Pinnacle Behavioral Health

10/13/2025

As the weather turns and the days get shorter, now is a great time to accumulate positives! Find the little, every day things that bring you joy and focus on them. The pleasure in a hot cup of coffee, the squirrel that scampers across your path, the break in the rain as you walk to your car. Simple pleasures bring happiness when we bother to notice them.

02/15/2023

There are a few spots left! Would love to have you join us.

02/01/2023

Teddy is looking forward to seeing everyone in group!

01/31/2023

Some days, we are just ”not feeling it.”. We don’t want to get out of bed, go to work, go to school, take a test, etc. Focusing on the one big task makes it seem insurmountable. Instead, break it down to little steps and focus on one at a time. Sit up in bed, put your feet on the floor, walk to the bathroom, and keep going. Everyone little step is an accomplishment which increases the possibility of your attaining the final goal. Every little step counts!

01/30/2023

Mondays can be hard. A small reward such as time with a friend, a special snack, or simply the chance to watch your favorite TV show --anything you anticipate with pleasure makes starting your day a little easier.

01/27/2023

Came across this article and thought you might find it useful.

From poor sleep to headaches, signs that it's time for kids to take a break can take many forms. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

01/24/2023

Meet our staff: Amanda Sullivan, LMSW
Amanda received her Bachelor’s in Psychology and a minor in Women and Gender Sexuality Studies from Central Connecticut State University in 2019 and received her Master’s from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work in 2022. During her undergraduate program, Amanda completed an internship at Klingberg Family Center as an Ana Grace Project intern. As an intern, Amanda taught social emotional skills to K-5th graders at Northend Elementary School in New Britain, CT with the goal of building healthy relationships, increasing human connection and decreasing violence in communities.

After graduating with her Bachelor’s, Amanda began working as a mental health counselor for Wheeler Clinic’s Intensive In-Home Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services (IICAPS). During her time at IICAPS, Amanda provided crisis support for both her clients and their families and provided individual and family therapy multiple times a week. Through her encounters with clients and close loved ones, Amanda became very passionate about providing support for those who had been sexually assaulted. She became a certified sexual assault crisis counselor volunteer at the YWCA of New Britain. She assisted with accompanying clients during police statements, evidence collection kids, hotline calls, as well as advocating for her clients’ needs.

Throughout her Master’s program, Amanda interned at Newington High School and facilitated a life skills group to encourage students to become independent and self-sufficient. She often collaborated with parents, staff and the school social worker at 504/IEP meetings to advocate for students’ needs and highlighted their successes. During her last field placement, Amanda interned here at Pinnacle and co-facilitated the middle school group. Through her field placement, Amanda became familiarized and passionate about the importance of dialectical behavioral therapy and providing services to adolescents and their families who are all capable of flourishing.

01/24/2023

Meet our staff: Braedon Robinson, LMSW
Braedon received his Bachelor’s in Social Work from the University of Saint Joseph in 2021 and his Master’s from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work in 2022. Braedon completed an internship at Youth Challenge in Hartford during his undergraduate program. As an intern, he facilitated therapeutic groups with men recovering from substance abuse in a residential setting. Braedon also completed a second internship as part of his undergraduate program as an intern at Wheeler Clinic. While at Wheeler Clinic, Braedon interned with the Community Support for Families program, in which he worked to help families access resources from mental health services to housing, food, and basic needs to help them thrive.

After graduating with his Bachelor’s, Braedon began his post-graduate studies at UCONN, where he completed an internship at Pinnacle Behavioral Health as a group facilitator for the middle school group. During his time at Pinnacle, Braedon became familiarized with and passionate about the importance of dialectical behavioral therapy as a successful and effective therapeutic intervention for adolescents and their families. As a member of the Pinnacle team, Braedon is grateful to be in a position to help support adolescents and families who are struggling as he once did during his adolescence.

01/24/2023

Meet our staff: Alex Carreira, LPC-a
Alexandra Carreira holds a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Saint Joseph. Alexandra received a B.A in psychology at Salve Regina University, while playing collegiate soccer. Alexandra has experience volunteering by teaching soccer fundamentals to children with physical and mental disabilities. Alexandra has experience as a private tutor for elementary school aged children.
Alexandra completed a year-long masters-level internship at Pinnacle Behavioral Health, giving her experience in a dialectical behavioral therapy-based program and helping support adolescents and their families. Alexandra made the decision to continue her career at Pinnacle in hopes of continuing to help this population and develop further as a counselor.

01/24/2023

Meet our staff: Alexis Cruz. LPC-a

Alexis obtained a bachelor's degree in psychology with a concentration in mental health from Southern Connecticut State University in 2019 and received a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from the University of Saint Joesph's. Alexis completed an internship at Rushford during her undergraduate program, facilitating group therapy for adults struggling with substance abuse. Upon graduation, Alexis began working as a milieu counselor at Waterbury Hospital in the adult psychiatric unit assisting in crisis intervention and facilitating a variety of daily groups.
During her graduate career, Alexis completed a yearlong internship at Pinnacle Behavioral Health to become familiar with the adolescent population in hopes to provide support and treatment to the younger population and their families during their therapeutic process. Alexis enjoyed her role as an intern at PBH and is excited to continue working within this IOP setting.

01/24/2023

Meet our staff: Auri Rodriguez, LPC-a

Aurivellise Rodriguez holds a masters degree in counseling from the University of Saint Joseph with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling. While in her undergraduate program working towards a B.A in psychology, and minor in sociology at the University of Hartford, Aurivellise interned at Moylan Expeditionary Learning Academy in Hartford, Connecticut providing clinical interventions and case management services to elementary school aged children and their parents struggling with attendance, mental health and school related concerns. Aurivellise also assisted with the Children’s with Incarcerated Parent’s Program while in her internship providing group based interventions to children who have had one or more parents currently incarcerated. Aurivellise soon then gained a passion for working with children and adolescents outside of the school setting where she felt she could have a larger impact.
During her masters, Aurivellise completed her masters-level internship at Pinnacle Behavioral Health allowing her to become familiarized with a multi-family group dialectical behavioral therapy based program for treating adolescents struggling with depression, anxiety, self destructive behaviors and related mental health issues.

01/24/2023

Meet our staff: Alexis Verrill, LMSW

Alexis obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from Quinnipiac University in 2019 and received a Master’s degree in Social Work from Quinnipiac University. During her graduate program, Alexis completed two year-long internships while also working as a milieu counselor. In her first internship, Alexis functioned as a school social work intern providing individual and group therapy to kids between the ages of 7 and 11 in the Guilford Public School System. In her second internship, Alexis functioned as an MSW Intern providing mental health and substance abuse treatment to teens and adults (ages of 14-64) at the Root Center for Advanced Recovery in Middletown, CT. Within these positions, Alexis realized her passion for working with adolescents and teens and has since worked as a Milieu Counselor at the Wellspring Foundation in their Adolescent Residential program providing milieu therapy to adolescent females and teens (ages 13-18). Alexis is beyond excited to be working in an IOP setting again, providing intensive services to adolescents and their families at Pinnacle Behavioral Health.