Jacqueline Cahalan

Dr. Jacqueline Cahalan is a New York State Licensed Psychologist who specializes in providing parents with consultation, education, therapy, and support via her exclusively telehealth-based private practice. Dr. Cahalan has her Ph.D. in School Psychology from New York University and has a background in child and adolescent development and mental health that she utilizes to provide research-based guidance and practical strategies for navigating the challenges of parenting.

Over the course of Dr. Cahalan’s education and career, she has had a diverse breadth of experiences that have led to her current work. Her interest in the area of families and mental health developed as she completed her B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University. After this, she spent time working at Mount Hope Family Center in Rochester, NY. At MHFC, she was involved in research regarding how child development is impacted by socioeconomic factors, and the vital role of family relationships and early childhood education. Dr. Cahalan’s engagement in this work motivated her to continue learning about ways parents and community can best collaborate to support children, and encouraged her to pursue her Ph.D. in School Psychology.

 Throughout her doctoral training and early career, Dr. Cahalan worked in a variety of public and private schools, outpatient clinics, and hospital-based mental health settings. During her graduate work, she also simultaneously continued her involvement in research through the Child and Family Policy Center at NYU. Here, she worked on projects related to how children learn through play and the development of community awareness and civic engagement in young people. After completing her graduate work, she worked as a staff psychologist in the Psychiatric Emergency Department and subsequently Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Services at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, NY. This range of experience continued to develop her comprehensive understanding regarding the interplay between child and adolescent development, mental health and wellness, family systems, and community supports.

 Dr. Cahalan’s practice was also profoundly shaped by her personal experience of parenthood. Through this, she learned first-hand about the frequently overwhelming emotional and logistical challenges of raising children. It is also when she realized how essential strong communities are to families for both the practical and mental health benefits they can provide. This understanding has contributed to her taking on multiple leadership roles within her community including past roles as board member and Co-President of St. Mark’s Cooperative Nursery School in Rockville Centre, past Co-President of Riverside Elementary School PTA, and current Co-President of Rockville Centre Council of PTAs.

 Dr. Cahalan’s current work with parents is an integration of her training and past experiences. Her goal is to provide a confidential space where parents can receive the support and guidance they need to more effectively manage whatever stresses or challenges they face in their daily lives. She works within a framework that looks to help parents embrace self-compassion and imperfections, prioritizes relationships and connection, and teaches about development and mental health within the context of each family’s unique structure and values.