OUTPATIENT DETOXIFICATION
Call us:
212-779-9207
Parallax Center, Inc.
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MEET OUR TEAM
Doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors, CASACs
Our staff is composed of an interdisciplinary team of professionals who will work with you to achieve your goals and maintain your sobriety
MEET OUR TEAM
DAVID M. OCKERT, PhD
Executive Director
ARIEL HURLEY, LCSW, MSSW, MPH
Clinical Director
ALEXANDRA FINGESTEN, MD
Medical Director
David M. Ockert, PhD is the founder of the Parallax Center. He currently serves as the Executive Director and Clinical Director. Dr. Ockert has developed methodologies for outpatient detoxification and stabilization from all drugs of abuse.
Ariel Hurley, LCSW, MSSW, MPH has worked with Parallax Center since 2018, initially as a part-time clinician, and since May 2021, as the Clinical Director. She is a New York Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Ariel earned her Master’s degree in Public Health, specializing in Sociomedical Sciences, from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Medical Center. She also earned her Master of Science in Social Work degree from Columbia University School of Social Work and is a field instructor for its Advanced Clinical Practice students.
Alexandra Fingesten, MD has served as the Medical Director for Parallax Center since 2002. She manages and supervises all medical services, including psychiatric and withdrawal treatments.
PATRICIA SPARKS, CASAC
Senior Counselor
Patricia Sparks, BA, CASAC has been providing services for people with mental health and substance use disorders for over 22 years. She has been working with Parallax Center since 2000.
JANE MARIN, BS
Operations Director
Jane Marin, BS has been working with Parallax Center since 2007. Starting as an entry level biller, she currently serves as the Operations Director, overseeing the general operations of the agency and coordinating administrative departments.
Employee Spotlight
Saxon Palmer,
Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA)
Meet Parallax's new CRPA! Saxon joins the team after stints on Broadway (acting in Checkov's THREE SISTERS and Coward's DESIGN FOR LIVING) and the Bowery (Rescue Mission). Although a recent acquisition, he is already feeling at home here and is encouraged by the compassion that informs the care provided by our staff. While he would not claim to be an expert, Saxon's forte might lie in his ability to connect and engage with clients, utilizing his vast lived experience - having come from living on the streets himself, he now helps others get off the streets themselves, from housing to homegroups and from detox to day to day sober living. Whatever it takes.
Previous service includes St Christopher's Inn, and The Greenwich House.
Something about Saxon:
He enjoys most things aquatic including sailing and fishing - and he has webbed toes and a stellar dog named Frank!
Want to connect with Saxon?
Let someone know while you are here at your appointment.
Want to meet our former Employee Spotlight holders?
Check them out here!
Employee Spotlight: Admissions Coordinator
Meet Ash Vasquez! They joined our team in June 2022 and graduated from the SUNY Brockport School of Social Work in 2014. Read more about them by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Clinical Coordinator
Meet Stephen Hirsch! He joined our team in 2017 as a graduate intern from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. Read more about him by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Director of Outreach
Meet Natalie Helpern! She joined our team in 2015 as a graduate intern from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. Read more about her by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Senior Counselor
Meet Patricia Sparks! She has been working with the Parallax Center for over 20 years. Read more about her by clicking below:
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Employee Spotlight: Therapist
Meet Ariel Hurley! She has been working with the Parallax Center for almost 2 years. Read more about her by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Nurse
Meet Joe Nebbia! He has been working with the Parallax Center for over 2 years. Read more about him by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Clinical Coordinator
Meet Zoë Sheinberg! She has been working with the Parallax Center since 2017. Read more about her by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Counselor
Meet Juliet Faber! She has been working with the Parallax Center as a counselor. Read more about her by clicking below:
ZOE SHEINBERG, LCSW
Assistant Clinical Director
Meet Zoë Sheinberg, LCSW one of our Social Workers at Parallax Center. Zoë is the Assistant Clinical Director and Service Director at Parallax Center, Inc.; overseeing our outpatient detoxification and outpatient rehabilitation programs. She has been with Parallax since 2017 when she began as a Social Work Graduate school intern.
