About Us
Why Clients Choose Us
Trauma-informed therapy and individualized care tailored to support meaningful, lasting healing.
Meet our team
Our Professional Team
Shafeena Khan-Jagan
Founder of Breakthrough Mental Health Counseling
Director of Clinical Services
Therapeutic Focus:
● Individuals navigating generational trauma, cultural identity concerns, and family-of-origin dynamics
● Clients experiencing betrayal trauma, trust ruptures, infidelity, and attachment-related wounds
● Adults facing anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and relationship stressors connected to past or present experiences
● Clients looking for a collaborative, culturally responsive therapy experience that supports mindful living, digital wellness, and meaningful personal growth
Shafeena is the Clinical Director at Breakthrough Mental Health Counseling. Of Indo-Caribbean heritage, Shafeena brings a culturally responsive and compassionate approach to therapy, offering specialized support to individuals from Indo-Caribbean, West Indian, and Caribbean communities. She works extensively with clients navigating generational trauma, betrayal trauma, identity-related stressors, and the emotional patterns shaped by family and cultural systems.
Shafeena also integrates a digital wellness–informed approach to treatment, recognizing the impact that technology, social media, and constant connectivity can have on emotional regulation, self-esteem, and relational health. Through mindfulness-based strategies and intentional boundary-setting, she helps clients “unplug” from unhealthy patterns of technology use and reconnect with presence, balance, and meaning in their daily lives. This holistic focus often leads clients toward their personal breakthrough moments—where insight turns into real, sustainable change.
Her therapeutic style is collaborative, trauma-informed, and highly individualized. Shafeena draws from evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Solution-Focused Therapy, allowing her to address both immediate concerns and deeper emotional wounds while empowering clients with practical tools for growth and healing.
In addition to her clinical work, Shafeena is dedicated to leadership and mentorship within the mental health field. She serves as a clinical supervisor to interns at Breakthrough MHC and remains actively involved in profes sional development and education. As an alumna of St. John’s University, she is a proud member of the Dean’s Advisory Board, where she continues to contribute to the advancement of ethical, culturally competent mental health care.
● Holds Diagnostic Privilege
● Certification in Trauma Treatment
● Certification in Tech Addiction and Digital Health
Shafeena Khan-Jagan
MS. Ed, LMHC-D, CCTP, NIDHW
Aasma Nuzzi
Clinical Supervisor
Dr. Nuzzi is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over a decade of experience providing culturally responsive care to diverse communities across New York City. She earned her Master’s and Doctorate in Mental Health Counseling from Pace University.
Fluent in Urdu, Punjabi, and Hindi, Dr. Nuzzi specializes in serving immigrant and AMEMSA (Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian) populations, integrating person-centered, cognitive-behavioral, and trauma-focused approaches to promote healing and resilience.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Nuzzi serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Clinical Director at the Council of Peoples Organization (COPO), leading initiatives that expand access to mental health services for underserved families. She is deeply committed to fostering inclusivity, advocacy, and wellness at both individual and community levels.
- Holds Diagnostic Privledge
- Certification in Trauma Treatment
Aasma Nuzzi
PhD, LMHC-D
Nicole Buffolino
Therapeutic Focus:
- Adolescents and young adults navigating the long-term impact of childhood emotional abuse
- Adults processing parental abandonment, trauma, or relational wounds
- Young adults and adults living with the emotional impact of early abuse or trauma
- Individuals looking to reclaim safety, strengthen coping skills, and restore self-trust
Nicole is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor dedicated to supporting individuals as they navigate the long-term effects of childhood emotional and psychological abuse, as well as the profound impact of parental abandonment. She works with adolescents and adults, helping clients understand how these early experiences often shape patterns of anxiety, depression, grief, and challenges with substance use.
Nicole utilizes a range of evidence-based approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), while maintaining a holistic, integrative perspective. She works collaboratively with clients to reframe deep-seated negative thoughts, develop healthier coping strategies, and strengthen resilience in the face of life’s challenges.
In her work, Nicole creates a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard and understood. She believes that meaningful change comes from empowering clients to process their history, reconnect with their personal values, and build a life rooted in growth, self-trust, and emotional wellbeing
Nicole Buffolino
MS. ED, LMHC- Affiliated Psychotherapist
Ciara DaSilva
Therapeutic Focus:
- Teens overwhelmed by trauma, emotions, or family dynamics
- Young adults processing relationship trauma and life transitions
- Adults healing from betrayal, abuse, or long-standing relational wounds
Ciara is a dedicated mental health counselor committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of her clients. She specializes in working with individuals who have experienced relationship trauma and family trauma including infidelity, domestic violence, and other relational wounds—as well as clients navigating trauma and mental health challenges. In this work, Ciara utilizes evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Solution-Focused Therapy to help clients process trauma, build insight, and develop healthier coping and relational patterns. She also has experience supporting clients through concerns including anxiety, depression, family issues, and life transitions.
