Elissa R. Gross, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Dr. Elissa R. Gross is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders, eating disorders and body image issues, low self-esteem, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), self-injury and body repetitive behaviors. She also helps clients with adoption and blended family-related issues in children, adolescents, and adults. In her work as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Gross emphasizes the importance of creating a warm, non-judgmental, and safe environment as the foundation for her clients’ therapy. Her client-centric, collaborative approach to treatment pairs support and validation with practical feedback and solution-focused strategies. Dr. Gross has a passion for helping families improve communication, and she is currently working on a book series to educate parents about children and adolescents struggling with issues around blended families, eating disorders, and self-injury, as well as adoption-related developmental, attachment, and relationship distress. Dr. Gross has completed extensive training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), family systems therapy, group therapy, and psychodynamic therapy, and she is currently working to become certified in emotional focused therapy (EFT). She has also received advanced training in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) – an evidence-based approach to the treatment of PTSD. In addition to her over 20 years of private practice experience, she has also conducted preoperative psychological evaluations for weight loss surgery for over 15 years. After completing her clinical internship at NYU Medical Center’s Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation, Dr. Gross was hired on as a staff member, treating clients via individual and group psychotherapy and supervising doctoral interns. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, part of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University. She received her bachelor’s degree from Duke University, where she was an integral member of several research teams that studied the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders at the Duke University Medical Center. An avid equestrian, Dr. Gross is in the process of creating an Equine Assisted Therapy Program at Lukin Center. She is the mother of two teenage sons.
