Meet Your Partners
Multi-faceted guidance, helping you build a thriving and ethically responsible practice that fits with your values, goals and lifestyle.
Jeff Zimmerman, Ph.D., ABPP (he/him)
Having earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 1980, my professional journey has been diverse. After initially holding two other positions, I have been in private practice since 1981. I co-founded a group practice, which at its peak had 5 partners and a total of 20 mental health professionals in 7 offices throughout Connecticut.
For 22 years, I served as the managing partner before transitioning back to solo practice in 2007. Throughout my career, I have contributed to the field by co-authoring or co-editing 8 books. Five of these books focus on practice and psychotherapy, while the other three deal with divorce-related topics. Additionally, I have also received training as a mediator. I have developed expertise in organizational consulting, primarily aiding executives, professionals, and small to mid-sized businesses in improving performance and facilitating strategic planning.
I am currently licensed in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and I am authorized to provide telehealth services in Florida. While having worked with children earlier in my career, my current focus is on adults and couples. Additionally, I specialize in non-adversarial divorce and offer co-parenting and parenting coordination consultations to parents. I also serve as a collaborative divorce family specialist.
When working in this field and with my TPI consultees, my primary focus is on addressing challenges in practical, solution-focused ways. This approach allows me to help align practice initiatives with your vision of an ideal practice. Through a customized consultation process, we can determine the most suitable next steps for your specific needs.
In a sense, this process is similar to my hobby of playing guitar. I have learned that as I build my fundamental skills, I can become more creative and expand my ideas about how to enjoy the experience. Applying this approach to my consultation work is immensely gratifying as I assist colleagues in shaping, optimizing, and right-fit their practices throughout their careers.
Pauline Wallin, PhD (she/her)
After earning my PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Minnesota in 1974, I worked for a few years at a neighborhood health clinic in Minneapolis, serving a diverse community, many of whom were Indigenous American. This experience exposed me to the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) decades before it became ingrained in institutional culture. I am deeply appreciative of the knowledge and support I gained from my former Indigenous colleagues and clients.
Since 1978, I have been in private practice in Minnesota and more recently Pennsylvania. Currently, my focus is primarily on assisting individuals and couples who are facing situational stress or grappling with maladaptive personality issues. Additionally, I conduct evaluations for law enforcement agencies and court systems. In the spirit of Dr. George Miller's 1969 address to the APA titled "Giving Psychology Away," I have dedicated myself to educating the general public on practical applications of psychology in their everyday lives. Over the years, I have conducted hundreds of community presentations, interviews with reporters and journalists, and have authored informative articles as well as a self-help book.
My approach to consultation and supervision mirrors my coaching philosophy, (for which I trained in 2006). I aim to help you leverage your best strengths and resources to set your goals and advance toward them. It is highly gratifying to guide and observe colleagues on their road to career satisfaction and success.
When not working, I enjoy hanging out with my favorite people. Additionally, I make a conscious effort each day, to learn something new, to find reasons to laugh, and to cultivate gratitude.
Lauren Behrman, PhD (she/her)
I completed my doctoral program in clinical psychology at Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, earning a Ph.D. in 1985. Following that, I completed my clinical internship at Long Island Jewish-Hillside Hospital. From there, I gained experience in early childhood special education working at Nassau BOCES, Long Island Jewish-Schneider Children's Hospital, and the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services. During my time at the Jewish Board, I also obtained a 3-year postdoctoral certificate in Child, Adolescent, and Family Psychotherapy at the Postgraduate Center in NYC (1990). In addition to my psychological training, I have also received training in mediation, collaborative divorce, parent coordination, and leading transformational workshops.
I am a licensed school psychologist (1982) and a licensed psychologist (1985) in New York State. Over the course of my professional journey, I have specialized in early childhood, school-aged children with special needs, couples facing challenges with infertility, adoption, and divorce. I am experienced in divorce mediation, collaborative divorce, high-conflict co-parent counseling, and parent coordination.
Since 1994, I have been running my own independent practice as a sole practitioner. In addition to providing psychotherapy and consultation, I have also been involved in governance, teaching and training, presenting and speaking, and professional writing.
My approach to consultation and supervision is one of learning partnership, mentorship, and co-creation. My goal is to support the individuals I supervise or consult with in creating their own practice vision, guiding their decisions, and utilizing their unique "why" to develop a practice that builds upon their experiences, skills, and strengths, ultimately leading to a practice that is energizing and inspiring. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time in the great outdoors. In the warmer months, I engage in activities such as hiking, biking, and kayaking, while in the winter, I enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Indoors, I find joy in singing, writing, cooking, knitting, and quilting.
Being a psychologist has been an incredibly rewarding journey for me and couldn’t have chosen a profession that was a better fit for me. What has been most rewarding is the way in which my career has grown and evolved through different stages of life.
J. Oni Dakhari, PsyD (she/her)
In 2004, I obtained my PsyD in Clinical Psychology and completed pre- and postdoctoral residency at the A. I duPont Hospital for Children / Nemours Children’s Hospital. I have received specialized training in pediatric psychology, Integrated Primary Care, and Early Childhood Education. I established my solo private practice in 2006 and later expanded it into a group practice in 2009. In 2020, it further evolved into a multidisciplinary group practice. My area of expertise lies in assessing and treating individuals dealing with emotional, social, and behavioral challenges, learning difficulties, developmental delays, as well as chronic illness and complex medical conditions. I have provided psychological services while co-located within primary care offices and currently provide consultation-liaison services as lead psychologist to two local medical facilities.
