Tal Astrachan, Psy.D.

Tal Astrachan grew up in New York City. She completed a Bachelor’s degree at Harvard University and a Doctoral degree at Rutgers University. Prior to coming to Tufts, she worked at a specialized trauma treatment program. In addition to her work at CMHS, she leads a group in the community for survivors of political violence.

Areas of clinical interest are wide-ranging and include: childhood abuse and neglect; sexual assault and interpersonal violence; issues affecting first and second generation immigrants, refugees, and international students; issues affecting LGBT students; and group psychotherapy. In all of her work, she is particularly interested in helping clients develop an increased sense of agency, as well as increasing their capacity to experience the range of emotions in a way that is adaptive and life-enhancing. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and trying new restaurants, reading novels, and spending time with friends and family.

Marilyn Downs, Ph.D., LICSW, Director of Outreach

Marilyn Downs joined the Tufts staff in September 2006. She has twenty five years of clinical experience in college and community settings, including prior work at Wellesley College and Somerville Mental Health Clinic. Marilyn received her Master of Social Work from Boston University and her PhD in Social Work from Simmons College.

Areas of clinical interest include: childhood trauma and neglect; suicidal and self-injurious behavior; growing up with mental illness or addiction; sexual assault and interpersonal violence; and negotiating relationships with family, friends and partners. She is interested in the influences of social class and cultural identity in people's lives, and is especially attentive to enhancing the capacities for reflection, emotional expression and authenticity in relationships.

In addition to her work at Tufts, Marilyn is on the adjunct faculty at Simmons School of Social Work, where she teaches Advanced Clinical Practice. On a personal note, Marilyn is part of a women's African percussion ensemble, and enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Linda Escoll, Ed.M., Psy.D. Assistant Director

Linda Escoll was born in Philadelphia, PA. Her Bachelors degree is from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where she majored in English, and studied abroad in Paris. She obtained a Masters degree in Counseling and Consulting Psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Before coming to the Tufts Counseling Center, she worked at Children's Charter, inc., a family and child trauma clinic in Waltham, Massachusetts. She especially enjoys working with college and graduate students and has been affiliated with the Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Service for over 12 years. She is currently the Assistant Director. Dr. Escoll likes to spend time with her family and friends, and enjoys outdoor activities such as running and hiking, as well as movies and music.

Deborah Forman, M.Ed., MSW

Deborah Forman was born in New York City. She received her Bachelors Degree from Boston University in Sociology, a Masters in Special Education from Lesley College, and a Masters in Social Work from Simmons College. She has many years of experience working with students in educational settings. Prior to coming to Tufts in September 2005, she worked with college students at New York University and Harvard University.

Areas of clinical interest are varied and include women's issues; relationships with family, friends and partners; identity development; multicultural issues and bereavement. In addition to her role in counseling individuals, Deborah is one of the co-leaders of the Parental Loss Group. In her free time, Deborah enjoys spending time with family and friends and being in the outdoors.

Darleen Gracia, Psy.D., Postdoctoral Psychology Fellow

Dr. Darleen Gracia is a native of Puerto Rico, but grew up in Connecticut. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut in psychology and sociology, her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and most recently her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. She has extensive training experience working with underserved populations, particularly Latinos in the U.S. She has also traveled to Costa Rica and Ecuador to provide volunteer clinical services in small communities and local organizations. Prior to Tufts, Darleen worked in several outpatient community health centers where she was able to utilize her Spanish-speaking skills. She has also worked with adolescents in an inpatient setting as well as in a community-based residential home setting. Darleen’s areas of clinical interest include depression, anxiety, trauma, women’s issues, LGBT issues, identity development, cultural adjustment/navigation, and general mind-body wellness. She takes an integrative approach to treatment, incorporating psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, dialectical, solution-focused, strength-based, and stress management/health psychology approaches.

Julie Jampel, Ph.D., Director of Training and Continuing Education Director

Julie Jampel was born in St. Louis, MO. She came east for college and got her Bachelors degree from Harvard University. Her Doctoral degree, from Yale University, is in Clinical and Developmental Psychology. Prior to coming to Tufts in 1992, she worked with students at Harvard and Yale, as well as with veterans suffering from PTSD. Always a collector of one thing or another, she now collects handmade boxes and various miniature objects.

