About Dr. Sarit Lesser
“Sarit’s interpersonal skills are on a deep, soul touching level - far beyond the words themselves. She ”hears” people and touches them in a manner that is truly therapeutic. Sarit is a born therapist. And what her soul has not already taught her, her cross-cultural immersion has. She is a walking, healing therapist, not only to her clients but everyone around her.”
Hilary Bender, PhD • William James College, May 2012
Dr. Lesser specializes in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. ACT is a third generation approach of behavioral and cognitive therapy that seeks to change the function of psychological events through strategies such as mindfulness, acceptance, and cognitive defusion, in order to encourage psychological flexibility in the service of valued living.
Dr. Lesser is a member of the medical staff at The Miriam Hospital in Providence. She completed her graduate studies at William James College in Boston. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth counseling center, where she trained in short-term psychodynamic therapy, which seeks to address the foundation of psychological processes, to identify defense mechanisms that are ineffective, and to learn ways to change these patterns.
During her studies, Dr. Lesser conducted research on new mothers and the development of Attachment. She is passionate about this topic, and enjoys working with mothers and parents throughout pregnancy and postpartum periods, offering parental counseling as well.
Dr. Lesser received her BA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, and later, an additional BA in psychology from the Open University in Israel. During her undergraduate studies, she trained at the Unit for Parent Counseling of Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, where she worked with parents utilizing the Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) approach developed by Dr. Haim Omer.
Dr. Lesser now lives in Providence RI, with her husband and two kids. She is committed to supporting individuals and families in living healthier, fuller, and more meaningful lives. In particular, she loves working with the Brown University community and with women and parents dealing with the challenges of parenthood.
Dr. Lesser is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Rhode Island Psychological Association, the Massachusetts Psychological Association, the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.
QUALIFICATIONS & CERTIFICATIONS
Psy.D in clinical psychology from William James College, Boston, MA;
M.A in counseling psychology from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA;
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) by Dr. Pat Ogden, Tier 1;
Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Psychotherapy (PSIP), Psychedelic Somatic Institue; level 1;
Psychedelic and Psychoanalysis Reading and Study Group, Fluence.
Trauma Reducing Protocol (TRC) by Dr. Eric Wolterstorff.
AEDP™ Psychotherapy Immersion Course by Diana Fosha, PhD
Publication
Lesser, S. (2020). Becoming a Mother: Caregiving Identity Development. In Motulsky, S., Gammel, J.A., & Rutstein-Riley, A. (Eds), Identity and Lifelong Learning: Becoming through Lived Expereince. (Vol 2 in: I am What I Become: Constructing Identities as Lifelong Learners). Information Age Publishing, Charlotte, NC.
Testimonials
“My work with Dr. Lesser was a time of immense growth, reflection, and transformation. As someone who previously engaged in psychotherapy, I was looking for someone who was willing to compassionately challenge my thoughts/patterns and push me out of my comfort zone. Dr. Lesser was exactly that person for me. She is intuitive and keen in her assessments and brings abundant kindness, respect, and empathy to each discussion. Over our three years of work together, she helped me reach new levels of understanding for myself and my relationships. In turn, I have cultivated a richer sense of curiosity, self-compassion, and contentment in my life and am forever grateful for our work together. I highly recommend Dr. Lesser no matter where you are in your therapeutic journey.”
Medical school student, Brown University
“Stepping into the role of a stepmom in a high conflict custody case was overwhelming Having no children of my own, I was completely new to the world of parenting, and was also adjusting to my new marriage. My work with Dr. Lesser empowered me with a set of tools and strategies to deal with these challenges in a manner that was not only effective, but also had positive outcomes for my own mental well being and self esteem. Dr. Lesser provided information that is evidence based, and listened to my concerns and worries with compassion and understanding. I am now confident in my role as a wife, a stepmom and a soon-to-be mommy! “
New mother, Cranston, RI