Meet Our Team

Dr. Akhtar Hossain, a board-certified psychiatrist with over 30 years of experience, specializes in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry while providing comprehensive mental health services to patients of all ages. He completed fellowship training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and Columbia University, and residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

As Medical Director of Nirvana Recovery, Dr. Hossain provides oversight to both medical and clinical staff, ensuring high standards of care. He has held directorship positions at several mental health facilities, supervising psychiatrists and advanced practice nurses. His expertise includes major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and substance use disorders, including co-occurring recovery programs.

Dr. Hossain received the Psychiatrist of the Year Award from the Somerset County Board of Trustees. He is a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association.

A proponent of evidence-based medicine, he integrates psychotherapy into his practice, emphasizes accurate diagnosis and a compassionate, family-oriented approach, and encourages trust and collaboration throughout treatment.

Jodi is Clinical Director for Nirvana Recovery Center. She has more than 20 years of experience, beginning with behavioral health, mental health and substance use case management for children, adolescents and families. She later completed an MSW focused on addiction and has worked with co-occurring populations since 2014.

Jodi believes in hope, healing and recovery. As Clinical Director and clinical supervisor, she supports clients working toward meaningful change and clinicians developing professionally. She focuses on complex co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns, trauma and personality disorders, using an integrative, person-centered, trauma-informed approach that considers each person’s history and strengths.

She enjoys mentoring clinical staff, working with clients and witnessing growth. Outside work she enjoys time with her cat Dexter, exercise, true crime documentaries, podcasts, books and family and friends.

“Sometimes the greatest act in healing is simply helping someone feel seen, heard and understood.”

I chose this field because I genuinely want to help people struggling with substance use disorders and mental health challenges. Being in recovery myself, I wanted to use my own experiences to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Megan reports six years of experience.

What I enjoy most about my work is knowing that what I do behind the scenes has a direct impact on the client experience. I enjoy making sure everything runs smoothly so our clients can focus on what matters most—their recovery.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, exploring different forms of art, and spending quality time with family and friends.

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”

I chose psychiatric mental health care because I am passionate about helping individuals navigate mental health challenges and substance use disorders while working toward recovery and improved quality of life. I believe every individual deserves compassionate, respectful, and patient-centered care.

Dr. Akinyemi has more than 20 years of experience in behavioral health. She values building therapeutic relationships, helping patients develop healthier coping strategies, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to provide individualized care.

My approach to care is patient-centered, evidence-based, and trauma-informed. I integrate psychiatric assessment, psychopharmacology, and individualized treatment planning to address mental health conditions and substance use disorders. I also incorporate motivational interviewing, psychoeducation, supportive therapy, and recovery-oriented principles to help patients build insight, develop healthy coping strategies, and achieve sustainable improvements.

What I enjoy most about my work is the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. I find it rewarding to support individuals as they navigate mental health challenges, overcome substance use disorders, and work toward recovery. Building trusting relationships, helping patients recognize their strengths, and witnessing their growth are especially fulfilling.

Outside work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading and exploring new places. I believe every individual deserves compassion, dignity and the opportunity to heal.

I feel like I was naturally drawn to this field. I’ve always been a listener and someone people feel comfortable opening up to. There’s something meaningful about being a safe space for someone to share their experiences, feel heard, and know they aren’t being judged. I’ve always found joy in those connections, and pursuing this field felt like a natural way to support others.

Amanda has eight years of experience. Her clinical areas of focus include substance use and addiction, co-occurring mental health disorders, trauma, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and relationship challenges.

My approach to therapy is down-to-earth, collaborative, and tailored to each individual. I believe in exploring how past experiences and trauma shape the way we think, feel, and move through the world, while also focusing on practical ways to navigate present challenges and create meaningful change. I value the connection between the mind and body and draw from a range of therapeutic approaches, including psychodynamic therapy, mindfulness, somatic interventions, trauma-informed care, CBT, DBT, ACT, and motivational interviewing. My goal is to help clients better understand themselves, feel more connected to themselves, and find ways to move forward that feel meaningful and sustainable.

What I enjoy most about my work is the honor of being part of someone’s healing journey. I value the trust it takes to share your experiences with another person and feel privileged to provide a space where people can feel heard, understood, and supported as they navigate growth and change.

In my free time I enjoy spending time with loved ones, getting lost in a good book, practicing yoga, cooking or going for a walk. “We’re all just walking each other home.” — Ram Dass

During adolescence and young adulthood, I was drawn to creative, collaborative experiences. I was fascinated by the way people’s personal histories shaped how they behaved in groups—and how those dynamics ultimately influenced outcomes. My mother was a psychotherapist who worked with children and individuals on the autism spectrum, while my father was a New York City police officer. The investigative nature of their work found its way into my own interests.

At 22, I was making a film with friends and wanted to write a believable character living with mental illness. One night I found myself buried in textbooks on personality theory, determined to get the character right. At two in the morning, the realization finally hit me: I think I’m interested in psychology. It changed the direction of my life.

Marc reports 18 years of experience. His areas of work include trauma and PTSD, depression and anxiety, addiction, impulse control, psychotic disorders, co-occurring disorders, at-risk youth, family and couples counseling, LGBTQ issues, traumatic brain injury, personality disorders, and autism-spectrum disorders.

Approaches include existential therapy, REBT, CBT, DBT, ACT, mindfulness, neuropsychotherapy, narrative therapy, behavioral activation, motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, psychodynamic therapy, Gestalt therapy, and the Gottman Method.

Therapy is a dynamic interaction—a constantly evolving relationship in which no two clients are alike, and no two therapeutic relationships are the same. Therapy demands presence, curiosity, and genuine engagement. As therapists, we teach, but we also learn from every client, every story, and every relationship we build.

Outside work, Marc enjoys creative projects, music, art, filmmaking, dogs, concerts, restaurants, theme parks, travel, outdoor activities, exercise and home improvement. “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.” — C. G. Jung

I started helping people in the seventh grade in a local nursing home after I experienced my mom suffering from the death of her mother. I realized that I thrived speaking and learning about life from people from all walks of life. Years later, while editing a bank’s annual report, I decided that I did not care about numbers and perfection; this began my journey into social work.

Billy listed 1997 as the start of his work in the field. Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning was an early influence. He is interested in how hope and positive thinking help people cope with suffering, and he has spent years using clinical skills to foster self-esteem, self-acceptance and positive thinking.

I enjoy teaching on DBT, which is mindfulness personified. I love the variety of people and how they all present with different stories, unique challenges and strengths.

Outside work, I enjoy the arts, making collages, reading, weekend jaunts and planning trips. “The highest form of spirituality is self-observation without judgment.” — Swami Kripalu

Roya Alaie, LCSW, is a per diem group therapist at Nirvana Recovery Centers in Bound Brook, with 29 years of experience in the field. Her areas of clinical focus include trauma and addiction, and she uses a holistic approach to her work. When asked what drew her to the field, Roya shared: “This field chose me.” What Roya enjoys most about her work is “creating safety so that connections can be made, for clients and between clients.” Outside of work she enjoys yoga, hiking, gardening, cooking, and kickball. Her favorite philosophy is: “The heart breaks and breaks and it lives by breaking. It is necessary to go through dark and deeper dark and not to turn.”