Roster of LCC Counselors

For appointments with counselors

call 800-317-1173


Roster of LCC Counselors

For appointments with counselors

call 800-317-1173



Mr. Chris W. Abatelli, LMHC, has a Master’s of Educational Psychology in Adjustment Counseling as well as a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Counseling from American International College in Springfield, Ma. He works as a mental health therapist for Pederson-Krag Center and is Director of Youth for St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sayville, NY. Mr. Abatelli has experience in working with children, teens, couples and adults for a wide range of issues including substance abuse, children with special needs, adoptions and conflict resolution. He is a member of the New York Mental Health Counselor Association and sees clients for LCC at our Dix Hills and Patchogue counseling sites.
Nichole L. Adams, Psy.D., is a Children’s Clinical Assessment Consultant with the Lutheran Counseling Center. She has a combined Doctorate in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University in New York and is bilingual in Spanish. As Chief Psychologist with Nassau BOCES, she supports the needs of Special Education students that are represented from the 56 school districts in Nassau County. Dr. Adams previously worked as a Bilingual School Psychologist with Hempstead Public Schools. She is a NY state licensed Psychologist and is certified as a NY School District Administrator. Dr. Adams counsels children of all ages in our Mineola office and completes psychological and educational assessments of children in all seven LCC sites..
Rev. Kirk Bingaman, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Counseling and the Director of the Pastoral Counseling Program in the GraduateSchool of Religion & Religious Education at FordhamUniversity. An ordained Presbyterian minister, he is a licensed mental health counselor in New York and a Fellow with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. Prior to coming to the New York area, Dr. Bingaman served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Stockton, NJ and as director of satellite offices for the Lloyd Center Pastoral Counseling Service at San Francisco Theological Seminary/Graduate Theological Union. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology & Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA and a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. His new book, Treating the New Anxiety: A Cognitive-Theological Approach, was published in 2007, while his previous book, Freud and Faith: Living in the Tension, was published in 2003. Dr. Bingaman relates to LCC’s Mineola and Bronxville sites.
David Doring, Psy.D., is a Child and Adolescent Therapist and Assessment Consultant with the Lutheran Counseling Center. He has a Doctorate of Psychology with a School Psychology concentration from St. John’s University in Flushing, NY, and an M.S. in Community-School Psychology from the College of New Rochelle, NY. Dr. Doring, a school psychologist with the Massapequa Public Schools, is a NY State licensed psychologist, certified school psychologist, and a Certified Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Instructor. He is experienced performing school assessments and working with children and adolescents with emotional, learning, developmental, and behavioral disabilities. Dr. Doring relates to LCC’s Mineola and Dix Hills sites.
The Rev. David Elseroad (D.Min.), is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawthorne, NY.  Dr. Elseroad is fluent in French and Spanish. His professional background includes work in multicultural ministries and experiences as pastor, hospital chaplain, missionary and  teacher.  He has a Doctorate of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling from Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion and the Post-graduate Center for Mental Health, Manhattan.  He is also a New York state licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
Mrs. Elizabeth Geiling (MSED) received her MSED in Counseling and Personnel Services from Fordham University where she completed the Professional Diploma Program in Counseling. She is currently the Director of Counseling and also a Psychology Department faculty member at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY. Mrs. Geiling teaches certification courses in Child Abuse Identification and Reporting. She is a licensed Mental Health Counselor with the Lutheran Counseling Center where she facilitates groups for children and provides individual, child and family counseling at LCC’s Bronxville site
The Rev. Dr. Marta Green, (D. Min.) pastor of St. Mark’s United Church of Christ in Ridgewood, Queens, is a Psychological Specialist with Anchor House (Drug Rehabilitation Program) in Brooklyn, NY and has worked in the past as a Program Consultant and Director of Pastoral Care Studies at Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute in New York, NY. She received a Doctorate in Ministry from Andover Newton Theological School in Andover, Ma., a Certificate in Pastoral Psychotherapy from Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute in New York, and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York. Dr. Green, a NY state licensed Mental Health Counselor, relates to LCC’s Advent Luther

