Timothy Cohen < Back Timothy Cohen Intern, The Norwalk Partnership Timothy Cohen is a dedicated junior at P-Tech High School who strives for excellence both inside and outside the classroom. As a prevention intern at Positive Directions, he is gaining valuable experience in community support and leadership. He previously played varsity basketball. This experience strengthened his discipline, teamwork, and resilience. He has since shifted his focus to new passions and goals. Outside of school, Timothy is developing his skills as an aspiring barber, channeling his creativity and work ethic into a hands-on craft. With a deep interest in athletic performance and helping others, he plans to study sports medicine in college, aiming for a career where he can empower athletes to stay healthy, strong, and perform at their best.

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. About Us Positive Directions-The Center for Prevention & Counseling had its origins in 1971 as a volunteer-based organization known as the Alcoholism Council. Developed by people in recovery from alcohol use disorder, the organization sought to bring substance misuse awareness into the Westport, Connecticut schools and community and to support recovery. Over the following years, we evolved into a 501(c)(3) behavioral health nonprofit working to strengthen the mental wellbeing of both individuals and communities in Fairfield County, CT. Today, we are recognized for our mission: to serve as innovative community leaders in mental health, substance prevention, and peer support. Our reach is now statewide. In our state-licensed outpatient clinic, we provide individual and family counseling to children, adolescents, and adults with mental health and substance misuse challenges. We serve clients in-person at our Westport location as well as virtually, and we have substance counselors located at two high schools in Norwalk. We have staff licensed in Connecticut, New York and New Hampshire. Through our community prevention programs, we help towns in mid-Fairfield County plan and implement data-based strategies to educate youth and families and to change community norms to prevent substance misuse and promote mental wellbeing. Our free support groups and one-on-one peer support for youth and young adults provide a safe space and trained facilitators to help individuals and families learn coping skills and gain support for their personal journeys. Our CT Support Group project is a statewide, peer-developed platform for youth and young adults searching for mental wellbeing and connections with peers and peer support. History Our Beginnings Meet our Team Staff & Board Testimonials What Our Clients Say Upcoming Events Trainings & Talks Community Sponsors Thank you to our funders! Careers See current openings

Mohamed Elsamra, MD < Back Mohamed Elsamra, MD Medical Director Dr. Elsamra is the Medical Director of Elevate Health and Wellness. He also serves as a consulting Medical Director for Positive Directions. Driven by a mission to deliver high-quality, timely, and affordable care, Dr. Elsamra established Elevate Health and Wellness to support individuals in dire need of comprehensive medical and psychiatric treatment. In 2024, Dr. Elsamra became the Principal Investigator of a Clinical Trial involving Sublocade injections for opioid use disorder, providing his patients with access to cutting-edge treatments. His unwavering commitment to aiding individuals battling addiction is a testament to his passion and dedication. Dr. Elsamra firmly believes in the resilience of the human spirit, viewing the psychiatrist’s role as pivotal in helping individuals overcome obstacles to natural healing and recovery. Dr. Elsamra’s illustrious career as a psychiatrist includes roles as Medical Director at various Connecticut-based facilities, including Turnbridge and Mid Western Council of CT in Danbury.

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Karen Krupnik, MS, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor Karen joined Positive Directions with a wealth of experience providing counseling services in the non-profit sector. Her approach to counseling is to help her clients make sense of the difficulties they are facing and enhance their coping skills, so they can feel better and enjoy their lives more. She works together with her clients to figure out what’s interfering with their well-being and, in turn, how to address it. She often utilizes a strengths-based approach, helping her clients to understand themselves better by discovering what strengths they have and developing new ones as well as by accepting or changing their problem areas. Karen is experienced in working with individuals, couples, and families, ranging from adolescents to adults. She has worked with clients dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma, substance misuse, sleep difficulties, relationships, anger management, psychosis, and more. Additionally, she has helped clients through major life transitions: divorce, job loss, death of a loved one, medical diagnoses, and becoming a parent. Karen has a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Fairfield University. Her post-graduate training covered trauma, grief and loss, veterans’ issues, mindfulness, problem gambling and gender issues, among others. She tailors her approach to each individual and draws upon many types of therapy including CBT, Solution-Focused, DBT, Stages of Change, and Schema therapy. Karen can be reached via e-mail at kkrupnik@positivedirections.org . Or reached by phone at 203-227-7644 ext 834 Psychology Today Karen Krupnik, MS, LPC: Team Members

