Whitney Zirilli, LSW

“Feelings are much like waves, we can't stop them from coming but we can choose which ones to surf.”

—Jonatan Martensson

Education & Background

Whitney (she/her) is a licensed social worker graduated who obtained her Masters degree in

social work from Rutgers University. Whitney has experience working with adolescents and

adults, both individually and in groups and has worked in both private practice and school

settings. Whitney has worked with those dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout,

eating disorders and gender identity. Before changing careers, Whitney was a professional

actor for 20 years and has a strong passion for helping those with performance anxiety.

Approach

Whitney is a firm believer in the person in environment framework, unique to social work,

believing that each individual requires a unique approach that takes their environment (family,

community, society) into consideration. Whitney uses evidence-based modalities such as CBT,

DBT, Strengths Based Therapy, and Mindfulness to support her clients. Whitney is empathetic

and warm and works to create a safe space for clients to collaborate on objectives and goals for

treatment.