Susan Mahoney APRN, BC, Clinical Nurse Specialist

Susan joined the Counseling and Mental Health Service at Tufts University in 2005 after working for many years in the local community providing psychotherapy and psychopharmacology treatment. She received an MS degree in Nursing from Northeastern University and is Board Certified as an Advanced Practice Nurse in Psychiatric / Mental Health Nursing.

Susan has particular interest in women's issues and trauma. In addition to her role in providing psychiatric treatment to students, Susan holds the role of Sexual Assault Clinician. This role allows her to be available to any student who has experienced sexual assault. She can provide support and information to assist a student through this difficult process.

Erik Antony Marks, MSW, LICSW

Erik Marks was born in New York, but raised in Denmark and the foothills of Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in human services in '90 and received his Bachelors degree from UMass/Boston in Psychology with a minor in philosophy. His masters degree in Clinical Social Work is from Simmons College after which he completed a year-long post-graduate fellowship in psychiatric social work at Two Brattle Center. Erik was the director of an Adult Psychiatric Day Treatment for five years after working as a group therapist in the program for two years. As a trainee at CMHS in '98-'99, Erik developed a fondness for working with students from all over the world and was delighted to rejoin CMHS as a staff member in 06. He has a private practice and is the mental health consultant to Living Routes. Erik is interested in the integration of mindfulness, ecopsychology, social justice, and mind/body health; with a particular focus on the clinical efficacy of Buddhist psychology/ philosophy. Erik studied for three years at Berklee College of Music and continues playing funk, jazz, and rock bass and guitar. He enjoys spending time with family exploring the wilderness of mountains and shorelines.

Euna Oh was born in Jeonju, South Korea and grew up there until high school. She left Jeonju for Seoul to attend a college. After her bachelor degree, she came to U.S. to pursue master and doctoral degrees. She received her master degree in Counseling Psychology at University of Missouri at Columbia and her Ph.D. degree in Counseling psychology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to coming to Tufts in January, 2009, she worked with college students at SUNY-Buffalo as a staff psychologist as well as at University of Southern California as a pre-doctoral intern. She is fluent in Korean and can offer counseling in Korean. Areas of clinical interest includes: multicultural issues, relationship concerns, trauma survivor issues, international students issues, couple therapy, and depression and anxiety moods. Euna Oh enjoys eating ethnic foods, spending time with family or talking to family and friends abroad, and going window shopping.

John Rosario-Perez, Psy.D.

John Rosario-Perez, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist, mostly grew up in Arizona although he also has roots in New York City. He recently re-joined the Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Services, where he worked from 2001-06. He is also on the counseling center staff of the New England Conservatory of Music. His passions include literature, psychoanalytic theory and practice, and furniture restoration. A graduate of Brown University, he earned a master's degree at Tufts, and his doctoral degree at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Other interests include Spanish, multiculturalism, and LGBT issues. He spends his spare time with friends and walking his blue merle collie, Luna.

Julie S. Ross, Ph.D., Director, Counseling and Mental Health Services

A native of Southern California, Dr. Ross obtained her Bachelor's degree in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine, before coming east to pursue her Doctoral degree in Psychology and Social Relations at Harvard University. Her clinical work has included working in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and college counseling centers. Special interests include human development across the life span, mind/body issues, and young adult development.

Dr. Ross was on the staff of the Tufts University Counseling Center for several years before accepting the position of Director of Counseling Services at Wheelock College. After six years at Wheelock, she returned to Tufts University as the Director of the Counseling and Mental Health Service. Dr. Ross is thrilled to be part of the Tufts University Health and Wellness Service, which embraces an integrated approach to wellness and healthcare, reflecting what is now understood as the indivisibility of "mind" and "body".

In addition to her passion for the work she does, Dr. Ross enjoys spending time with friends and family, vacationing in wilderness areas, gardening, reading, knitting, and listening to a wide variety of music.

Ritu Sharma, Ph.D.

