Biography
For many years, Dr. Caruso has been helping individuals and couples gain a fuller understanding of themselves, important for developing stronger relationships, greater joy, more self-confidence, and enhanced sexual lives. Her extensive clinical experiences, professional endeavors and education and training reflect her curiosity about human behavior and her capacity to apply her knowledge of it to assess and treat the challenges and difficulties confronting her clients.
Prior to establishing her private practice, Dr. Caruso worked in a variety of clinical settings –
in-patient hospital units, out-patient facilities, psychiatric emergency services, and residential treatment settings. Although she now focuses on the treatment of adults, Dr. Caruso has experience working with children and teenagers.
Dr. Caruso is an Associate Clinical Professor at the Medical College of Virginia where she lectures and supervises psychiatric residents. She received the Clinical Faculty Award from the Department of Psychiatry in 2008 and 2021 for her work with the psychiatric residents. Dr. Caruso is also on the faculty of the International Psychotherapy Institute, a postgraduate program which trains psychotherapists. In addition to lecturing and supervising, Dr. Caruso has also helped to organize conferences sponsored by this organization. Her experiences as teacher have been invaluable in helping her clients learn skills and arrive at practical solutions to their life struggles.
Dr. Caruso’s presentations and seminars on the dynamics of couple relationships and sexuality have been well-received by professional audiences in the United States, China, Europe, Canada, and Latin America. Additionally, she has authored chapters in the books, New Paradigms for Treating Couple Relationships and Psychoanalytic Couple Therapy and articles in the “Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies” and “Couple and Family Psychoanalysis“. These publications which bridge theory and practice serve as a resource for psychotherapists.
A graduate of the doctoral program in clinical psychology at Yeshiva University, Dr. Caruso trained at hospital affiliates of Yale and Albert Einstein Medical Colleges. She also holds a masters degree in psychology from Yeshiva University and a masters degree in psychiatric nursing from Rutgers University. Dr. Caruso received post graduate training in the practice of individual psychotherapy from the International Psychotherapy Institute, couple and family therapy from the Center for Family Learning, and group psychotherapy from the Washington School of Psychiatry. She also completed the coursework, clinical training, and supervision, required for certification as a sex therapist, by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, and Therapists. Dr. Caruso holds an undergraduate degree in nursing with highest honors from Rutgers University. The education, training, and clinical experiences that she obtained before pursuing her doctoral studies in psychology have been particularly useful in addressing the physical aspects of sexual difficulties.
Dr. Caruso has researched the early relationship between mothers and infants and its impact on attachment. She also studied the perceptions of three generations of women regarding the child-care role. Her investigations capture her interest in exploring the developmental variables that impact relationship processes, an interest that she brings to her understanding of adult relationships.
Education
Yeshiva University-New York, NY (1985-1992)
Degree: Psy.D. (1992)
M.A. (1989)
Major: Clinical Psychology
Doctoral Dissertation: Early Mother-Infant Interaction as a Predictor of Attachment at One Year
Training: Yale Psychiatric Institute, Yale University (1991-1992)
North Central Bronx Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY (1990-1991)
Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY (1987-1988)
Rutgers University-Piscataway, NJ (1976-1980)
Degree: M.S.
Major: Psychiatric Nursing
Masters Thesis: Perceptions of Three Generations of Women Regarding The Task Dimensions of the Child-Care Role
Rutgers University-Newark, NJ (1970-1975)
Degree: B.S.
Major: Nursing
Honors: Summa Cum Laude
Post Graduate Education
International Psychotherapy Institute-Chevy Chase, MD (1998-2006)
Post doctoral Training: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (1998-2000)
Certificate from the Clinical Application Program (2000-2003)
Washington School of Psychiatry-Washington, DC (1994-1996)
Certificate in Group Therapy-National Group Psychotherapy Training
Institute
Center for Family Learning-New Rochelle, NY (1982-1985)
Certificate in Bowenian Couple and Family Therapy