Dr. Valerie Braunstein
Valerie Braunstein, Licensed Psychologist, Owner, and Supervising Psychologist
Dr. Valerie Braunstein is the founder of Philly Psychology, LLC. As a licensed psychologist, she offers supportive, evidence-based treatment for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Dr. Braunstein is a skilled psychologist with specialized experience in the assessment and treatment of a wide range of problems. Her areas of specialization include anxiety disorders (e.g., social anxiety, separation anxiety, selective mutism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder), depression, ADHD, behavioral problems, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting, and trauma.
Dr. Braunstein’s approach to therapy is collaborative, supportive, based on the best available research, and is informed by the context of each client’s unique characteristics and preferences. Her treatment plans draw upon evidence-based treatment methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), behavioral activation (BA), mindfulness-based approaches, parent management training (PMT), and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). Dr. Braunstein closely monitors her clients’ progress with empirically supported measures. She also offers school-based consultation, advocacy, and classroom management support. She earned her certification in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in 2019.
Dr. Shanny Shmuel
Shanny Shmuel, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist, PA Certified School Psychologist
Dr. Shanny Shmuel is a licensed psychologist who works with children, adolescents, and adults. She is passionate about collaborating with clients to provide evidence-based treatment that meets their individual needs. In her therapy, Dr. Shmuel uses a cognitive behavioral approach (CBT) with a systemic lens to always consider the context in which a person lives. She believes that individuals are shaped by their experiences, as well as their interactions with the significant people and systems in their lives. She values consultation with teachers, physicians, and other professionals to provide holistic care for each client. Dr. Shmuel has experience supporting children, families, and adults with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety disorders, depression, ADHD, behavioral problems, executive functioning challenges, learning challenges and other school/college difficulties, family conflict, and parenting. She is also skilled in psychoeducational assessment and is a certified school psychologist in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Marianne Herzog
Dr. Marianne Herzog, Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Marianne Herzog is a licensed psychologist with 30 years of experience. At Philly Psychology, Dr. Herzog facilitates our Introduction to Mindfulness training during which participants meet in supportive group learning. Over the 8 weekly sessions she introduces the basic concepts of mindfulness, and provides didactic and experiential training in various formal and informal practices, including mindfulness meditation, loving kindness and compassion, and mindful movement. During the training, participants begin to develop a regular mindfulness practice, which is cultivated through education, in-session practice, and at-home practice Participants are asked to set personal goals, keep a record of their practice, and share their observations and experiences with each other.
In addition to the Introduction to Mindfulness training, Dr. Herzog also leads workshops on topics related to cognitive-behavioral and mind-body approaches to stress management; self-care strategies for use at work; breathing techniques for relaxation, focus, sleep, and coping; parenting/discipline; mindful parenting; parental postpartum adjustment; and creating a strong emotional bond with your children.