Faculty Spotlight: Gwen Pelfini

Introducing Gwen Pelfini: Adjunct Professor at NYU, and certified Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Provider.

Gwen is an integrative, multi-licensed psychotherapist, adjunct professor, clinical supervisor and certified psychedelic-assisted therapy provider and advocate, who is passionate about curating spaces for access and conversation in the community. Through her warm and direct approach, she has made it her life’s work to help people connect with their own Inner Healing Intelligence and live a meaningful life.

She has honed her expertise in the field through a multitude of educational experiences, including training from UCLA, NYU and various mental health settings and institutes. She also spearheaded the counseling internship program at BronxCare (previously Bronx Lebanon Hospital), and earned her masters’ in Counseling for Mental Health & Wellness, the program of which she is now faculty at NYU.

Gwen shares that she found her place in the specialty of mental health x psychedelics, completing certification with the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. Through her psychotherapy practice and her extensive educational background, Gwen has earned the skills to champion the progressive mental health field. And that’s just scraping the surface on her plans to reshape the industry.

Gwen is pioneering a tiered approach to the standard clinical practice that empowers self-starters, while offering mentorship to those who are still discovering their voice in the field. This system, built on transparency and self-advocacy, fosters independence among budding clinicians while ensuring tailored support and fair compensation for all. Through her approach, Gwen strives to “plant seeds of hope for all who want to redefine this paradigm of value for mental health providers, as the collective appreciation of mental health, as “Health,” awakens.”

Whether it’s through her NYU/2U course offerings, or her collective group practice approach, Gwen paves the way towards innovative mental health support for learners. She encourages others to join in on the learning and growth that comes from innovative healing practices.

Gwen also recently has published her second Journey Journal. She collaborated with a local Oakland-based artist to curate more of an adult coloring book style journal, and it includes art therapy directives she learned during her internship at NYU. Click here to check out Gwen's latest publication.