The Rev. Dr. Ronald Lehenbauer (D. Min.) has served as pastor of congregations in Jenison, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; and Flushing, New York, and as Circuit Counselor in both the English and Atlantic Districts, LCMS. He received his Doctorate of Ministry from NY Theological Seminary and holds Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo. He completed certification in pastoral counseling at the PostgraduateCenter for Mental Health in New York, NY and also is certified as an Imago Relationship Therapist. A member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Dr. Lehenbauer is a NY state licensed Marriage and Family Therapist working at the Woodside and Mineola LCC sites.
Dr. John Mayers (Ph.D) is a licensed clinical/school psychologist and a Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Certified Instructor. He has worked with Nassau County BOCES for the past eight years. Dr. Mayers has a Ph.D. in Clinical/School Psychology from Hoffstra University and a M.A. degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Before his position at Nassau BOCES, he worked as a Crisis Counselor at Hoffstra University. Dr. Mayers has had extensive experience in counseling children, teens and young adults, in providing crisis interventions, and in administering psychological evaluations in order to determine intellectual, academic and social/emotional functioning. Dr. Mayers has also had extensive experience in counseling children and teens with special needs. He works at LCC’s Woodside, Queens site.
The Rev. Forrest T. Parkinson, (LMSW, LP), is pastor of Community Church of East Williston. He is a Licensed Psychoanalyst, having obtained a certificate in Psychoanalysis from Blanton-Peale Institute in 2005. Rev. Parkinson also has an MSW from SUNY, Stony Brook. He received his M. Div. degree from Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, NY and has full ministerial standing with the United Church of Christ. He also has an MS in Special Education & Emotional Disabilities from LIU at CW Post in Brookville, NY. Rev. Parkinson relates to LCC’s Mineola site, working with adults and couples.
Mary Rzeszut, LCSW, received her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Fordham University. She works as a Medical Social Worker at Winthrop University Hospital in the Oncology Department and in the past with end stage renal disease patients. Ms. Rzeszut has also worked with domestic violence issues and as a school counselor.  In addition, she specializes in issues of grief, bereavement, and chronic illness as wll as other mental health issues affecting children, adolescents and adults. Ms. Rzeszut is a psychotherapist for LCC’s Mineola and Dix Hills sites.
Mrs. Janet Siry, LCSW, received her Master’s in Social Work at Fordham University and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Valparaiso University. She has worked as a psychotherapist for the last seven years and prior to this, she was a preschool teacher. As a school based social worker for four years, Mrs. Siry has counseled children, adolescents, families and individual adults and has facilitated group therapy sessions. She has a private practice in Setauket, NY. Mrs. Siry is a member of The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, the NASW and was awarded Woman of the Year in Religion in 2005. She relates to our Patchogue counseling site.
The Rev. Alan Steinke (M.Div., LCSW-R) recently retired as pastor of The Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Valley Stream, NY where he served for the past thirty years. He has served as one of three clergy consultants to the Bishop of the English District-LCMS as a member of the Ministerial Health Commission. Rev. Steinke has had extensive experience in the field of psychotherapy since graduating with a MSW degree from Yeshiva University, New York City. He has completed extensive research in the area of anger management. Rev. Steinke also holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with an R rating. Rev. Steinke sees clients at LCC’s Mineola and Dix Hills sites and is counselor-in-residence one day a week at Trinity Lutheran School in Hicksville.


The Rev. Anthony Stephens, M.Div., Ph.D., LMHC, Esq, is pastor of Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Croton-on-Hudson, NY. He has worked as a prison chaplain and as a pastoral counselor, specializing in substance abuse, domestic violence and sexual abuse issues. Rev. Stephens led grief counseling groups for several years. He has recently started working with military clients as a civilian resource. Among his degrees, Rev. Stephens holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, and a PhD in Human Development from the University of Rochester, NY. Rev. Stephens is also an attorney. He practices as an LCC psychotherapist at the Interchurch Center counseling site in Manhattan and will be LCC’s psychotherapist at the Paul Qualben site in Brooklyn, NY once it opens in February, 2012.

The Rev. Dr. Thomas Taylor (LCSW-R, Ph.D., M. Div.,) is an ordained Lutheran pastor and has a Ph.D. from the ShirleyM.EhrenkranzSchool of Social Work at NYU as well as a Master’s Degree in Social Work from YeshivaUniversity in NY. His Master of Sacred Theology Degree is from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa., and he has a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in NY. He has received his certification in Pastoral Counseling from the PostgraduateCenter for Mental Health in New York City, NY and is currently a Member in Training at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (NPAP). Dr. Taylor is a clinical supervisor and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with an R rating, serving as Counselor-in-Residence at LCC’s AdventLutheranChurch site in New York, NY. He also sees clients at LCC’s Bronxville site one day a week. Rev. Taylor has had extensive experience working with individuals and couples and as a seminar presenter. He is a Prepare/Enrich (marital and premarital counseling program) certified trainer.
Cynthia Terrell (LCSW), received an MSW from Fordham University in 1983 and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  She works full-time as a school social worker in the Hemstead School District and counsels children and adults at LCC’s Mineola site.  Mrs. Terrell has had extensive experience in working with children, adoptions, parent and caregiver guidance, foster care, women, and families as well as working as a social work supervisor in several agencies and hospitals. She sees clients at LCC’s Mineola site.