Earlier in my private practice career, I held positions as an adjunct professor as well as a Clinical Training Supervisor within a multi-state behavioral health organization. I have served as Vice President on the Executive Board of the South Jersey Psychological Association and as President of the Early Career Special Interest Group of the New Jersey Psychological Association. In 2014, I received a Member Recognition Award from the New Jersey Psychological Association for my advocacy work with colleagues at the US Capitol.
Alongside my clinical work, I have a strong passion for assisting clinicians in building rewarding and successful practices. I believe in collaborating with my TPI consultees to develop actionable and effective strategies that align with their practice goals. Recognizing that each practice is unique, I encourage consultees to embrace the entrepreneurial process with enthusiasm, curiosity, and confidence. Drawing from my own experience, I understand the invaluable support a practice consultant can provide as practice needs evolve. My aim is to deliver guidance that inspires and empowers consultees along their practice development journey.
Apart from my professional endeavors, I have a keen interest in languages, travel, and photography. Having traveled to over 25 countries, lived abroad, and studied two languages extensively, I have developed a deep appreciation for understanding the intricacies within and across languages, cultural influences, and personal perspectives. I find great satisfaction in the collaborative efforts of gaining different viewpoints and strive to bring this perspective to my work with consultees. I aim to bring this view to my work with consultees and strive to collaborate in ways that feel validating and guide in ways that feel transformative.
Amy E. Ellis, Ph.D. (she/her)
I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2014 from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. From there, I completed my internship at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. I completed my postdoctoral residency at The Renfrew Center of Coconut Creek.
Since 2015, I have always held a small private practice - though “small” has varied in operational definition through the years! Initially, I worked around 20-25 hours per week, and now generally spend approximately 10 hours weekly in private practice. My practice has transitioned to entirely virtual since the COVID-19 pandemic. I specialize in complex traumatization, eating disorders, and LGBTQIA+ care.
In addition to my private practice, I serve as the Director of the Trauma Resolution & Integration Program, a community-based mental health center staffed by doctoral-level trainees to provide trauma-informed, affirmative care. We have various specialties including complex trauma, dissociative disorders, sexual compulsivity, and issues specific to LGBTQIA+ persons. Currently, we have 12 trainees and serve over 100 clients at any given time, offering both individual and group therapy.
My approach to consultation mirrors my therapeutic approach. I believe in three components to quality supervision/therapy/consultation: building a strong collaborative relationship that is non-judgmental and non-hierarchical (we each bring things to the table and can mutually learn from one another); sharing skills and resources based on my experience; and following my consultee’s lead and vision.
Outside of my professional endeavors, I’m the proud mom to two littles (both under 2) and two pups. I’d like to say that I enjoy long walks on the beach, good food, and bike riding, but the truth is I personally find joy in a good meme and crashing on the couch in front of Netflix.
Rod Goodyear, PhD, Emeritus (he/him)
I received my Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and completed my internship at the University of California, Berkeley, Counseling Center.
My career has been spent in the academy. In 2009 I retired from the University of Southern California where I had directed their APA accredited counseling psychology program for over two decades. I then moved to the University of Redlands and although I retired from there as well in 2021, I continue part time as director of a counseling and psychotherapy masters program for Chinese students that is run in partnership with Hubei Oriental Insight Mental Health Institute in Wuhan.
A primary focus of my work has been on the training and supervision of psychologists and other mental health professionals. This is reflected in my scholarship (e.g., I am co-author of one of the two most widely used supervision texts) and my professional involvements (e.g., I have served on the both the Commission on Accreditation and the Continuing Education Committee of the American Psychological Association [APA] and was on the APA task group that developed its supervision guidelines). I was honored in 2015 to receive APA’s Award for Distinguished Career Contributions to Education and Training.
Much of my professional excitement over the past decade has come from international collaborations, especially in South Korea, China, and Latin America. For example, we have trained over 700 supervisors since 2015 through the two-year supervision training program sponsored by the Clinical and Counseling Psychology Registration System.
I am an avid hiker and my wife and I love both the desert (we live just north of Palm Springs) and the mountains (we have a cabin near Idyllwild).
Steven Walfish, Ph.D. (1953-2016)
Steve was a co-founder of TPI who brought creativity, kindness and a keen interest in applying data to the clinical and administrative aspects of practice. He practiced as a psychologist Atlanta and brought a wealth of experience to The Practice Institute as a clinician, practice owner, and entrepreneur.
In addition to his lecturing and consulting work, he recorded almost 200 interviews with authors and experts on various aspects of practice. These are available in the Steve Walfish Memorial Recording Library.
Steve was past president of APA Division 42 (Independent Practice) and also former editor of the division's quarterly magazine, Independent Practitioner. In 2009 he received the Division 42 Award for Mentoring.
He was co-author (with Jeff Barnett) of Financial Success in Mental Health Practice: Essential Tools and Strategies for Practitioners (APA Books, 2008) and Editor of Earning a Living Outside of Managed Mental Health Care: 50 Ways to Expand Your Practice (APA Books, 2010) and (co-authored with Jeffrey Barnett) Billing and Collecting for Your Mental Health practice: Effective Strategies and Ethical Practice, (APA Books in 2011). He presented workshops at national and regional meetings on the topics of “Financial Success in Independent Practice: Practical Strategies and Ethical Practice” and “Using Science and Entrepreneurship to Identify Practice Markets and Opportunities.”