Sobeyda Valle-Ellis, LCSW
Director
Sobeyda is a relationship expert with 20+ years of experience as a Clinical Social Worker. She is bilingual, Spanish-English, and multi-cultural.
Formerly a Clinical Supervisor at Redeemer Counseling Services in NYC. She is the Director of HeartMatters NYC Counseling and offers transformational therapies to individuals, couples, families, and groups.
Sobeyda is a 1.5 generation Latina, who grew up in different immigrant neighborhoods in Queens. She is married to David and has 4 adult children. She loves serving as a Deaconess in her neighborhood church. And is passionate about cycling.
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Approach To Therapy
In her approach to therapy, Sobeyda uses different experiential methods. She is certified as an Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples. Also has advanced training in AEDP for Couples, and Coherence Therapy. She helps her clients to draw upon their Christian faith as a vital source of hope, power, and resource for a flourishing life. She delights in helping her clients to retell their stories of trauma, tragedy, and loss to new stories of grace, redemption, and transformation.
In addition to being an excellent clinician, she is a trainer and has done workshops and retreats on topics such as Cultivating Intimacy, Understanding Conflict, Growing in Spiritual Friendships, Kindling Passion in Marriage, Identity Formation in Immigrant Families, among others. She is also sought after for her emotionally-focused approach and practical style of supervision.
Education
Columbia School of Social Work, NYC MSW 1991
Multicultural Family Institute, NJ. MFT Certification 1999.
License & Certification
LCSW NY State
EFT Certification
Gottman Marital Therapy Certification candidate
Certification as Prepare-Enrich Premarital Facilitator
Professional Memberships
NASW
NYCEFT
ICEEFT
AEDP
Farrah Cogdell, LMHC
Licensed Therapist/Supervisor
Farrah has a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Alliance Graduate School of Counseling August 2016. And a Master’s degree in Christian Counseling at Philadelphia Biblical University, December 2010. She is trained in CBT and Discipleship counseling. Currently, she is training in AEDP, a trauma informed therapy.
Farrah co-directs the Children’s ministry at her local church. She trains volunteer leaders to shepherd children under the age of 10 to learn about God using the bible and to shape the formation of their identity in Christ. She has been a leader in a prayer ministry in small groups and various congregational settings. And she’s been a guest speaker in a for local church groups, women’s retreats and bible studies.
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Approach To Therapy
She works from a strength-based perspective, a holistic model which considers and integrates the impact of internal and external life stressors , one’s ability to function and thrive. She uses a collaborative approach which honors the dignity and input of each client. She works primarily with adults. And enjoys working with couples and children of all ages to develop a positive view of themselves and to grow toward their core identity, being one of uniqueness and the capacity to be their best self. She aims to provide a non-judgmental safe and collaborative therapeutic environment for her clients.
Education
Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Alliance Graduate School of Counseling 2016.
A Master’s degree in Christian Counseling at Philadelphia Biblical University 2010.
License & Certification
LMHC NY State Licensed Mental Health Counselor.
Stacey Chen, LMHC
Licensed Therapist/Supervisor
Stacey has a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Alliance Graduate School of Counseling, 2009. She has advanced training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), an emotion-focused, relational and healing-oriented approach. Her experience includes facilitating groups, speaking at trainings, providing clinical supervision and counseling college students.
Stacey was born and raised in New York. She is a member of a large multiracial church and traces much of her spiritual foundation to the Chinese American Christian community in NYC. Stacey delights in helping others to grow in their faith.
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Approach to Therapy
In her approach, she enjoys helping clients connect to their core emotions which are God-given and adaptive. She also helps bring relief to difficult emotions and negative beliefs about the self that stem from relational trauma. Stacey seeks to build safety and connection which are essential for processing difficult life experiences.
Education
Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling, Alliance Graduate School of Counseling, 2009
License
NY State License in Mental Health Counseling
Rachel Gerena, MFT
Therapy Associate
Rachel earned an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy MFT from Touro University Worldwide. She was an MFT Intern here at HeartMatters NYC for one year. She takes a collaborative approach to therapy and is currently training in AEDP. Rachel is certified as a Rape Crisis Counselor and has experience volunteering with the DOVE program.
Rachel is a nondenominational Christian, who strives to emulate compassion, care, and inclusion in her therapeutic practice. Rachel is also a regular contributor to her local church’s worship experience. She embraces the amazing cultural diversity of NYC. She lives in Brooklyn, is married to a Newyorican and has a dog named Kimchi.
