Staff and Interns at NYC Gay Pride talking to strangers about Performing the World
The Institute and the Social Therapy Group welcomed over a dozen interns this summer, coming to NYC from colleges in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Denmark. One of their first assignments was to ‘hit the streets’ at NYC’s Gay Pride March, to talk-up the Performing the World event in October.
When they ask me back home what I did on my summer internship, I can say that on my first day, I was at Gay Pride talking to strangers! I love this city. I love the diversity. Lars Hemmingsen, University of Copenhagen
Over the course of 12-weeks, they will produce events, research, create archives, study and otherwise familiarize themselves with the social therapeutic approach. Here are some of their bios:
Avgi Chatzimpalioti, (second row, 3rd from r.) from Thessaloniki, Greece, is a rising junior at Dickinson College (PA), pursuing interests in developmental psychology and therapy.
Victoria Formosa (front row, 2nd from l.) is a rising senior at SUNY New Paltz, with a major in Psychology and minors in Evolutionary Studies and Women’s Studies. She is active with the Feminist Collective.
Lars Hemmingsen (back row r.) is a Psychology major at the University of Copenhagen, where he teaches undergraduate courses in Personality Psychology. He was as an exchange student at Stockholm University, where he pursued his interest in clinical psychology.
Amber Lin (not pictured) is a rising senior at NYU, studying Psychology and Sociology. Originally from ‘mellow’ California, she moved to NYC to create a life that would challenge the opinions she had become too comfortable with.
Raisa Reyes (back row, 2nd from l.) is a rising sophomore at Swarthmore College (PA), with a major in Philosophy and minor in Psychology. She grew up in NYC’s East Village.
Matt Rosenblum (back row, 3rd from l.) is a rising sophomore at Clemson University (SC), where he studies Philosophy. He attended Livingston High School in NJ.
Julia Sharpe-Levine (front row, 3rd from l.) originally from Long Island, is a rising junior at Vassar College (NY), majoring in Drama and Chinese with a minor in Creative Writing.
Kasper Sylvest-Munk (back row, far l.) is a graduate student at the University of Copenhagen, where he teaches first-year Psychology. He has studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and now at the Institute. Learning and teaching continue to be a driving interest.
Julianna Zuckerman (front row, r.) is a rising junior at SUNY New Paltz, where her major is Spanish. Julie grew up in NYC in a psychology-centered household. She attended Beacon High School on NYC’s Upper West Side.
In addition, clinical interns working with the Social Therapy Group this summer include:
Brenda Martinez is a human services major and senior at Bronx Community College. She was first introduced to psychology through her professor, Rafael Mendez, who is also a social therapist. Rafael introduced Brenda to the work of Vygotsky, and Fred Newman and encouraged her to attend plays at the Castillo Theater. In her spare time, Brenda takes care of dad, administering his medicine and taking him to appointments.
Anarghya Nirbail is a rising junior at Hofstra University and is majoring in psychology. She plans on going to graduate school to become a mental health counselor. After taking her first introductory psychology class in high school, Anarghya knew she wanted to pursue a career in helping people. She was drawn to the Brooklyn Social Therapy group because they offer a new perspective to therapy that was not taught in school. Anarghya also likes to write fiction and design costumes and clothes.
Aziza Khan was born in Trinidad and Tobago and immigrated to the United States when she was four. She received her Bachelors degree from Binghamton University in English and Psychology and trained at Binghamton with noted psychologist, Don Levis. Later, Aziza received a Masters degree in Psychology from Pace University and started her PsyD at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. She has acquired quite a bit of clinical experience and is currently taking time away from academia.
Cecilia Brown is a rising senior at Connecticut College who is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy. At school, Cecilia is the photography editor of her school’s newspaper and manages a coffee shop. Her interest in Psychology grew after studying abroad in Argentina, where she worked on a mental illness rehabilitation farm that used new and alternative therapeutic practices.