Ciara tailors her therapeutic approach to meet the unique needs of each client and believes that meaningful change begins within. Through her empathetic and nonjudgmental presence, she creates a safe and supportive space where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered to grow at their own pace.
Outside of counseling, Ciara is also a dance teacher and choreographer, working with children and teens ages 2–18. This experience has deepened her understanding of youth development and further strengthened her passion for fostering resilience, confidence, and growth across all stages of life.
Ciara DaSilva
MS. Ed., MHC-LP
Aroona Hussain
Therapeutic Focus:
- Teens and adolescents impacted by emotional neglect, family stress, or cultural pressure
- Young adults working through childhood emotional or psychological abuse
- Adults healing from trauma, PTSD, anxiety, or depression
- Multicultural individuals navigating intergenerational, spiritual, or religious trauma
Aroona is a dedicated mental health counselor committed to creating a safe, supportive, and culturally responsive space for healing. She specializes in supporting individuals who have experienced childhood emotional and psychological abuse, as well as those impacted by spiritual or religious trauma. She approaches these experiences with deep care and validation, helping clients rebuild a sense of safety, strengthen self-trust, and reconnect with their personal sense of empowerment.
Aroona utilizes a compassionate and collaborative therapeutic approach, offering practical coping strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, and Person Centered Therapy alongside deeper trauma processing to support long-term emotional wellbeing. Her work is grounded in respect, empathy, and an understanding of how past experiences shape present-day patterns.
In addition to her clinical work, Aroona is deeply passionate about multicultural counseling. She is committed to creating an environment where clients from diverse cultural backgrounds feel genuinely seen, understood, and respected. By honoring each client’s cultural identity and lived experience, Aroona supports meaningful growth and healing that aligns with clients’ values and goals.
Aroona Hussain
MS., MHC-LP
Alecea Todisco
Mental Health Counseling Intern
Therapeutic Focus:
- Teens and young adults navigating anxiety, stress, and emotional overwhelm
- Clients experiencing interpersonal or family relationship challenges
- Individuals beginning to explore past relational or attachment-based trauma
- Clients seeking CBT-based support for thought patterns, coping skills, and emotional regulation
Alecea is a graduate-level clinical intern pursuing her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Hofstra University. She is committed to creating a safe, supportive space where clients feel comfortable opening up and working collaboratively toward healing and growth.
Alecea approaches therapy with warmth, curiosity, and respect, meeting clients where they are in their journey.
Working primarily from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) framework, Alecea tailors her approach to each client’s unique needs while remaining open to integrating additional therapeutic techniques as appropriate. She values collaboration and believes that therapy is most effective when clients feel heard, empowered, and actively involved in the process.
Alecea is especially interested in supporting clients navigating interpersonal challenges and family or relational trauma. During her time at Breakthrough Mental Health Counseling, she is eager to deepen her clinical skills, expand her understanding of trauma-informed care, and learn from both clients and supervisors in a thoughtful and intentional way.
With a strong passion for helping others and a genuine openness to learning, Alecea brings compassion, dedication, and fresh perspective to her clinical work, supporting clients at their own pace in a space rooted in safety and trust.
Alecea Todisco
MHC Intern
Nicole Sperling
Therapeutic Focus
- Adolescents and young adults navigating identity development, systemic stress, and the long-term impact of identity-based or social trauma
- Young adults and adults processing experiences of discrimination, marginalization, or relational wounds
- Individuals impacted by environmental, social, or identity-related trauma seeking greater emotional regulation and resilience
- Individuals looking to build self-understanding, strengthen coping skills, and cultivate a sense of safety and self-trust
Nicole Sperling is a Mental Health Counseling graduate student and clinical intern who provides a warm, supportive, and affirming space for clients to explore their experiences and identities.
She is passionate about helping individuals feel safe, seen, and understood throughout the therapeutic process.
Nicole has a special interest in working with individuals impacted by identity-based, social, and environmental trauma, with a focus on supporting LGBTQ+ clients navigating concerns related to identity, discrimination, and systemic stress. She utilizes an integrative, person-centered approach that incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), allowing her to meet clients where they are and tailor treatment to their individual goals.
Nicole values building collaborative therapeutic relationships and believes that healing begins when clients feel heard and respected. She is dedicated to helping clients develop insight, coping strategies, and resilience while honoring the full context of their lived experiences.