Mary Minges, PhD

I am a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the care of individuals with breast cancer at the Dubin Breast Center, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Science and Policy with a secondary appointment in Psychiatry, and a member of the Center for Behavioral Oncology. Using psychodynamic psychotherapy and other evidence-based approaches, I support individuals, couples, and families at all points along the cancer continuum — from initial diagnosis, through survivorship, and beyond. Together, we explore and address emotional distress, side-effect management, enhancing resilience, body image issues, and the challenging interpersonal dynamics of family and couples coping with breast cancer.

I received my PhD in clinical psychology from the Derner School of Psychology at Adelphi University. My academic research focused on the processes of change and outcomes in psychotherapy, including publications and presentations on adult attachment, defense mechanisms, interpersonal issues, mindfulness, and quality of life. My previous clinical roles involved: conducting general psychotherapy at the outpatient clinic at Mount Sinai Beth Israel; supervising students in Alliance Focused Training, an approach with a special emphasis on building collaborative, trusting patient-therapist relationships to realize therapeutic goals; and serving as training director and psychologist with the Supporting Healthy Relationships and HERO Dads programs at Montefiore Medical Center, where I delivered couples therapy and parenting education.  In these supervisory positions, I discovered my love for teaching and mentoring clinical psychologists-in-training, a role I continue today as an externship director of the psycho-oncology program at the Dubin Breast Center.  My therapeutic approach also honors the mind-body connection. I am trained and well-versed in meditation and offer interested patients mindfulness skills training to help them navigate the cancer journey.

Overall, my goal is to offer gentle interventions that align with the individual’s personal aspirations and build upon each person’s inherent resilience.