Aliza Scharf-Bendov, LCSW-C

Aliza Scharf-Bendov is a psychotherapist and family therapist with over a decade of experience assisting individuals and families to live their best lives. She has done extensive work with parents and families addressing a variety of challenges including adjustment to life transitions (including divorce), mood and behavioral challenges, adoption, single parenting, co-parenting and coping with serious illness. Aliza's current therapeutic focus is on parent support and guidance.

Aliza practices from a strengths-based approach that seeks to identify and amplify people's inherent resilience and propensity towards healing and wholeness. Aliza believes in the transformative power of relationships and specifically the power of familial bonds. She considers the work towards strengthening these bonds as her professional calling and privilege.

With a strong foundation and interest in spirituality associated with all faiths and traditions, Aliza welcomes all clients to bring their fullest selves to the work of growth, healing, and relational repair. Aliza's therapeutic style is described as warm, empathic and nurturing, her communication style as direct and open.

Aliza is available for scheduling telehealth, in-office and in-home services.

Aliza describes her approach to treatment:

"I work from the premise that human beings are inherently whole and that the work of therapy or healing brings us closer to realizing this truth. My work with children and families focuses on identifying, drawing out and amplifying the already existing strengths and bonds within each family member and the family unit as a whole. I approach my work with a lens of compassion, understanding that people do the best they can at a given moment and at the same time have a tremendous capacity to grow and change. I believe that children are our greatest teachers and parenting to be a humbling and powerful path towards one's own growth and healing.

I often compare family therapy to working with an entire puzzle rather than just one piece. When all pieces are on the table, even if we haven't quite put the pieces together, we have more options. We can begin to see the pieces more clearly when they are next to one another. My work with families includes working supportively, and at times intensively, with parents. I view parents as primary support structures to the family system, like the weight bearing support beams in a building. If their strength or integrity is compromised for any reason (to no fault of their own), the structure of the entire building becomes compromised. I believe parents do the best that they can in the circumstance or situation they find themselves in.  At the same time, parents have capacity to grow and heal by trying something new or different they have not had access to for any number of reasons.

My therapeutic style ranges from activity-based therapy, mindfulness training, family history mapping, as well as teaching and practicing effective communication. It is my greatest joy to see families healing as a whole unit, whether it be day to day changes such as increasing direct effective communication, or bigger "breakthrough" moments such as reconnecting with a cutoff family member or relative. I welcome families of all ages and stages, with children as young as infants to those who are navigating young adulthood. I consider family therapy to be a great gift, and feel deep honor and gratitude for accompanying families on their journey that includes curiosity, compassion, inquiry and experimentation with new ways of doing and being.”

More about Aliza Scharf-Bendov, LCSW-C:

As an undergraduate, Aliza studied social work in both the US and Israel. She completed her Bachelors in Social Work with honors at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she served as chapter president of the National Honor Society of Social Workers. She completed her Masters of Social Work at New York University, where she focused on spirituality and family therapy. Her experience went on to include postgraduate training in Clinical Work With Adolescents at NYU, Foundations in Family Therapy at Ackerman Institute in NYC, Hypnosis at the NLP Center of NYC and an alternative healing modality called Nondual Healing through A Society of Souls. Aliza has worked as a clinician in a variety of settings including schools, outpatient clinics, foster care, home-based therapy, and private practice offices. She has published articles related to themes of spirituality and healing and is author of the book "A Jewish Holiday Reader; Lessons on Healing from a Psychotherapist's Perspective."

Aliza spends free time outside of the office with her spouse and three children. She enjoys most forms of physical activity and has a background in Tae-Kwon-Do/martial arts.

Click below to watch Aliza discuss mindfulness as an essential tool in parenting.