

Whether you're in downtown Newburgh, near the waterfront, or surrounding neighborhoods, Headway connects Aetna members with mental health support. Sessions start as low as $0 with insurance, and our 8,079 provider network ensures you'll find someone matching your needs.
As a single mom of color, I have witnessed the extreme societal pressure placed on mothers to choose between their career or their children; leaving little room to even provide attention to their own self care. This ignited a passion within me to use my skills to support women to navigate through the chaos. My goal is to work with those women who may need help coping through these very real everyday stressors. Not a mom? That's ok! I can also empathize with the pressure placed on women of color in the workplace to work so much harder than their male counterparts. Its my hope to create a safe space for you to explore these feelings.
It can be challenging at times for women to have access to a therapist who can empathize with their experiences. Through a strengths based approach, I would love to share my personal experience with being a woman of color, a mom, a Christian, as well as a goal oriented professional in non-profit leadership and mental health.
Through this journey, I want you to find a sense of fulfillment, purpose, and self worth and I would be honored to take that walk with you. Our sessions will not be for me to "social work" you, but for you to unload some of the pressure and burden to make the ride a bit easier. No matter what it feels like, you got this... you can do this!
Whether you are navigating the complexities of young adulthood, experiencing challenges with parenting, going through stressors in your relationship or even life's inevitable stresses, you do not have to walk this path alone. Seeking therapy is a hard first step to take and I want to guide you in increasing self-confidence and fostering healthier relationships while finding a sense of purpose.
Christian is an accomplished and compassionate board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with over 10 years of experience in mental health. He is affiliated with Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital where he treats adults on the inpatient psychiatric unit and Quannacut Outpatient Services where he treats both adults and adolescents struggling with substance use and mental health disorders. He also has extensive experience treating older adults and has been affiliated with multiple senior living facilities on Long Island.
My name is Melissa Cary and I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of NY. I specialize in trauma, anxiety, stress management and enhancing self esteem. I focus on adolescents and adults who have a desire to participate in therapy.
I am a dual-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner providing care to adolescents and adults through a warm, holistic, and evidence-based approach. I completed my Family Nurse Practitioner training at Long Island University and later advanced my training with a post master’s certification in psychiatric mental health at Liberty University. My background across urgent care and outpatient settings has allowed me to care for a wide range of conditions, while recognizing the strong connection between physical health, anxiety, depression, and overall emotional well-being.
I work with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma-related concerns, stress, and life transitions, including those managing both medical and mental health conditions. I provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and medication management, while also creating a supportive space where you feel heard, respected, and understood. My goal is to help you feel more stable, clear, and in control of your mental health.
My approach is grounded in the belief that therapy works best not by giving quick fixes, but by creating a space where we can slow down together and get curious about what's underneath the surface; your patterns, your pain, your hopes, and the parts of you that may have been left behind along the way.
I am a board- certified psychiatric nurse practitioner committed to compassionate, ethical, and individualized mental health care.



Headway makes it easy to get affordable in-network mental health care with Aetna — from finding the right therapist or psychiatrist, to understanding costs, to booking your first session.