Ritu was raised in Louisiana and later moved to Boston to attend Suffolk University where she received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She has previously worked in a diverse range of clinical settings including college counseling centers, state hospital psychiatric inpatient units, a child and adolescent partial hospital, and outpatient clinics. She completed her postdoctoral fellowships at Two Brattle Center, where she trained intensively in dialectical behavior therapy for adults and adolescents, and at the Trauma Center, where she received specialized training in trauma-focused interventions and coordinated a NIH-funded yoga study. Ritu enjoys working with students in many areas including complex trauma, self-injurious behaviors, self-regulation, mindfulness and yoga interventions, multicultural and LGBT issues, and relationship concerns. Outside of work, Ritu loves traveling to new places to try out unique cuisines and to practice her newly learned skill of photography.

Nandini Talwar, M.D., Senior Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Talwar was born and raised in India. She moved to the United States with her family and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California in Irvine. She began her journey to the East Coast with a stop in the Midwest to get her Medical Degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She then moved to Boston where she completed her residency training in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Triple Board Program at Tufts-New England Medical Center.

Dr. Talwar joined the staff at Tufts in 2003 and is thankful to be finally doing the work that brings her great joy and satisfaction.

In addition to her position at Tufts, Dr. Talwar is the Child Psychiatry Consultant to the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health and in that role provides consultation to the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Social Services. Dr. Talwar is also on the faculty at the Cambridge Health Alliance, providing training to the Child Psychiatry fellows in Systems Consultation and she is an Instructor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Areas of professional interest include working with college and graduate students especially with GLBTQ students, and students coping with issues of acculturation. Her personal interests include being a parent, spending time with family and friends, cooking, traveling and gardening.

Danielle Webster, RN/PC

Danielle joined the Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Service in the fall of 2008. She earned a Masters of Science Degree from Northeastern University and is Board Certified as an Advanced Practice Nurse in Psychiatry and Mental Health Nursing. Over the years she has worked in a variety of mental health settings and is happy to be working with college and graduate students. She is particularly interested in working with students who are dealing with issues related to anxiety and depression and students who may be struggling with problems related to alcohol and/or drugs use. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends. She also loves the outdoors and depending on the season one can find her kayaking, mountain biking or snowboarding.

Jennifer West, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Psychology Fellow

Dr. Jennifer West received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. She grew up in NY and received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Communication at Geneseo State University. After college, she worked as a research consultant at a young adult-focused marketing firm in downtown Boston before deciding to pursue graduate studies. Prior to coming to Tufts this fall, Jennifer worked in a diverse range of clinical settings, including college counseling centers, career centers, child residential programs, and acute treatment centers. Jennifer has also worked with women who have histories of complex trauma on a NIH-funded yoga study at the Trauma Center; she wrote her dissertation on the use of therapeutic yoga as a complementary treatment for trauma. She enjoys working with young adults who are dealing with a variety of mental health concerns, such as identity development and exploration, relationship issues, and recovery from significant life stressors, and she focuses on healing, personal growth, and empowerment. Jennifer describes her theoretical orientation as informed by relational psychodynamic approaches and acceptance and commitment therapy, and she often incorporates mindfulness and cognitive techniques in therapy based on the individual needs of each client. Outside of work, Jennifer keeps an active lifestyle, and has a particular passion for yoga. She is a registered yoga teacher (RYT) and has trained in hot power Vinyasa yoga and gentle, trauma-informed Hatha yoga. Spending time with family and friends is a priority for Jennifer and with their company she likes to explore all that Boston has to offer, but she especially loves traveling to new places and experiencing new cultures.

Christopher Willard, Psy.D.

Dr. Christopher Willard graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in English before beginning work in psychology. He received his doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, where he wrote his dissertation on new uses of mindfulness and meditation in psychology, health, and learning. Before coming to Tufts, Chris worked for many years in community mental health settings with underserved and marginalized populations of all ages and backgrounds. He describes his theoretical orientation as informed by both Western and Non-Western psychologies and philosophies, and has studied meditation extensively in both North America and Asia. An avid writer, he recently published his first book, Child's Mind, and has been contributing chapters to other books while beginning research on a second book about mindfulness and positive psychology. Outside of Tufts, he has a small consulting practice, and also teaches and serves on the board of directors of The Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. When not working, Chris enjoys cooking, hiking, reading, writing, international travel and any combination of these he can manage.