Clinical Director

Born and raised a New Yorker, Ian Lobell, LCSW, was living in Manhattan on 9/11, watching in horror as the towers fell. Once he got word that his family had safely evacuated, he did what came naturally—he ran straight toward the devastation. With full access to Ground Zero, he spent weeks in the thick of rescue and relief efforts, an experience that forever shaped his commitment to disaster mental health. Since then, he’s jumped headfirst into crisis response, whether it’s hurricanes, wildfires, or wherever people need help the most.

With over 30 years in the field, Ian has worked across various settings, helping people navigate some of life’s toughest challenges. And he doesn’t just talk the talk—he’s been through his own personal traumas and hardships, which fuel his deep empathy and no-nonsense approach to healing. He’s particularly passionate about providing clinical therapy for veterans, active-duty military personnel, homeless populations and those battling addiction.

His academic adventure took him through Vassar College, Columbia University, Sorbonne Université in Paris, and Barry University, proving that you can collect degrees like Pokémon cards and still end up dedicating your life to helping others. He even spent a semester in the Soviet Union, where, without vodka and Marlboro cigarettes, he swears he would have frozen to death.

A lifelong learner, Ian has studied many languages extensively—but despite all that effort, he finds it hilarious that the only one he’s truly fluent in is English. At the end of the day, Ian is determined to bring heart, humor, and a whole lot of lived experience to mental health advocacy. Because if you can’t laugh a little while changing the world, what’s the point?