Kristie Calvillo, LCSW

Kristie is a licensed clinical social worker and co-founder of The Behavior Therapy Group. She is among the first in Connecticut to become board certificated by the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification. She has proficiency in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy which she uses to treat a variety of concerns including insomnia, anxiety, OCD, panic, phobias, and personality disorders. Kristie is also trained in SPACE, a novel therapy that treats childhood anxiety solely through work with the parents, and Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD. Kristie treats older children, adolescents, adults, and provides parent consultation.

Kristie earned her BA in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed her graduate work at Columbia University School of Social Work. She was then awarded two post-graduate fellowships at Yale University School of Medicine, where she first began her work in DBT. Kristie worked as a therapist at Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital’s Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program and at Yale University, School of Medicine’s Cedarhurst School before she was hired by Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, CT, to assist in the development and implementation of a residential DBT program for adolescents.  Prior to co-founding The Behavior Therapy Group in 2017, Kristie was a therapist at the Dialectical and Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center in Westport, CT for 7 years.

Alison Emel, PhD

Dr. Emel is a licensed clinical psychologist and co-founder of The Behavior Therapy Group. She works with both adolescents and adults applying DBT and CBT to the treatment of depression, anxiety, mood regulation, eating disorders, substance abuse, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and insomnia. She is also highly skilled in the treatment of personality disorders, specifically borderline personality disorder.

Dr. Emel applies mindfulness based therapies to target psychiatric symptoms and commitment strategies to help clients apply DBT and CBT skills in the context of their own life. Her clinical style is a combination of validation, warmth, and humor balanced with problem-solving and skills based strategies.

Dr. Emel completed her graduate work in 2006 at the New School for Social Research in New York City where she earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a M.A. in General Psychology with a concentration in mental health and substance abuse counseling. She also earned her B.A. with Distinction in Psychology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She completed her DBT-oriented pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the Center for Intensive Treatment of Personality Disorders at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City where she was hired as a Staff Psychologist and developed a specialized and individualized DBT program for difficult to engage patients. She then worked at The Dialectical and Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center in Westport CT for ten years before co-founding The Behavior Therapy Group in 2017.

Robert Ogle, PhD

Dr. Ogle is a licensed clinical psychologist. He works with children and parents, adolescents, and adults, utilizing DBT and CBT to address anxiety disorders, including OCD, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and personality disorders. Dr. Ogle is also trained in STAND, an evidence-based treatment for adolescents with ADHD, has extensive experience with parent training for disruptive behavior disorders, and is an expert in the treatment of Selective Mutism.

Dr. Ogle’s clinical style blends warmth and support with a practical, honest approach. He leverages best practices in evidence-based treatment, tailored specifically to address the unique concerns of each client, to help them effect lasting, meaningful change in their lives built on skills learned in treatment. 

Dr. Ogle completed his undergraduate psychology coursework at Columbia University, then earned his Ph.D. at Florida International University, where he published numerous peer-reviewed publications and received a research grant through the National Institute of Child Health and Development in addition to developing as a clinician. He completed a postdoctoral internship focused on complex psychopathology in children and adolescents, particularly CPTSD, at a community mental health center in Springfield MA, before taking a postdoctoral position at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine focusing on anxiety in children and families. Prior to joining The Behavior Therapy Group, Dr. Ogle worked as a Staff Psychologist in the Counseling Center at Yeshiva University. He is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

Emily Kaplan, LCSW

Emily is a licensed clinical social worker. She has experience working with both adults and adolescents delivering DBT, CBT and ACT to treat anxiety, depression, OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder and personality disorders. Emily is also trained in Family Based Treatment, the gold-standard protocol for young people with moderate to severe anorexia. FBT focuses on empowering caregivers to guide the renourishment process for their child. 

Emily is an active and collaborative clinician who works hard to help her clients achieve their goals. Emily’s aim is to create a nurturing environment that facilitates growth through balancing acceptance and change. 

Emily received her BA in psychology at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, and completed her graduate work at Columbia University School of Social Work. While pursuing her graduate degree, Emily studied within the Dialectical Therapy Intensive Training Program, created by Andre Ivanoff, Ph.D. and Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, ABPP. Emily completed her first clinical placement at Columbia Irving Medical Center, Advanced DBT Program. She then went on to work as a therapist at Columbus Park Behavioral Health before beginning her work at the Behavior Therapy Group.

Ella Cannon, LMSW

Ella graduated from Columbia University’s School of Social Work and holds a Master of Science in Social Work with a specialization in Advanced Clinical Practice. She was selected as one of a distinguished group of students for the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Program, created by Dr. Andre Ivanoff and Dr. Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, ABPP.

Her experience includes a field placement at CEBT Ohio, a private practice specializing in comprehensive DBT and eating disorders. In this role, Ella conducted individual therapy sessions, co-led Adult DBT Skills groups, and performed intake assessments. She also obtained nutrition and holistic health training, becoming a board-certified holistic health practitioner. Before beginning her graduate studies, Ella earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology from Colby College. Following graduation, she pursued a two-year fellowship at McLean Hospital 3East Residential where she served as an educator, leading DBT skills groups and providing personalized coaching to residents.

Ella is passionate about cultivating deep connections with her clients, guided by the collaborative and empowering principles of DBT. In her free time, Ella enjoys leisurely walks around New York City with her dog, Richard, and horseback riding whenever she visits home.

Jessica Forstmann, LMSW

Jessica is a Licensed Social Worker who graduated from Columbia University School of Social Work with a Master of Science in Social Work, specializing in Advanced Clinical Practice. During her clinical field placement at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell’s Department of Psychology at Payne Whitney in the Adult Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), Jessica received extensive training in comprehensive DBT and CBT. She provided individual therapy and facilitated intensive group therapy focused on DBT and CBT skills. While at PHP, she honed her expertise in acute differential diagnosis and safety assessment, working closely with individuals experiencing mania, psychosis, anxiety, depression, addiction, OCD, and trauma. She gained valuable experience delivering effective psychotherapy, developing patient-centered treatment plans, collaborating with a diverse interdisciplinary team, and implementing personalized interventions.

Jessica’s approach is informed by a thorough intake process, which considers patients’ past histories, mental status, clinical presentations, collateral information, and psychosocial influences to guide intervention. Recently, she attended the Behavior Tech DBT foundational intensive training at Columbia University as part of her journey to becoming certified by the DBT-Linehan Board. Additionally, she earned a certificate in CBT for anxiety from the Beck Institute for CBT. Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Trinity College and a holistic health coaching certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Jessica is goal-oriented and committed to working collaboratively with clients to build a life worth living through the principles of DBT and CBT.