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Education
Masters of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy through Touro University Worldwide. 2021
License & Affiliation
NY State Limited permit. Member of the AAMFT.
Shirah Marcos, LMFT
Licensed Therapist
Shirah earned a graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, MFT, from Long Island University in 2019. She is trained in Narrative Therapy, Bowenian Family Systems Theory, Transgenerational Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Attachment-Based Theory and the Gottman Method. Currently, she is training in AEDP, a trauma-informed therapy. She works from a systemic and strengths-based approach that is mindful of cultural, ethnic and economic concerns.
Shirah delights in coming alongside her clients, couples and families to support them to discover their own good ways through their situations. Shirah is a second-generation Latina of Cuban parents. Her immigrant experience has been most formative in her life. She grew up as the daughter of Methodist minister of a multicultural and mission-focused church. It was in this diverse community of love that she cultivated her relationship with Christ.
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Education
Master’s in Marriage & Family Therapy, Long Island University 2019
License
NY State Limited Permit in MFT
Sparkle Sumpter, MA
Pastoral Care, Coach
Sparkle has a Master of Arts from Regent University, VA. Her interests are in family and grief group counseling.
Sparkle attended a program that integrates scripture and a Christian worldview with problem-solving and counseling models for life problems. Her goal as a therapist is to create a space for her clients that is safe, welcoming, judgment-free and empathic.
Sparkle has a strong Christian faith. She infuses her counseling with the belief that love never fails, and love rejoices in truth with many smiles along the way.
Sparkle is a real New Yorker and grew up in Brooklyn. She is an active member in her church and community.
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Education:
Master of Arts in Human Services with a concentration in Conflict and Mediation Counseling
Regent University, VA. January, 2023
Kenia Ramos, MFT
Intern
Kenia is working toward her MA in Marriage and Family Therapy through Nyack College. She has received training in modalities such as Experiential Therapy, Bowenian FamilyTherapy, and Narrative therapy while offering a compassionate space. Kenia loves working with children, teens, and couples and believes everyone should have a healing place when working through life’s challenges. Her areas of interest are helping those experiencing anxiety, low self-esteem issues, trauma, and relational issues. She is certified as a Prepare/enrich facilitator to assist in empowering couples.
She is a Christian believer and serves in her church as the head of the fellowship ministry.
Kenia is a first-generation Hispanic American born and raised in the Bronx. She communicates fluently in Spanish and English. Her passion for helping others through the healing process is rooted in her love of Christ.
Andrew Gordon
Intern
Andrew is working toward his MA in Marriage and Family Therapy through Alliance University. He has received training in nine modalities such as Experiential Therapy, CBT, and Contextual Therapy. Andrew loves working with individuals and couples and strives to create a safe, nonjudgmental space for his clients to deal with the issues they face. He is interested in helping clients through loss of direction, depression, anxiety, issues of low self-esteem, and setting healthy boundaries in relationship.
Andrew is a Christian and believes we can find hope and peace in Christ, even amidst the chaos of life. Andrew also has an extensive background working with children in a variety of contexts and experience working as an actor in New York City.
Mathew Apolinaris, MFT
Intern
Mathew is working toward his MA in Marriage and Family Therapy through Touro University Worldwide. He is passionate about strengthening relationships and seeing families restored. His empathic listening skills allows him to make strong connections with clients, cultivating a safe haven for them to explore. He understands the impact that family dynamics and other contextual factors have on individuals. His goal is to provide families with tools that can lead to healing and emotional well-being.
Mathew is Latino, born and raised in the Bronx, and rooted and grounded in his Christian faith. He has served in his church for ten years in different capacities, from working with the youth to leading Men’s ministry. Mathew currently works as a mentor with young boys whose families have been involved with the foster care system.
Sara Tekle, MPA
Operations Manager
Sara has a Master in Public Administration (MPA) and administrative experience in higher education and the private and nonprofit (local and international) sectors. She is drawn to organizations that are mission driven, like HeartMatters NYC, where she provides administrative support in service to multicultural New Yorkers seeking counseling, working alongside HeartMatters’ competent, compassionate clinicians.
She is particularly invested in seeing communities of color access quality mental health care.
Sara was born to Eritrean parents and spent the formative years of her life in Kenya. She grew up attending the Orthodox Tewahedo Church and seeking a home church in New York City.