Mr. Chris W. Abatelli, LMHC, has a Master’s of Educational Psychology in Adjustment Counseling as well as a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Counseling from American International College in Springfield, Ma. He works as a mental health therapist for Pederson-Krag Center and is Director of Youth for St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sayville, NY. Mr. Abatelli has experience in working with children, teens, couples and adults for a wide range of issues including substance abuse, children with special needs, adoptions and conflict resolution. He is a member of the New York Mental Health Counselor Association and sees clients for LCC at our Dix Hills and Patchogue counseling sites.
Nichole L. Adams, Psy.D., is a Children’s Clinical Assessment Consultant with the Lutheran Counseling Center. She has a combined Doctorate in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University in New York and is bilingual in Spanish. As Chief Psychologist with Nassau BOCES, she supports the needs of Special Education students that are represented from the 56 school districts in Nassau County. Dr. Adams previously worked as a Bilingual School Psychologist with Hempstead Public Schools. She is a NY state licensed Psychologist and is certified as a NY School District Administrator. Dr. Adams counsels children of all ages in our Mineola office and completes psychological and educational assessments of children in all seven LCC sites..
Rev. Kirk Bingaman, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Counseling and the Director of the Pastoral Counseling Program in the GraduateSchool of Religion & Religious Education at FordhamUniversity. An ordained Presbyterian minister, he is a licensed mental health counselor in New York and a Fellow with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. Prior to coming to the New York area, Dr. Bingaman served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Stockton, NJ and as director of satellite offices for the Lloyd Center Pastoral Counseling Service at San Francisco Theological Seminary/Graduate Theological Union. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology & Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA and a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. His new book, Treating the New Anxiety: A Cognitive-Theological Approach, was published in 2007, while his previous book, Freud and Faith: Living in the Tension, was published in 2003. Dr. Bingaman relates to LCC’s Mineola and Bronxville sites.
David Doring, Psy.D., is a Child and Adolescent Therapist and Assessment Consultant with the Lutheran Counseling Center. He has a Doctorate of Psychology with a School Psychology concentration from St. John’s University in Flushing, NY, and an M.S. in Community-School Psychology from the College of New Rochelle, NY. Dr. Doring, a school psychologist with the Massapequa Public Schools, is a NY State licensed psychologist, certified school psychologist, and a Certified Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Instructor. He is experienced performing school assessments and working with children and adolescents with emotional, learning, developmental, and behavioral disabilities. Dr. Doring relates to LCC’s Mineola and Dix Hills sites.
The Rev. David Elseroad (D.Min.), is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawthorne, NY.  Dr. Elseroad is fluent in French and Spanish. His professional background includes work in multicultural ministries and experiences as pastor, hospital chaplain, missionary and  teacher.  He has a Doctorate of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling from Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion and the Post-graduate Center for Mental Health, Manhattan.  He is also a New York state licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
Mrs. Elizabeth Geiling (MSED) received her MSED in Counseling and Personnel Services from Fordham University where she completed the Professional Diploma Program in Counseling. She is currently the Director of Counseling and also a Psychology Department faculty member at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY. Mrs. Geiling teaches certification courses in Child Abuse Identification and Reporting. She is a licensed Mental Health Counselor with the Lutheran Counseling Center where she facilitates groups for children and provides individual, child and family counseling at LCC’s Bronxville site
The Rev. Dr. Marta Green, (D. Min.) pastor of St. Mark’s United Church of Christ in Ridgewood, Queens, is a Psychological Specialist with Anchor House (Drug Rehabilitation Program) in Brooklyn, NY and has worked in the past as a Program Consultant and Director of Pastoral Care Studies at Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute in New York, NY. She received a Doctorate in Ministry from Andover Newton Theological School in Andover, Ma., a Certificate in Pastoral Psychotherapy from Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute in New York, and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York. Dr. Green, a NY state licensed Mental Health Counselor, relates to LCC’s Advent Luther

