PLEASE READ. Not a real organization just a front to receive public funding and milk the system and unsuspecting people. A wolf in sheep's clothing. A letter I was forced to send to them (no response in approximately 10 days).
Dear Executive Director,
I am writing to formally express serious concerns regarding the care I received at your clinic, specifically during my time with Shaina Bryski, a therapist at your 4111 18th Avenue, Brooklyn location. I came to Pesach Tikvah seeking spiritually integrated, culturally competent support. Instead, my experience was confusing, invalidating, and ultimately harmful.
Concerns:
Blurring of Professional Boundaries:
From the beginning, Shaina Bryski engaged with me in ways that felt inappropriate for a therapeutic relationship. She laughed with coworkers loudly, referred to them as friends, and spoke to me as if we were also friends—saying she cared about me and would always be there. This blurred the essential boundaries required for effective therapy and made it difficult for me to trust the process.
Inconsistent Presence and Communication:
Shaina gave mixed signals throughout treatment—alternating between appearing engaged and being emotionally vague or distant. She would say things like “I’m here,” depending on whether she believed my experience was valid or, as she ultimately decided six months into treatment, “just trauma.” This was particularly distressing because I had made it clear that I was in an emergency situation and believed we were working toward resolution of a real and urgent matter—not something to be dismissed or reclassified mid-process. Her inconsistency was deeply destabilizing in a time of great vulnerability.
Use of Phone During Sessions:
Throughout our sessions, Shaina frequently used her phone and appeared to take outside communications. This behavior was distracting, unprofessional, and contributed to the feeling that my concerns were not being treated with the seriousness they deserved.
Failure to Consult or Escalate Despite Obvious Issues:
Despite my repeated emphasis on the urgency of my situation and clear signs of distress, there is no indication that Shaina consulted with colleagues or supervisors. This lack of action significantly delayed appropriate intervention and suggests a lack of accountability or clinical support on her part.
Contradictory Assessment Over Time:
In our first session, Shaina validated my experience and clearly stated that I was not just experiencing trauma and that I was not mentally ill—after initially beginning to document me using labels such as “multiple parts” and “trauma.” Six months later, she reversed course, stating it was just trauma. This contradiction undermined my trust in her judgment and felt like a significant betrayal of the therapeutic relationship, especially considering the time lost as a result.
Dismissal of Spiritual Concerns:
Although I requested a therapist who could integrate and respect my spiritual worldview, my spiritual experiences were repeatedly dismissed as trauma-related symptoms. At one point, Shaina said, “I don’t know if I’ll die tomorrow”—a statement I found deeply disturbing, especially in light of my attempt to find strength, grounding, and hope through Judaism. Her approach was not only invalidating but actively harmful to the spiritual healing I was seeking.
Avoidance of Necessary Communication and Crisis Boundaries:
In our final session, after six months of stalled progress, Shaina admitted that she avoided critical conversations because she “didn’t want to upset me.” This avoidance left major gaps in our work and ultimately prevented any real resolution. Moreover, I was informed that I could not text her during emergencies because “that’s not what therapy is.” This effectively left me with no support during crucial moments when I needed immediate guidance or intervention.
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- EIN 11-2642641
- (718) 875-6900
- 365 Willoughby Ave Ste 400 Brooklyn NY 11205-5192 USA
- www.pesachtikvah.org
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Nonprofit Overview
Mission: To provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities and persons with mental illness. The organization also provides services to holocaust survivors.
Programs: Intermediate care facilities provides services for 14 adult consumers with mild to profound developmental disabilities in a warm and personalized residential setting.
pesach tikvah's community habilitation services have been serving the community since 1997. This unique program offers individuals with disabilities an opportunity to improve their community integration, basic safety, housekeeping, personal care, and daily living skills. Each consumer is designed a custom plan that suits their needs. Pesach tikvah's objective is to help each individual reach their full potential, and accomplish the goals they've set. This program serviced 34 individuals in 2017.
see schedule oclinics - the pesach tikvah drop in center serves adults, ages 18 and older, who struggle with acute mental illness, in a culturally appropriate environment. The drop in center offers a wide range of services aimed at enabling clients to attain rehabilitation goals that they set for themselves. A small client to staff ratio, and an on-staff psychiatrist, ensure personal attention. The program includes individual and group therapy, workshops, door-to-door transportation, and hot lunch daily. This program provides a safe, warm, and growth-oriented environment for its members. Pesach tikvah, with the encouragement and support of the nys office of mental health, has established satellite clinics in local private schools. These satellites have enabled students to receive the high quality services available at our flagship clinic in williamsburg, without having to leave the school building. This is particularly beneficial to the students whose long day of studies often leave them with little time to attend therapy sessions. Additionally, it precludes the necessity of parents having to bring their children to weekly appointments. The pesach tikvah family services center, an outpatient clinic, offers a full range of mental health services, including assessment, diagnosis, psychotherapy, psychiatric services and medication therapy. The clinic services a broad range of individuals. Our licensed therapists are trained to help people deal with marital strife, as well as helping children with behavioral issues. Our staff is also well trained to treat more acute problems such as depression, anxiety, ocd, phobias and eating disorders. Many of our therapists are multi-lingual, and all keep up-to-date with new research, different modalities of treatment, and improved methods. By providing superior services and counseling, pesach tikvah helps people function better in social, professional, and academic settings.