Find a therapist in Hamden, CT — covered by insurance

I’m Ilene Robbins, a Licensed Professional Counselor and I believe meaningful change happens through connection, trust, and understanding. Clients often describe me as warm, highly perceptive and solution oriented . I strive to create a space where you can feel safe enough to be honest, understood, and supported without judgment.

I work with teens, adults, professionals, parents, and couples who may feel anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck — even when things appear “fine” on the outside. I have extensive experience supporting people through anxiety, depression, OCD, relationship challenges, parenting stress, and major life transitions.

As both a clinician and a parent, I understand how complex relationships and emotional worlds can be. I bring a balance of empathy, insight, and practical guidance to my work, helping clients make sense of patterns that feel confusing or painful and move toward healthier ways of thinking, feeling, and relating.

You don’t need to come in with perfectly formed goals, just a willingness to begin. My role is to walk alongside you, helping you feel less alone, more grounded, and more capable of creating meaningful, lasting change.

I am Dr. Douglas Zelisko (often affectionately referred to as "Dr. Z"), a Board-Certified Psychiatrist dedicated to holistic and integrative mental health care. My educational background includes degrees from Amherst College and St. George's University School of Medicine, followed by a Psychiatry residency at the UConn School of Medicine.

I specialize in treating adults with a wide range of issues, specifically:

• Anxiety and Depression
• Trauma
• Grief and Loss
• Relationship Issues
• Focus / ADHD
• Physical ailments related to mental health

My practice is unique in that I combine traditional psychiatric expertise with holistic methods to treat the "whole you"—mind, body, and spirit—rather than just addressing symptoms.

I am a licensed clinical social worker with 10 years of experience supporting individuals through a wide range of emotional and life challenges. My practice focuses on helping clients navigate anxiety, depression, and stressful life transitions such as career changes, relationship shifts, motherhood, and loss.

I am passionate about creating a safe and welcoming space. It is my pleasure to listen, and work through your concerns together so that you may improve your quality of life. I am kind, open and compassionate. I prioritize building a foundation of trust with my clients so that I may support them through the therapeutic process.

If you’re looking for a therapist who will meet you with empathy, honesty, and practical support while creating space to grow, I would be honored to work with you. I work with women who are navigating the emotional weight of new motherhood, identity shifts, and the grief that comes with a season of life that's "supposed to" feel like a blessing. If you've found yourself in a new chapter of life whether that's becoming a parent, or another major transition, let's work together to help you feel more grounded and create a life that feels more aligned with what matters most to you.

Experienced clinician focused on helping clients navigate life's stages and changes. Offering empathy, insight and empowerment through counseling. Graduate of Fordham University's School of Social Work. Together, we'll fine-tune your ability to manage the emotional challenges that adults often experience in mid to late-life.

Twenty-five years in this field — across inpatient units, outpatient programs, and private practice — means I've sat with people in virtually every kind of difficulty. That depth of experience shapes how I show up: grounded, unhurried, and genuinely confident that change is possible, even when it doesn't feel that way yet.

I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, ADD/ADHD, stress, and major life transitions. I bring both clinical rigor and real human warmth to the work — because neither alone is enough.

I trained at Hunter College School of Social Work and have built my practice around one belief: that insight without practical tools doesn't get people very far, and tools without insight don't stick. We'll work on both.

There are times in life when we feel stuck, lonely, anxious, or disconnected from ourselves. While these experiences can be painful, I believe they often serve as powerful catalysts for growth, healing, and transformation. Earning your trust and helping you establish a secure, empowering baseline for your care is an honor I hold deeply. Over my five years of practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I have found profound meaning in supporting adults and couples through their most difficult moments. I specialize in helping clients navigate anxiety, depression, eating disorders, OCD, and trauma. I am also fiercely committed to providing affirming care for the LGBTQIA+ community, offering a safe harbor for those seeking an inclusive, sex-positive space. It is a privilege to support people as they develop greater self-awareness, strengthen their resilience, and move toward a more authentic version of themselves.

I am a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with training in adult outpatient psychiatry and telehealth. My background includes psychiatric evaluation and medication management for adults with anxiety, depression, mood-related concerns, ADHD, trauma-related symptoms, sleep difficulties, and stress or burnout. I take a supportive, collaborative approach focused on clear communication and shared decision-making. Evening appointments are available.

I have been working in healthcare since 2007, working as a certified nursing assistant taking care of elderly patients in long term care facilities and home care. I later graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse in 2008 and continued to work in long term care facilities caring for the elderly. I graduated as a Registered Nurse from Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing and went on to taking care of patients ranging from young adults to geriatric with acute conditions, stable chronic conditions and complex medical conditions. In 2018, I graduated as a Nurse Practitioner and worked with patients post cardiac surgery, critically ill patient in the intensive care unit and a mix of neurology, neurosurgery, general surgery, vascular surgery and medically unstable psychiatric patients. After experiencing postpartum, with my extensive medical background, I decided to pursue a degree in Psychiatry to help more people goring through what I went through. I graduated with my PMHNP from Western Connecticut State University in 2025. Through my education, I was able to provide care for patients, both stable and acute, with depression, ADHD, PTSD, Anxiety, and mood disorders.