Holiday decorations are being hung, the clocks have been turned back an hour, and winter is almost officially here. If you struggle with seasonal depression, here are 5 tips from AICT’s Dr. Allie Funk for managing your mood in the coldest, darkest time of year.

Allison Funk, Ph.D., is a New York State licensed psychologist at the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo Honors College and her doctorate from Hofstra University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. Dr. Funk has extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She has served as a therapist at Hofstra’s Anxiety and Depression Clinic, ACT Clinic, and DBT Clinic, as well as the Mount Sinai Addiction Institute and CUNY Graduate Center Student Counseling Services. She completed her APA-accredited internship at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. 

 Dr. Funk’s approach to therapy emphasizes the individual, applying the principles of cognitive and behavioral therapies in a flexible manner to meet each client's unique needs. She has particular expertise in working with individuals who are navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, work or school stress, perfectionism, and procrastination, as well as numerous other life challenges. Dr. Funk views treatment as a collaborative process in which therapist and client work as a team to identify factors contributing to the area of concern, set goals, and create change.

Maren Westphal, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist who received her B.A. (Honors) in Social and Political Sciences from the University of Cambridge and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (With Distinction) from Columbia University.Before joining AICT as a clinician, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the mood and anxiety disorders program at Mount Sinai Hospital and worked as a clinician and researcher in the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment and research program at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Westphal is intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and a Diplomate in the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. She is also trained in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression (MBCT), psychodynamic therapy, and structural family/couple therapy.

Dr. Westphal has expertise in treating depression, insomnia, generalized anxiety, health anxiety, PTSD, social anxiety, and specific phobias. She has taught ten workshops on cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders, including four at national conventions. Dr. Westphal specializes in helping individuals navigate work challenges, career changes, relationships, infertility, parenting, and life transitions. She also provides psychotherapy to patients with medical conditions and young adults struggling with perfectionism, procrastination, avoidance, and concentration difficulties/ADHD.