Jen Lord < Back Jen Lord Recovery Coach & Alt2Su Facilitator Jen ( she/they) has facilitated PD's Alternatives to Suicide support group since 2022. As of 2025, Jen is also serving as our school-based provider at BMHS and CGS high schools in Norwalk, providing substance misuse and recovery support to students on campus. Jen is a dedicated advocate for mental health and substance use recovery. Driven by a profound passion for helping individuals reclaim their lives and live happy productive lives, they are currently pursuing a drug and alcohol counseling license at Gateway Community College while also working with Mental Health CT and Recovery Network of Programs. Born and raised in Stamford, Jen brings a trauma-informed, person-centered approach to their work, ensuring that every individual feels seen, heard, and supported. As a certified recovery coach for the state of Connecticut, they are committed to fostering an environment rooted in compassion, accountability, love, and reflection. Through her leadership of two Alternative to Suicide support groups and as a Life Coach, Jen provides a safe space for those in crisis to find connection, hope, and healing. Jen’s own journey with mental health and substance use recovery serves as a field guide for others, showing that change is possible with the right support and determination. Outside of her professional endeavors, Jen cherishes the opportunity to spend time outdoors, bond with friends and family, and care for her beloved cats, Mango and Bam. Jen finds joy and balance in creating art, listening to music, working out at the gym, and practicing self-care, all of which fuel their passion for helping others.

< Back Jules Garcia, RSS Peer Support Specialist Jules joined the CT Support Group project as a Peer Support Specialist in January 2026. She is a certified Recovery Support Specialist and has completed training in Intentional Peer Support. Her journey with mental health and recovery began in 2024 through the JoinRiseBe Leadership Training, where she discovered a passion for peer connection and community support. She has been working at the JoinRiseBe Young Adult Warmline, where she enjoys engaging with others, fostering meaningful connections, and supporting peers in their recovery journeys. Outside of work, Julianna loves skincare and makeup and has her own business as an esthetician. She enjoys spending time with loved ones, playing Nintendo Switch, and exploring astrology.

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Addiction Addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs is a disease that negatively affects both the physical and mental health of the victim, while also hurting their friends and family. An individual suffering from addiction experiences withdrawal symptoms when they are unable to partake in the addictive behavior, making it extremely difficult to quit. Rehabilitation (inpatient or outpatient programs) and counseling that address physical, mental and behavioral aspects of addiction are necessary for a full recovery. The various types of addiction treatment include: Detox Inpatient or Residential Treatment Outpatient Treatment Support Groups such as SMART Recovery , Relapse Prevention or Alcoholics Anonymous Psychotherapy Behavioral therapy The recovery process is a long journey that can be challenging for the person who is addicted and their loved ones. Accepting several forms of treatment will help eliminate the possibility of relapse and susceptibility to other conditions such as anxiety and depression. Post-treatment care should be ongoing in order to help cope with the lifestyle changes that are required for a complete and lasting recovery. Positive Directions Approach to Addiction & Recovery: At Positive Directions, we work to help our clients support and sustain recovery from addictive behaviors and substances. Our approach in working with clients to address their addiction is collaborative and client-driven, and we work to meet the client where they are at to tailor treatment to their individual circumstances. Upon admission, a comprehensive intake evaluation is completed to gather a history of the client and learn more about what they have been experiencing. This helps us to gather a comprehensive picture of the impact that addiction has had on their lives and allows us to tailor our approach to the client’s needs. Starting with this information, we then develop an individualized treatment plan for each client that is tailored to their needs and goals. The treatment plan guides the work we do in session, and progress toward treatment goals is evaluated and measured during each counseling session. Additionally, we periodically review this plan with our clients to ensure that we are consistently working toward and updating goals and objectives as appropriate. Based upon the treatment plan, services are provided to address individual needs and teach clients the skills and tools necessary to gain insight and understanding around their substance use, work to reduce substance use and/or promote recovery, and improve their overall quality of life. Our counselors also work closely with family members as appropriate, educating them about addiction and recovery, and supporting their involvement in their loved one’s treatment. When providing these services, a variety of clinical techniques are utilized such as cognitive behavioral, behavioral modification, motivational interviewing, solution-focused and dialectical behavioral tools. Our clinicians are trained in a variety of effective treatment modalities, and treatment is tailored to specific individual and family needs. Our approach is designed to assist people in improving the quality of their lives. Addiction: What We Do