The Rev. Dr. Ronald Lehenbauer (D. Min.) has served as pastor of congregations in Jenison, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; and Flushing, New York, and as Circuit Counselor in both the English and Atlantic Districts, LCMS. He received his Doctorate of Ministry from NY Theological Seminary and holds Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo. He completed certification in pastoral counseling at the PostgraduateCenter for Mental Health in New York, NY and also is certified as an Imago Relationship Therapist. A member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Dr. Lehenbauer is a NY state licensed Marriage and Family Therapist working at the Woodside and Mineola LCC sites.
Dr. John Mayers (Ph.D) is a licensed clinical/school psychologist and a Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Certified Instructor. He has worked with Nassau County BOCES for the past eight years. Dr. Mayers has a Ph.D. in Clinical/School Psychology from Hoffstra University and a M.A. degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Before his position at Nassau BOCES, he worked as a Crisis Counselor at Hoffstra University. Dr. Mayers has had extensive experience in counseling children, teens and young adults, in providing crisis interventions, and in administering psychological evaluations in order to determine intellectual, academic and social/emotional functioning. Dr. Mayers has also had extensive experience in counseling children and teens with special needs. He works at LCC’s Woodside, Queens site.
The Rev. Forrest T. Parkinson, (LMSW, LP), is pastor of Community Church of East Williston. He is a Licensed Psychoanalyst, having obtained a certificate in Psychoanalysis from Blanton-Peale Institute in 2005. Rev. Parkinson also has an MSW from SUNY, Stony Brook. He received his M. Div. degree from Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, NY and has full ministerial standing with the United Church of Christ. He also has an MS in Special Education & Emotional Disabilities from LIU at CW Post in Brookville, NY. Rev. Parkinson relates to LCC’s Mineola site, working with adults and couples.
Mary Rzeszut, LCSW, received her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Fordham University. She works as a Medical Social Worker at Winthrop University Hospital in the Oncology Department and in the past with end stage renal disease patients. Ms. Rzeszut has also worked with domestic violence issues and as a school counselor.  In addition, she specializes in issues of grief, bereavement, and chronic illness as wll as other mental health issues affecting children, adolescents and adults. Ms. Rzeszut is a psychotherapist for LCC’s Mineola and Dix Hills sites.
Mrs. Janet Siry, LCSW, received her Master’s in Social Work at Fordham University and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Valparaiso University. She has worked as a psychotherapist for the last seven years and prior to this, she was a preschool teacher. As a school based social worker for four years, Mrs. Siry has counseled children, adolescents, families and individual adults and has facilitated group therapy sessions. She has a private practice in Setauket, NY. Mrs. Siry is a member of The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, the NASW and was awarded Woman of the Year in Religion in 2005. She relates to our Patchogue counseling site.
The Rev. Alan Steinke (M.Div., LCSW-R) recently retired as pastor of The Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Valley Stream, NY where he served for the past thirty years. He has served as one of three clergy consultants to the Bishop of the English District-LCMS as a member of the Ministerial Health Commission. Rev. Steinke has had extensive experience in the field of psychotherapy since graduating with a MSW degree from Yeshiva University, New York City. He has completed extensive research in the area of anger management. Rev. Steinke also holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with an R rating. Rev. Steinke sees clients at LCC’s Mineola and Dix Hills sites and is counselor-in-residence one day a week at Trinity Lutheran School in Hicksville.


The Rev. Anthony Stephens, M.Div., Ph.D., LMHC, Esq, is pastor of Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Croton-on-Hudson, NY. He has worked as a prison chaplain and as a pastoral counselor, specializing in substance abuse, domestic violence and sexual abuse issues. Rev. Stephens led grief counseling groups for several years. He has recently started working with military clients as a civilian resource. Among his degrees, Rev. Stephens holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, and a PhD in Human Development from the University of Rochester, NY. Rev. Stephens is also an attorney. He practices as an LCC psychotherapist at the Interchurch Center counseling site in Manhattan and will be LCC’s psychotherapist at the Paul Qualben site in Brooklyn, NY once it opens in February, 2012.

The Rev. Dr. Thomas Taylor (LCSW-R, Ph.D., M. Div.,) is an ordained Lutheran pastor and has a Ph.D. from the ShirleyM.EhrenkranzSchool of Social Work at NYU as well as a Master’s Degree in Social Work from YeshivaUniversity in NY. His Master of Sacred Theology Degree is from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa., and he has a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in NY. He has received his certification in Pastoral Counseling from the PostgraduateCenter for Mental Health in New York City, NY and is currently a Member in Training at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (NPAP). Dr. Taylor is a clinical supervisor and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with an R rating, serving as Counselor-in-Residence at LCC’s AdventLutheranChurch site in New York, NY. He also sees clients at LCC’s Bronxville site one day a week. Rev. Taylor has had extensive experience working with individuals and couples and as a seminar presenter. He is a Prepare/Enrich (marital and premarital counseling program) certified trainer.
Cynthia Terrell (LCSW), received an MSW from Fordham University in 1983 and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  She works full-time as a school social worker in the Hemstead School District and counsels children and adults at LCC’s Mineola site.  Mrs. Terrell has had extensive experience in working with children, adoptions, parent and caregiver guidance, foster care, women, and families as well as working as a social work supervisor in several agencies and hospitals. She sees clients at LCC’s Mineola site.