Robert “Rob” Antonelli, PhD, is a postdoctoral clinician who works primarily with school-age children and teens and has specialized experience supporting neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ youth. Rob helps young people with anxiety, depression, difficult peer or family relationships, identity and self-esteem concerns, big emotions, and coping with stressful or traumatic experiences. He is passionate about helping young people better understand themselves, feel more confident in who they are, and build stronger relationships with the people around them.

Rob believes therapy works best when it is shaped around the individual rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. In sessions, Rob is patient, collaborative, and flexible. He takes time to understand what a child is experiencing, what matters to them, and what they and their family hope will change. He uses a young person’s interests and strengths to help them feel comfortable and engaged. He actively incorporates games, sports, movement, and other creative interventions. He draws from approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Rob completed his doctoral internship at JCCA’s Pleasantville Residential Campus, where he provided individual and group therapy and psychological assessments for youth in the foster care system with significant emotional, social, and behavioral challenges. He has also worked with children and teens in schools, hospitals, and outpatient settings. His background in school psychology gives him a strong understanding of how emotional and social challenges can affect a young person at school, and he can collaborate with parents, caregivers, and schools when helpful.

Rob earned his PhD and MS in School Psychology from Northeastern University and his BA in Cognitive Neuroscience from Colgate University. He has additional training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Multisystemic Therapy, and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention. Before graduate school, Rob worked in preschool, elementary, and high school settings, where he supported neurodivergent students and young people experiencing social and emotional challenges.

Rob Antonelli, PhD