Family.
Passion.
Empowerment.

Our Story

Ascend Healthcare was founded in 2017 by Rabbi Effie Goldberg, who was driven by a vision of compassionate care and co-founded the organization alongside his long-time friend and business expert, Joseph Essas. Together with Brittany Cohen, who brought clinical expertise and leadership, they created a values-driven program that blends heart, strategy, and clinical excellence to support adolescents and families.

Our evolution has been guided by a profound understanding: true healing encompasses not just the individual, but the entire family system. This insight led us to develop specialized, diagnosis-specific environments where teens feel empowered to build resilience and form meaningful connections.

At Ascend, we exist to guide young people in discovering their authentic strength, creating pathways to lasting wellbeing. We aspire to set the gold standard for personalized care by honoring each individual’s journey through family-centered support and clinical expertise.

Our Values

Family

We believe healing happens through the power of family connection, integrating loved ones into every step of the therapeutic journey.

Passion

We inspire passion through unwavering dedication and heart, nurturing each authentic journey toward wellness.

Empowerment

We create environments where authentic strength flourishes, providing tools and confidence for lasting wellbeing.

Clinical Philosophy

We believe healing is relational, holistic, and individualized. Our clinical philosophy is rooted in the idea that adolescents thrive when their unique identities and diagnoses are understood and supported through specialized environments.

We empower teens to see themselves as the protagonists of their own stories, capable of growth, change, and agency. Our goal is for every client to develop an understanding of how their choices, actions, and efforts shape outcomes—building the insight, skills, and self-trust needed to thrive beyond treatment.

By offering diagnostic-specific care, we create safe, structured spaces where teens feel seen and capable. Across all levels of care, we blend relational therapy with thoughtful behavior management to support emotional regulation, resilience, and lasting success in the real world.

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Our Approach

At Ascend Healthcare, we provide robust, individualized care that blends evidence-based therapies like CBT and DBT with innovative approaches such as equine therapy, animal-assisted interventions, and eco-psychology practices.

We believe family work is the cornerstone of adolescent change. Our rigorous parent program offers five hours of weekly clinical engagement—empowering caregivers to rebuild confidence, restore healthy attachment, and feel more successful in their parenting.

A multidisciplinary team supports each client.

  • Psychiatric providers approach medication conservatively, using tools like genetic testing to inform care.
  • Academic coaches help coordinate school and assess how academic functioning impacts emotional wellbeing.
  • Consulting psychologists ensure diagnostic clarity and targeted treatment planning.
  • Our licensed therapists, supported by a low client ratio, offer consistent, relationship-based care.

We work closely with each adolescent to identify what feels meaningful and motivating to them—reinforcing a sense of agency, helping them connect effort to outcome, and laying the foundation for lasting change.

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Our Team
Meet our dedicated team members.
Executive Team
Our executive team brings together diverse expertise in mental health, business management, and community service:
Effie Goldberg
Effie Goldberg
Managing Director
Brittany Cohen
Brittany Cohen, LCSW
President
Joseph Essas
Joseph Essas
Managing Director
Allison Welsh
Allison Welsh, LCSW
Executive Clinical Director
Lisa Acosta
Lisa Acosta, MD
Medical Director
Aaron Schinella
Aaron Schinella
Director of Education
Dr. Kaylin Golerkansky
Dr. Kaylin Golerkansky, PsyD
Director of Psychology
Dr. Nicole Auckerman
Dr. Nicole Auckerman, PsyD
Director of Eco Psychology & Animal-Assisted Therapy Programs
Ali Moses
Ali Moses, LCSW
Director of Parent Education & Programming
Margaret Hartmann
Margaret Hartmann, LMFT, DBT-LBC
Director of Clinical Operations
Laura Hubbard
Laura Hubbard, LVN
Director of Nursing
Daniel Ahearn
Daniel Ahearn, LMFT
Director of Culture
Jaq Waldron
Jaq Waldron
Director of Operations
Trey Hyde
Trey Hyde
Special Projects Manager
Nicole Rubin
Nicole Rubin
Director of Admissions
Séamus McKeon
Séamus McKeon
Director of Business Development
Cristina Garcia
Cristina Garcia
Admissions Coordinator
Brie McQueen
Brie McQueen
Admissions Coordinator
Mia Parra
Mia Parra
Admissions Coordinator
John Uberto
John Uberto
Business Development Manager
Noah Mann
Noah Mann
Business Development Manager
Jenna Stover
Jenna Stover
Alumni Program Manager

Premium
Experience​

Ascend Healthcare combines clinical excellence with comfort, offering spaces that feel like home. Our facilities feature private rooms with calming interiors, outdoor therapy spaces, and intimate environments with just six teens per facility.

Innovative
Methods

What sets Ascend Healthcare apart is our progressive healing approach in a nurturing environment:

  • All programs are conducted in-house by our specialized team
  • Cultural sensitivity informs every aspect of our care
  • Holistic treatments address the whole person
  • Cutting-edge therapies including eco-psychology
  • Animal-assisted therapy to enhance emotional connection

Treatment
Overview

Ascend Healthcare offers diagnostic-specific residential and outpatient treatment for adolescents facing a range of challenges. Each program is tailored to meet specific needs while maintaining our core philosophy of personalized, family-integrated care. Our specialized facilities create healing communities where teens connect with peers facing similar challenges, fostering understanding and growth.

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