Growing up, Dr. Cerda developed a keen interest in others' emotions and in forming meaningful connections. Often described in childhood as “quiet,” “sensitive,” and “always thinking,” she naturally gravitated toward understanding people’s inner worlds. Raised in a hard-working, middle-class family with immigrant roots, she learned early on to appreciate the complexities of the world and the uniqueness of each individual’s lived experience. Her demeanor is warm, curious, and nonjudgmental. She views each patient as the expert on their own life and sees her role as offering a steady, containing presence through which patients can process and understand their experiences from a new perspective.

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Her path toward psychology was further shaped by her first positive therapeutic experience, when she recognized the profound impact that a stable, attuned presence can have on healing. This remains at the core of her work today

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Dr. Cerda is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in the state of New York. She earned her Doctorate in Clinical and School Psychology (Psy.D.) from Pace University. Before entering private practice, she completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the New York City Children’s Center inpatient program in Queens, NY, where she worked with children and adolescents who required acute, intensive clinical care. While at NYCCC, Dr. Cerda served as Psychological Assessment Supervisor, overseeing cognitive, personality, and risk assessment for inpatient services in addition to leading didactic seminars and supervising doctoral-level interns and externs in psychological assessment. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the League Education and Day Treatment Center in Brooklyn, NY, working with children, teens, and young adults diagnosed with psychiatric and developmental disorders. Dr. Cerda has also taught graduate-level courses in child and adolescent assessment and mental health consultation at New York University.​

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Dr. Cerda currently provides therapy to children, teenagers, and adults both virtually and in-person at her office in Nesconset, NY. She received formal training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, and Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), and has experience treating a wide range of clinical concerns and psychiatric disorders.