Military Family Center Team

Internationally recognized for his expertise in post-traumatic stress, Dr. Marmar treats veterans, including those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, who have combat-related conditions. He also works with refugees and earthquake survivors.

Dr. Spray is the director of the Military Family Center, a clinical psychologist, and clinical associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry. She directs the Military Family Center training program, which provides doctoral and postdoctoral psychology trainees with intensive training in evidence-based treatment for veterans and military families. At the center, Dr. Spray provides individual cognitive behavioral psychotherapy to adults and specializes in trauma, health psychology, and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Dr. Reiff is the medical director of the Military Family Center and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry. He is a psychiatrist who specializes in treating substance use disorders, PTSD, and mood and anxiety disorders. He uses psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy to improve the lives of his patients.

Dr. Ling is assistant director of the Military Family Center, a clinical psychologist, and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Ling provides integrative, culturally attuned, and individually tailored evidence-based psychotherapy to individuals and couples experiencing substance use difficulties, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and adjustment and psychosocial stressors.

Dr. Folberth is a clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry. He specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families who have been impacted by trauma and has extensive experience providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address a wide range of anxiety and mood disorders. He has presented at the annual convention of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America on the implementation of evidence-based treatments to treat PTSD in children and adolescents.

Dr. Mbabazi is a clinical psychologist treating children, adolescents, and adults at the Military Family Center. She uses an integrative orientation, primarily attachment based, utilizing psychodynamic psychotherapy, and CBT. Dr. Mbabazi specializes in providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families who experience depression, anxiety, complex trauma, racial trauma, parent–child attachment concerns, challenging life transitions, and interpersonal difficulties, as well as parenting and co-parenting challenges.

Dr. Nayak-Giovinazzo is a child psychiatrist who has worked in various settings, including inpatient and outpatient settings and the psychiatric emergency room. She specializes in treating children, adolescents, and adults who have mood disorders, trauma, difficult life adjustments, and relationship challenges. She provides psychotherapy and pharmacological treatment.

Dr. Pomerenke is a clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry. His training emphasized the treatment and research of PTSD and co-occurring conditions such as substance use disorder and insomnia. Dr. Pomerenke provides individually tailored cognitive behavioral treatments for PTSD, anxiety, substance use disorders, and depression. He has specialized training in a variety of evidence-based therapies, including exposure therapies such as exposure and response prevention for obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and prolonged exposure for PTSD, cognitive processing therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy.

Dr. Vaurio is a clinical neuropsychologist and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry. She conducts comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for brain-related syndromes. In addition, she provides cognitive training to veterans with challenges as a result of mild traumatic brain injury and concurrent PTSD or other mood disorders.

Dr. Wen is a clinical psychologist and clinical associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry. She joined the Military Family Center in 2012, helping to establish its robust clinical program. Dr. Wen specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of relationship difficulties, traumatic stress, and complex trauma.

Mr. Hong is the clinic’s database analyst. He provides data management support to all initiatives at the clinic. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Rutgers University.

Ms. Sarrate is the clinic’s program coordinator and intake coordinator. She holds a master’s degree in forensic psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Before joining the Military Family Center, she completed her externship at the Brooklyn Mental Health Court, working with defendants with serious and persistent mental health diagnoses, conducting intake interviews, and matching them to appropriate long-term counseling and service programs as an alternative to incarceration.

Mr. Sterk is the program manager for veterans outreach. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2004 and attended recruit training at Parris Island, South Carolina. He received an honorable discharge in 2008, leaving the military after attaining the rank of corporal. He holds a master’s degree in public policy and international affairs.