settings. She oversees the intern program at our office while maintaining a caseload of adolescents and young adults, providing mentorship and guidance to upcoming professionals.

Liz VanderValk, LPC

Senior Clinician:

a valued member of our team for over 12 years. She leads a free weekly parenting support group, providing a vital resource for parents. Her extensive training includes working with children and adults on the autism spectrum, as well as conducting assessments and diagnostic reports.

Michelle Berger, LPC

Senior Clinician:

has been a dedicated member of our team for over 10 years. She is trained in domestic violence and marriage therapies and specializes in behavior analysis. Her expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy focuses on using Discrete Trial Training (DTT) and Verbal Behavior (VB) techniques to support individuals on the autism spectrum.

Megan Narciso, LCSW

Senior Clinician:

She began her path to full licensure with our agency, bringing dedication and heart to every step. With over a decade of experience championing children's well-being, she offers deep expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and evidence-based behavioral interventions.

Lisa Justice, LCSW

Senior Clinician:

Offers over 12 years of experience supporting individuals and families through life’s most challenging moments. Her background includes addiction recovery, inpatient psychiatric care, and crisis intervention—giving her a deep understanding of how stress, trauma, and transitions affect the whole family.

Nuha Matari, LPC

Senior Clinician:

has been a dedicated and compassionate member of our team for well over 8 years now. With over 20 years of experience as an educator, counselor and mental health professional, she supports adolescents, individuals, and families with compassion, insight, and culturally competent care.

Hailey Panella, LPC

Senior Clinician:

She fosters meaningful growth through compassionate, client-centered care. With over six years of experience and a background in school counseling, she brings valuable insight, collaboration, and developmental expertise to every setting. Her dual perspective allows her to support individuals across a wide range of life stages..

Jay Murray, LCSW

Senior Clinician:

with over 20 years of experience supporting individuals and families through life’s complexities. His extensive background spans a variety of clinical settings, allowing him to bring depth, perspective, and adaptability to his work. Jay specializes in working with older teens and adults, focusing on relationships & family dynamics.

Amanda Stadler, LCSW

Senior Clinician:

Medical Team

Dr. Malini Bhatia is a psychiatrist with over 50 years of experience, specializing in mental health care. She diagnoses and treats conditions such as depression, anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, bipolar disorders, personality disorders, insomnia, ADD, and more. While she works with all age groups, her primary focus is on evaluating and prescribing treatment for children and adolescents.

Anne Huelbig, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who brings our team her expertise in working with depression, ADHD, and anxiety disorders in children.

Associate Therapists

Christie Calamito,

LCDAC, LAC

Ryan Garner

LAC

Marco Pelosi

LAC

Katie VanderValk

LAC

Robyn Trezza

LAC

Speech & Language
(including social skills)

Danyela Williams, SLP Scott Shansky, SLP

Together, they bring a wealth of experience from both school-based and private language services. Danyela specializes in social communication through targeted support in the pragmatics of language. Scott focuses on early childhood speech and language development, guiding our youngest clients from initial assessments through ongoing therapy. Each shares a deep commitment to supporting children as they grow through key developmental milestones in speech, language, and social interaction.

Occupational Therapy
(including sensory integration)

Hannah is a compassionate and highly skilled pediatric occupational therapist who brings both expertise and heart to her work with children. She specializes in supporting emotional regulation, sensory integration, and the development of fine and gross motor skills—always with a thoughtful, individualized approach. Hannah’s dedication shines through in every session, helping children build confidence, coordination, and resilience in ways that truly make a difference.

Training-Resources-Awareness-Information-Networking

Our Team.

Medical Team

Associate Therapists

Speech & Language
(including social skills)

Danyela Williams, SLP Scott Shansky, SLP

Occupational Therapy
(including sensory integration)

Hannah Ververs, OTR-L

Nutrition Supports
(with our registered dietician)

Jane Oneill

Training-Resources-Awareness-Information-Networking

Our Team.

Medical Team

Associate Therapists

Speech & Language (including social skills)

Danyela Williams, SLP Scott Shansky, SLP

Occupational Therapy (including sensory integration)

Hannah Ververs, OTR-L

Nutrition Supports (with our registered dietician)

Jane Oneill

Speech & Language
(including social skills)

Occupational Therapy
(including sensory integration)

Nutrition Supports
(with our registered dietician)