Clinicians and Staff

Mirelva Colon, LMHC, CASAC

Mirelva was born and raised in Puerto Rico and is a bilingual NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a NYS Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor. She earned a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Marist College. Her interests include multicultural counseling, student-athlete concerns, and first generation college students. She also enjoys tennis, hiking, and yoga.

Larry Cerecedes, PhD

Larry is a licensed clinical psychologist whose therapy interests include multicultural concerns, family-of-origin issues, first generation college students, and working with students having adjustment challenges. He graduated summa cum laude from California Polytechnic University, Pomona CA, and obtained his doctorate degree from The California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in Los Angeles. His other interests include the teaching and training of new counselors, kayaking, and eating the delicious Mexican-American food he grew up on. 

Laura MacDonald, PsyD

Laura is a New York State licensed psychologist. She has lived and worked in the Hudson Valley for the past 16 years. She has worked at Bard since January 2009, and has a small private practice. Laura graduated from Bard with a BA in Psychology and went on for a MSEd and PsyD from Pace University in New York City.  Laura has worked with clients ranging in age from toddler to geriatric, but loves best doing therapy with adolescents and adults.

Sherry Ou-Yang, LCSW

Sherry was born in Taiwan and raised in Hawaii. She received her BA in International Relations from Boston University, MA in International Affairs from the New School, and her MSW from New York University. Sherry's clinical experience includes working with children and families, supporting survivors of trauma, and teaching skills to create lives worth living.  Her interests include travel, food, and good writing.  On a typical night, you'll find her eating ice cream and watching The Great British Bake-Off.

Daniel Sullivan, PsyD

Daniel is a licensed clinical psychologist. He completed his BA at Tufts University and PsyD at Yeshiva University.  His professional interests include addictions, trauma, and mindfulness and acceptance based approaches to treatment. Daniel enjoys helping people to develop greater psychological flexibility in the face of life’s challenges. Outside of work he spends his free time running, gardening and exploring the natural wonders of the Hudson Valley.

V Lawson, LMSW

V Lawson is a queer, Black, gender fluid licensed master social worker who has come to this field  through curiosity, questioning and a deep desire to understand our systems and cultures and how they interact with our doing, being and becoming. They graduated from Mount Saint Mary College with a Bachelors in Psychology, and did their graduate work at Columbia University School of Social Work graduating with a Masters in Social Work. They are currently learning and drawing from both colonized and ancestral knowledge, theories and therapeutic modalities including, somatic experiencing, CBT, nature, herbalism, critical race theory, and emergent strategy to name a few. They are dedicated to supporting individuals and groups in addressing psychological, emotional, behavioral and/or social challenges that affect their quality of life which can include trauma, depression, and anxiety. 

Jenny Meyer Colman, MD, Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Colman received her medical degree from Columbia University, and earned her BA from Harvard University.

Ilyse Simon, RD, CDN, Consulting Nutritionist

Emma Waldner, MHC Intern

Emma is the Counseling Services graduate intern at Bard. She grew up in New York and New Jersey, and received her BA in Psychology from Haverford College. Emma is currently completing her MSW degree at Smith College School for Social Work. Clinically, she works with an intersectional, relational, collaborative lens. She hopes the counseling room will be a warm place where students can feel truly seen, heard, and safe to explore their relationships with themselves and others. In her free time she enjoys listening to podcasts, walking in the woods with her dog, and eating dessert.

Gordon, Certified Therapy Dog

Gordon is a Scottish Terrier living his best life in Kingston, NY. He was born in August 2018 and rescued in October 2018. He lives with 3 other dogs, 2 cats and 4 humans. He thinks Bard students are the BEST. He loves his job as a therapy dog and wears his Alliance of Therapy Dogs tag with pride. His hobbies are bothering the cats, snuggling, chewing pencils and playing with his Bard besties Lavinia and Luke.

Clara Mixco, Office Manager

Clara Mixco is originally from El Salvador and she has lived in the Hudson Valley area since 2002. Clara went to Dutchess Community College and before coming to Bard she worked for more than ten years in the Hospitality Industry where she held different managerial positions. Outside of work Clara enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking and camping with family and friends.