Alana Cooperman, LCSW

Alana Cooperman, LCSW, is a senior social worker and training coordinator in the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute. She brings a warm, compassionate, and collaborative approach to help children of all ages overcome anxiety and build lasting confidence.

Mrs. Cooperman has extensive experience delivering evidence-based treatment for a wide range of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD),separation anxiety, social anxiety, selective mutism (SM), and specific phobias. She also works with children and adolescents with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and difficulties with emotion dysregulation. Mrs. Cooperman has a passion for and expertise in supporting parents, particularly those with children experiencing school refusal and avoidance. Working collaboratively with families and educators, she strives to create thoughtful and individualized plans that foster successful long-term growth for each child.

Mrs. Cooperman’s clinical work is grounded in evidence-based practices, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), supportive parenting for anxious childhood emotions (SPACE), parent-child interaction therapy for selective mutism (PCIT-SM), and functional behavior assessments (FBA). She is deeply committed to empowering children and caregivers with practical tools that promote resilience.

Before joining the Child Mind Institute, Mrs. Cooperman spent over a decade as a senior social worker in New York City public schools, where she provided counseling to at-risk and mandated students. In school settings, she collaborated with teachers and families to develop IEPs and individualized behavior plans while delivering trauma-informed support and coaching. She has also led numerous workshops and groups, ranging from classroom-based social skills programs to parent and teacher trainings focused on anxiety management and emotion regulation strategies.

Using a creative and whole-child perspective, Mrs. Cooperman is passionate about helping children discover their strengths, build a positive sense of self, and feel confident navigating their world.

• Lead School Social Worker, Harlem Village Academies, New York, New York
• School Social Worker, Harlem Link Charter School, New York, New York

• Intern, Counseling In Schools, New York, New York
• Intern, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, New York, New York

• MSW, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Work
• BA, Psychology, Syracuse University