Prior to opening her own practice, Dr. Shack provided individual psychotherapy, couples therapy, and group therapy for adults and adolescents in a wide variety of settings including community mental health clinics, inpatient hospitals, a college counseling center, and the mental health department serving Rikers Island. She completed the coursework and research for her doctorate at Long Island University followed by her clinical internship at Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital and postdoctoral training at Williamsburg Therapy Group. Her clinical research, which was completed at Long Island University in collaboration with Dr. Jill Rathus, Ph.D., focuses on identifying factors that help psychotherapy clients participating in DBT to increase their level of engagement in treatment and their commitment toward working actively on treatment goals. Maximizing treatment engagement has continued to be a special interest of Dr. Shack's, and she continually works to integrate her research and clinical observations in this area into her work with clients.