Donald Erwin Ph.D., who is the Clinical Director of Monmouth Psychological Associate's Eating Disorder Program, received his Bachelor Degree in Psychology from Harvard University in 1970, and then spent a year in research at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Dr. Erwin then went on to Brandeis University to get his Master's and Doctorate degrees, and did his doctoral research at Oxford University as a Sachar International Fellow. After getting his Ph.D., he then was involved in a post-doctoral training program Lifespan Developmental Psychology, at the Duke Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Erwin has been working with eating disorders for 32 years, and has been active in a variety of professional and consumer-oriented organizations. He founded the NJ Chapter of the American Anorexia/Bulimia Association in 1990 after serving on the Board of the national organization for a number of years. He has been President of the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County and the Monmouth-Ocean County Psychological Association. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops in New Jersey, and often is asked to do Eating Disorders prevention and awareness programs in schools. Since 1996, Dr. Erwin has also been affiliated with Somerset Medical Center in Somerset, New Jersey. He was the Associate Director of the Eating Disorder Unit there from 1996-1999, and was the first psychologist in that institution to be credentialed and appointed to the Medical Staff. He also was on the faculty of Hahneman Medical School and is a Clinical Supervisor in the Applied Psychology Program at Rutgers University. While Dr. Erwin agrees that he has been fortunate to have some very good opportunities for academic training, he would maintain that he has learned the most from his patients over his years of practice. He feels that his primary focus in the treatment of an eating disorder is in helping his patients understand what is behind their troubled relationship with food and their bodies. He is open and direct in his counseling techniques, and sees his work to be collaboration with his patients to remove the eating disorder from their lives. Dr. Erwin lives close to his practice, and likes to spend his time off with his family taking hiking and camping trips.


Brunella DeMarco, LCSW, a Clinical Social Worker at Monmouth Psychological Associates, received her Bachelor Degree from Rutgers University. She then received her Masters Degree in Social Work from Rutgers Graduate School of Social Work. Brunella focused on individual, family, and group therapy with an emphasis on incorporating research into practice. Brunella worked at CPC Behavioral Health, a Community Mental Health Agency, in a variety of programs. She was an outreach worker and counselor for the Community Alternatives Program. She also worked in the Outpatient Department and in the Alternative School program as a Clinician. Brunella also has experienced working with childrens and adolescents in an inpatient setting. She worked at Arthur Brisbane Treatment Center as a youth worker, case manager, and primary therapist. Presently, