About Donna Laikind

 

Donna Laikind, MS, LMFT, LPC is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has worked for over 30 years with individuals, couples and families.

She has private practices in Manhattan, New York and Fairfield, Connecticut and has served for many years on the faculty of New York University Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry.

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She was Chairman of the Board of the Ackerman Institute For The Family, where she trained, and which is the premiere family therapy institute in the country. She was also Chairman of the Board of Family Dynamics, a child welfare agency in New York.

Donna has a BA from Cornell University and a MS from the Bank Street School.

 

As a therapist, teacher and leader in the field of systemic therapy, she has written extensively, including a chapter in the book "Feminism and Addiction" and articles for "New York Family Law Journal". She is quoted frequently in the press: Smart Money, The Economist, The Daily News, and Gentleman's Quarterly.

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She has appeared often on TV (including an hour-long special with John Gray and Joy Brown on affairs) and news shows including GoodDay NY and Fox News. She lectures widely on such issues as the psychology of money, illness and addiction in the family, recovering from the affair, communication skills, mothers and daughters.

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She has been honored with Associated Black Charities Volunteer of the Year Award, Family Dynamics Special Recognition award and appears in Who's Who - USA, WORLD, and WOMEN'S editions.

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Education

• Cornell University
  B.A. 1965
  Dean's List

• Bank Street College of Education
  M.S. 1984 (Class rank #1)

• PREP (Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program)
  Level 3 Training, 1991

• Ackerman Institute for the Family 

  Advanced Training in Family Therapy Certificate, 1990​

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Licensure

• New York License in Marriage and Family Therapy

• Connecticut License in Marriage and Family Therapy

• Connecticut License in Counseling

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Teaching

• New York University Medical School
  Faculty, Department of Psychiatry
  2001 – Present

• SCAN New York
  South Bronx and Manhattan
  Family Therapy Consultant
  1990 – 1999

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Board Service

• Ackerman Institute for the Family
  Chairman, Board of Directors 1996 – 1999
  Member, Board of Directors, 1991 – 2008

• Family Dynamics, Inc.
  Chairman, Board of Directors, 1990 – 1994
  Member, Board of Directors, 1985 – 1995

 

Associations

• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
  Clinical Member

• American Psychotherapy Association
  Diplomate

 

Other

• Supportive Children's Advocacy Network
  Family Therapy Consultant, 1990 – 1996

• U.S. District Court
  Consultant, 1997 – 1999

• NYU Child Study Center Divorce Project (PDF)
  Co–Founder, 2007

• The Marriage Center

  Co-Founder, 2000​

 

Publications

• “Who's On Top? Sexism, Alcoholism and Systemic Therapy with Couples,”
  Chapter Eight of Feminism and Addiction, Claudia Bepko, Editor, Routledge, 1992.

• “The Psychology of Money in Marriage,”A two part article in New York Family Law Monthly,
  January and February 2004.

 

Talks

• Mothers and Daughters Lecture
  Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital 1993

• Domestic Violence
  Panelist in all day symposium
  Jewish Women's Resource Center
  International Council of Jewish Women 1993

• Mothers and Daughters Workshop
  Ackerman Institute For The Family 2002

• The Ten Commandments: Adultery Workshop
  YMHA of Bridgeport 2004

• Psychology of Money in the Couple
  Speaker
  New York Association of Certified Financial Planners 2005

• Can Marriage Survive The Affair? (PDF)
  Speaker
  Metro Chapter of AAMFT 2005

• After The Affair
  Workshop
  The Ackerman Institute For The Family 2006

• Couples and Money: Renegotiating the power issues and creating a joint financial vision
  AAMFT National Conference
  Atlanta, Georgia, 2010

• Siblings: Best friends; worst enemies
  Westport - Weston Coop
  Westport, CT, 2010

• Way Beyond Words: Understanding underlying messages
  Metro AMFT
  New York, NY, 2011

• Way Beyond Words: Understanding underlying messages
  NYU Medical School
  New York, NY, 2011

• Couples and Money: Understanding the Systemic Meanings; negotiating a joint financial vision
  The Ackerman Institute for the Family
  New York, NY, 2011

 

Media – Print

• “Experts foresee woes for Justin and Sydney,”Joanne Wasserman, New York
  Daily News, February 5, 1997.

• “Seeking to perm marital split ends.”(PDF) Connecticut Post, Kim Margolis, May
  18, 1997.

• The Money Club: The Park Avenue Women's Guide To Personal Finance Diane
  Terman Felenstein, Marilyn Crocket, Dale Burg, Simon and Schuster, 2001.

• “Love and Money,”SmartMoney Magazine, Jenna MacGregor, February 9, 2004.

• “What We Talk About When We Talk About Money,”Intelligent Life (a quarterly
  magazine from The Economist), Joanna Moorhead, September 2008.

• “The Top 5 Things Couples Argue About,”SixWise.com.

 

Media – Television/Radio

• “Your Cheatin' Heart”, Lifetime TV, one hour special with John Grey and Joy Brown,
  narrated by Swoozie Kurtz, 1997.

• Guest expert on a range of family topics on New York broadcasts including Good
  Day New York, Rolanda, Fox News, NewsTalk TV,and WBIS.

 

Awards

• 1992, Volunteer of the Year, Associated Black Charities

• 1992, Who's Who USA, World Women Editions

• 1995, Special Recognition, Family Dynamics, New York, NY