Dr. Nicole Amoyal Pensak is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in New York and New Jersey that specializes in providing anxiety treatment, and treatment for adults with anxiety, depression, OCD, and postpartum mental health in New York and New Jersey. She provides evidence-based therapy based on the latest research and tailors treatment to the unique needs of each client.

Dr. Pensak’s academic career and research focuses on caregiver well-being and developing evidence-based interventions. Throughout her research, she has focused on translating the science to those who need it most- caregivers. More recently, Dr. Pensak has developed a sub-specialty in early motherhood and maternal mental health. As her private practice grew, it became clear that Mothers are the Ultimate Caregiver and there are limited resources to best support maternal mental health. Thus, much of her current clinical practice and writing focuses on translating the science, strategies, and evidence from the caregiver field to mothers.

Dr. Pensak's goal is to help you understand yourself more deeply through the psychotherapy experience and to help you reach your full potential and thrive in motherhood.
 
Dr. Pensak received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rhode Island. She completed her APA accredited internship and specialty training in behavioral medicine at Yale School of Medicine. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/ Harvard Medical School in psychiatric oncology and an NIH T32 fellowship at the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center in Aging and Palliative Care. As a Harvard and Yale-trained Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Pensak provides empirically-based treatment that is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of each client.

Prior to moving into full-time private practice, Dr. Pensak was the Director of Psycho-Oncology at Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC), Hope Tower. At JSUMC, she supervised and taught psychiatry residents how to provide Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to their patients. In addition, she directed the psychosocial oncology service, conducted research, and provided direct clinical services to patients with cancer. Prior to JSUMC, she was Assistant Scientist at Hackensack University Medical Center/John Theurer Cancer Center and Assistant Professor of Oncology at Georgetown University Medical Center. Prior to that, she was Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine. She was a Career Development Award recipient from the National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC) for which she conducted technological intervention development and dissemination research for caregivers of patients with advanced illness. As a 2016 NPCRC Career Development Award grantee, she conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial of a mobilized intervention to help caregivers manage distress and to enhance intimacy. She specializes in treating postpartum mental health conditions, anxiety, OCD, depression, sexual dysfunction, and symptoms and side effects associated with medical issues (e.g., cancer, chronic medical conditions).
 
Dr. Pensak provides therapy and coaching services in her office and using video telehealth. Contact Dr. Pensak for a free phone consultation 609-283-2056.