NOLA CASLIN, LMSW
Assistant Clinical Coordinator
Meet Nola Caslin! Nola is a licensed master of social work and has been working in the health care field since 2019 as a medical social work intern turned medical social worker at different NYC based hospitals. Nola serves as the Intake Coordinator at Parallax Center helping to oversee the detoxification and continuing care programs. She has been with Parallax since 2021 when she began as an Intake Specialist.
VIDUSHI SAXENA, LMSW
Clinical Coordinator
Vidushi is currently the Clinical Coordinator for the 822 continuing care program at Parallax. She began her career at the company as a graduate social work intern in 2020 and has progressed through various roles. With experience in the mental health care field dating back to 2018, Vidushi has worked in various areas such as workplace mental health, managing grassroots mental health programs, and substance use. She holds a license as a master of social work and has professional experience in mental health in both the United States and India.
MADELINE KENDALL, LMSW
Intake Specialist
LUKE ARSENAULT, LMSW
Intake Specialist
ASH VASQUEZ, MSW, EMT-B
Admissions Coordinator
Bio coming soon.
Bio coming soon.
Ash currently serves as the Admissions Coordinator for the 816 ambulatory detox and 822 outpatient services program. Ash joined Parallax after having many different professional experiences including, but not limited to: Intern & Volunteer at Monroe County Correctional Facility's Chemical Dependence and Reentry program, Associate Researcher for the NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services, and Social Practitioner in a Mental Health Clubhouse in NYC.
PATRICIA SPARKS, CASAC
Senior Counselor
Patricia Sparks, BA, CASAC has been providing services for people with mental health and substance use disorders for over 22 years. She has been working with Parallax Center since 2000.
JANE MARIN, BS
Operations Director
Jane Marin, BS has been working with Parallax Center since 2007. Starting as an entry level biller, she currently serves as the Operations Director, overseeing the general operations of the agency and coordinating administrative departments.
Employee Spotlight
Saxon Palmer,
Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA)
Meet Parallax's new CRPA! Saxon joins the team after stints on Broadway (acting in Checkov's THREE SISTERS and Coward's DESIGN FOR LIVING) and the Bowery (Rescue Mission). Although a recent acquisition, he is already feeling at home here and is encouraged by the compassion that informs the care provided by our staff. While he would not claim to be an expert, Saxon's forte might lie in his ability to connect and engage with clients, utilizing his vast lived experience - having come from living on the streets himself, he now helps others get off the streets themselves, from housing to homegroups and from detox to day to day sober living. Whatever it takes.
Previous service includes St Christopher's Inn, and The Greenwich House.
Something about Saxon:
He enjoys most things aquatic including sailing and fishing - and he has webbed toes and a stellar dog named Frank!
Want to connect with Saxon?
Let someone know while you are here at your appointment.
Want to meet our former Employee Spotlight holders?
Check them out here!
Employee Spotlight: Admissions Coordinator
Meet Ash Vasquez! They joined our team in June 2022 and graduated from the SUNY Brockport School of Social Work in 2014. Read more about them by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Clinical Coordinator
Meet Stephen Hirsch! He joined our team in 2017 as a graduate intern from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. Read more about him by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Director of Outreach
Meet Natalie Helpern! She joined our team in 2015 as a graduate intern from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. Read more about her by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Senior Counselor
Meet Patricia Sparks! She has been working with the Parallax Center for over 20 years. Read more about her by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Therapist
Meet Ariel Hurley! She has been working with the Parallax Center for almost 2 years. Read more about her by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Nurse
Meet Joe Nebbia! He has been working with the Parallax Center for over 2 years. Read more about him by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Clinical Coordinator
Meet Zoë Sheinberg! She has been working with the Parallax Center since 2017. Read more about her by clicking below:
Employee Spotlight: Counselor