Ashley Gonçalves < Back Ashley Gonçalves, BA Office Administrator & Clinic Coordinator Ashley joined the Positive Directions team in early January 2025. Although she is new to the field of mental health, she has prior experience working with children and families as a daycare teacher, a Kids Ministry Director, and a receptionist at a pediatric clinic. She has always been curious about the field of counseling and is very excited for the opportunity to learn more about the field. She has a passion to help others and helps cultivate a safe space for all clients by treating everyone she interacts with empathy and compassion. In her free time, Ashley enjoys cooking and baking goodies for her family and friends. She also enjoys knitting shawls and baby blankets for her church, and spending time with her husband and calico cat, Charlotte! Ashley can be contacted via email at info@ positivedirections.org or by phone at 203-227-7644.

Therell Mayes < Back Therell Mayes Social Media Lead, CT Support Group Therell joined TurningPointCT as their Social Media Assistant in September 2021. He is a young adult who wants to help other young adults who are struggling with mental health like he has. Therell is a student at Norwalk Community College, majoring in Liberal Arts & Science. His experience with social media began as a hobby in middle school. Since then, he has learned how to use various social media platforms to promote his photography, music, and YouTube videos. Therell loves to write screenplays, poetry, and lyrics as well as record music, photograph nature, and exercise.

Karen Krupnik < Back Karen Krupnik, MS, LPC Lic. Professional Counselor Karen joined Positive Directions with a wealth of experience providing counseling services in the non-profit sector. Her approach to counseling is to help her clients make sense of the difficulties they are facing and enhance their coping skills, so they can feel better and enjoy their lives more. She works together with her clients to figure out what’s interfering with their well-being and, in turn, how to address it. She often utilizes a strengths-based approach, helping her clients to understand themselves better by discovering what strengths they have and developing new ones as well as by accepting or changing their problem areas. Karen is experienced in working with individuals, couples, and families, ranging from adolescents to adults. She has worked with clients dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma, substance misuse, sleep difficulties, relationships, anger management, psychosis, and more. Additionally, she has helped clients through major life transitions: divorce, job loss, death of a loved one, medical diagnoses, and becoming a parent. Karen has a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Fairfield University. Her post-graduate training covered trauma, grief and loss, veterans’ issues, mindfulness, problem gambling and gender issues, among others. She tailors her approach to each individual and draws upon many types of therapy including CBT, Solution-Focused, DBT, Stages of Change, and Schema therapy. Karen can be reached via e-mail at kkrupnik@positivedirections.org . Or reached by phone at 203-227-7644 ext 834

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. How does community prevention work? Prevention science is a public health model that focuses on creating change at the community level. It starts with a Community Coalition of 12 stakeholder "sectors" that work together: youth and parent volunteers, designated partners from local institutions such as schools, police, treatment centers, and other concerned groups. The coalition leadership follows the Strategic Prevention Framework to provide training, data, and coordination to the coalition's members so that they can develop, implement and evaluate plans using the 7 Strategies for Community Change . This model is based on the idea that local ownership of the work helps ensure cultural appropriateness and sustainability. At the same time, the model is vulnerable to the realities of work that is based on volunteerism: lack of expertise, lack of time, lack of coordination. Positive Directions brings prevention leadership to the coalitions we work with, helping build members' capacity, gathering data, coordinating meetings, providing training, and leading initiatives. Positive Directions also seeks out and manages grants that support community coalition work. Over the years, our coalitions --also known as Local Prevention Councils or LPCs--have included Fairfield, Norwalk, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.

Vivian Balazs < Back Vivian Balazs Intern, The Norwalk Partnership My name is Vivian Balazs, and I am honored to serve as one of the Prevention Interns for Positive Directions. I am a junior at the Center for Global Studies in Norwalk and the President of the TNP Teens Club at Brien McMahon and CGS. Beyond my academic pursuits, I lead a writing club, participate in musicals and plays, tutor, and work at a children's theater. I also enjoy spending time with friends, reading books, and baking. I have a passion for helping others, ensuring that resources are accessible to everyone, and educating others about mental health and drug abuse. I am so happy I have found a place where I can be creative, express these passions, and leave a lasting mark on my community. You can reach Vivian Balazs at vbalazs@positivedirections.org