THE SALA LAB
DR. MARGARET SALA
Dr. Margaret Sala is an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Psychology Program of the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. Dr. Sala received her B.S. in Business Administration and Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Southern Methodist University, and her clinical internship training from the Connecticut VA in West Haven. She also completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Drexel WELL Center, under the mentorship of Dr. Evan Forman. Her research interests focus on understanding mindfulness and the role it plays in psychopathology as well developing scalable mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) that address multiple forms of psychopathology.
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Check out her CV.
In addition to her research, she holds a part-time psychotherapy private practice.
CURRENT LAB MEMBERS
CASEY STERN
GRADUATE STUDENT
Casey is second-year student in the Clinical Psy.D. program at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. She graduated from New York University in 2021 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Child & Adolescent Mental Health Studies. Before starting at Ferkauf, she was a clinical research coordinator for the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her primary research interests include eating disorders (with a particular focus on avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) and emotion regulation, and removing barriers to care with digital interventions.
ASPEN MARTIN
GRADUATE STUDENT
Aspen is a second-year student at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology in the Adult Clinical Psy.D program. She graduated in 2023 from Duke University, where she studied Psychology, Germanic Languages and Literature, and Child Policy Research. Her research interests center around emotion dysregulation, eating disorders, and PTSD. In her clinical work, she plans to use cognitive-behavioral therapies and mindfulness-based interventions to improve emotion regulation in adolescents and adults. In her past research, she’s focused extensively on peer-to-peer mental health support and prosocial behavior. Her favorite free time activities include running, watching sports, traveling, reading, hiking, and baking.
ARIANNA CARPATI
GRADUATE STUDENT
Arianna is a second-year graduate student at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology in the Adult Clinical Psy.D program. She graduated from Northwestern University in 2023, where she studied Journalism, Psychology, and Integrated Marketing Communications. Her research interests lie in the efficacy of mindfulness interventions to reduce drop-out rates in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. She hopes to utilize mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral techniques in her clinical work with young adults. In her free time, you can find Arianna running, boxing, and hanging out with her family and friends!
LAURA MEYER
GRADUATE STUDENT
Laura is a second-year student in the Ferkauf Adult Clinical Psychology PsyD program. She graduated from Boston University in 2021 with a B.A. in Psychology under the Pre-Medical track. Since graduation, she has worked in the Outpatient Psychiatry Services as a patient experience representative at Boston Children's Hospital. She is a current extern at Academics West. Her research interests include the development of digital-based interventions and their utility in reaching minority populations, as well as using mindfulness in therapeutic treatment. Laura enjoys taking film photos, painting, and traveling in her free time.
DANIELLE L. KAHN
GRADUATE STUDENT
Danielle is a fourth-year student in Ferkauf's Clinical Psychology PsyD program. She graduated in 2019 from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in Psychology and Educational Studies. During her undergraduate experience, she was a Research Assistant and Data analyst at the Weight Management and Eating Disorder Program with a focus on how Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) can be used as a premiere form of treatment for Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder. Post-graduation, Danielle was a Clinical Psychology Research Coordinator in the Eating Disorder Clinical and Research Program and Neuroendocrine Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School where she supported research investigating the homeostatic and hedonic food motivation pathways underlying Eating Disorder trajectories. Specifically, how the course of eating disorders relate to food motivation pathways in the brain through resonance imaging (MRI), psychological assessments, and evaluation of hormones in the blood that influence feelings of hunger and satiety. Her research and clinical interests broadly include eating disorders, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and suicide. In particular, Danielle is interested in mindfulness-based interventions for Anorexia Nervosa, the complexity that distinguishes Anorexia Nervosa from Atypical Anorexia Nervosa, and treatment/recovery. In her free time, Danielle is a certified Yoga Instructor and loves reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
MADELINE SCHUPAK
GRADUATE STUDENT
Madeline is a fourth-year student in Ferkauf's Clinical Psychology PsyD program. She graduated in 2021 from Tulane University with a B.S. in Psychology and two minors in both Spanish and Music. During her undergraduate experience, she interned at Children's National Medical Center's Donald Delaney Eating Disorder Clinic. Her research interests generally include eating disorders, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, the effects of COVID-19 on the aforementioned disorders, and mindfulness. In her free time, she enjoys singing, writing, and spending time with friends.
JOSHUA PLUTCHIK
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Joshua is a fourth-year undergraduate student at New York University studying psychology and media. He has long been captivated by the workings of the mind, from both a neurobiological and psychological standpoint. He intends to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology. His areas of research interests include mood and anxiety disorders, working with LGBTQIA+ adolescents and adults, mindfulness-based interventions, and trauma. Joshua is also passionate about portrait and landscape photography and videography. He hopes to contribute to the burgeoning utilization of technology to assist in evidence-based psychological interventions to increase access to at-risk populations.
MEREDITH ZOLTAN
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Meredith graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Marketing and Finance in 2015. Having an interest in third wave psychology that focuses on mindfulness and behavior, Meredith is currently in the process of a career change. Meredith plans to attend a PsyD program starting in the Fall of 2023 with the intention of integrating psychoanalytic approaches with current mindful practices learned through her work within Dr. Sala’s Mindfulness Lab. In her free time, you can find Meredith running, practicing yoga, giving her dog too many kisses and trying new restaurants!
CLAUDIA MORRIS
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Claudia Morris graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in digital humanities. She earned her master’s degree in education with an emphasis in social-emotional learning from National University. In addition to being a research assistant in Dr. Sala's lab, she is also a research assistant for the Healthy Brain Network at the Child Mind Institute.  She plans to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology so that she can study and improve the mental health of children who have experienced trauma. As a certified yoga instructor, Claudia is particularly interested in studying somatic forms of healing from adverse life experiences. In her free time, Claudia enjoys running, yoga, Pilates, and spending time with her friends.
Yana Bichkova
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Yana is a second-year graduate Mental Health Counseling student from Moscow, Russia. She graduated from Syracuse University in 2023 with a B.S. in Public Relations and a minor in Psychology. During her time at Ferkauf she did research with incarcerated patients with learning disabilities and interned at a private practice. Her future research interest lies in working with eating disorder and oncology patients and ways they can be provided with best psychological and psychiatric care
Dante Ascarrunz
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Dante graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2018 with a BA in neuroscience, a BM in classical double bass performance, and a minor in leadership studies. While completing graduate studies in music and freelancing as an orchestral musician through the COVID-19 pandemic, Dante became increasingly interested in mental health and wellbeing. Driven by a desire to more tangibly help others, Dante is changing careers and plans to complete a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, with a particular focus on mindfulness-based interventions and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In his free time, Dante enjoys exploring the rich culinary world of NYC, playing music, and spending time with his wife and cats.
LAB ALUMNI
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SOFIA COLL
Sofia is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
LEEBA GOLDENHERSH
Leeba Goldenhersh is now a graduate student in Dr. Lata McGinn’s lab at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University.
JAMIE JACOBSON
Jamie Jacobson is now a marriage and family therapist at Shiloh Psychological Consulting
SERENA JACOBS
Serena Jacobs is now a student at the St. John’s University PsyD Program.
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MEL KRESSEL
Mel Kressel is completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the Columbia University Counseling Center.