Meet Our Staff
Michael Schwarzchild, Ph.D.
Director
Dr. Michael Schwarzchild is a clinical psychologist, licensed in Connecticut and New York, with over thirty years of experience in providing individual, couples, and family psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and adults. He received his doctoral degree from Fordham University and is a Past President and Fellow of the Connecticut Psychological Association. Dr. Schwarzchild has worked as a psychologist in a wide variety of settings, most recently concluding twenty-two years in solo, independent, private practice. He is the author of Helping Your Difficult Child Behave: A Guide to Improving Children's Self-Control -- Without Losing Your Own (Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1995; Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, Inc., 2000). Dr. Schwarzchild has received the Connecticut Psychological Association’s Catherine Acuff Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Profession of Psychology and the American Psychological Association’s Karl F. Heiser Presidential Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Advancement of Psychology through Political Advocacy. He was a member of the Advisory Board to the State of Connecticut Office of the Child Advocate, as well as of the Connecticut Governor’s Bullying Task Force. He has served as a Special Master at the Regional Family Trial Docket of the Middlesex Judicial District in Middletown, CT.
Deborah A. Augenbraun, Psy.D.
Dr. Augenbraun is a licensed clinical psychologist. She received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University New England. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Connecticut Health Center where she specialized in treating individuals exposed to acute and chronic traumatic life events. Dr. Augenbraun also has a masters degree in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Augenbraun has worked in a variety of clinical settings that include residential treatment, outpatient clinics, domestic violence center, college counseling and private practice. Areas of interest include clinical consultation, trauma and victimization, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and adjustment to life transitions.
Rée LeBlanc Gunter, Ph.D.
Dr. Rée LeBlanc Gunter is a clinical psychologist. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University, with an emphasis on multicultural issues. Dr. Gunter has experiences working in community outpatient clinics and university counseling centers providing individual psychotherapy, group therapy, substance abuse counseling and employee assistance services.
Dr. Gunter has had a successful private practice in Danbury, CT offering a wide range of psychological and consultation services. Services include individual psychotherapy, designing and facilitating workshops for professional and personal development, as well as providing consultation and program development for non-profit organizations for many years.
Dr. Gunter’s areas of special interest include multiculturalism, adjustment and relationship issues, women’s issues, consultation and outreach and training and supervising counseling and psychology graduate interns.
Gregory Jones, LCSW
Greg Jones is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, receiving his Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. He has more than 25 years of experience working with adolescents, adults, couples and families in a variety of clinical settings including inpatient, outpatient and partial hospitalization as well as maintaining a private practice in Brookfield. Prior to joining the Counseling Center, Greg served as the Clinical Director for child and adolescent psychiatry services at Danbury Hospital for several years overseeing a number of programs. He has been involved in the training and education of graduate level social workers both at Danbury Hospital and has been an Adjunct Professor of Social Work at Fordham University since 1999. There, he teaches courses in Family Therapy, Brief Treatment, Advanced Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis and a Clinical Practice Seminar.
Having worked in the greater Danbury area since 1987, Greg continues to serve on a number of community councils and is a frequent speaker to school systems as well as parent groups. He completed a training externship in Cognitive Therapy at the Beck Institute in Philadelphia. His areas of clinical interest include family systems and clinical work with adolescents and young adults with focus on issues ranging from substance abuse and family conflict to managing the symptoms related to depression and anxiety that often accompany these developmental transitions.
Linda Donnelly
Linda Donnelly has been a member of the university community since 1993. Her experience here at the university has well prepared her for the challenges and intricacies of working with sensitive and confidential student issues. Prior to her joining the Counseling Center in March/2001 Linda was a university assistant in the Football Office where she worked with the coaching staff for 6 years. She joined the Undergraduate Admissions office in May/1999 where she worked closely with International Students and transfer students. Due to upward mobility she joined the Counseling Center. Her administrative and interpersonal skills lend to the difficult task of managing high volume phone calls, walk-ins, and emergency situations that arise in the office. She is able to communicate effectively and sensitively to students in distress and quickly directs the student to the help they need. She is an integral member of the Counseling Center.
Sasha Katrina Petrovick
Sasha Katrina Petrovick received her Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education from Western Connecticut State University in 2006. She is currently enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master's program at Western Connecticut State University and is looking forward to completing her internship at the Counseling Center. Sasha spent a year working for the National Park Service in both California and New Jersey and she has also led various wilderness expeditions for a private company in Connecticut. Her professional counseling experience includes working with adolescents in a Residential Treatment Center and working with autistic students in the Brookfield Public School system.
Blake Reuter
Blake Reuter studied at The Ohio State University and Western Connecticut University, graduating from WestConn summa cum laude with a BA in psychology (2009). He is currently enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Graduate Program at Western Connecticut State University. He has experience working at a residential treatment facility for adolescent girls as a counselor. He has also worked as a counselor at summer camps for children with chronic illnesses. Clinically, Blake is interested in a wide variety of areas and hopes to create a safe environment where clients can reach their goals and maximize their potential.
Chris Cholko
Chris Cholko graduated magna cum laude from Marist College in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He is currently entering his second year of study for his Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Marist. Chris has worked at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, CT as a psychiatric technician since June 2010. He has experience working with severely mentally ill populations in addition to dually diagnosed individuals suffering from addiction and psychological disorders. Chris is a graduate student member of the American Counseling Association and a member of Psi Chi, an International Honor Society in Psychology.
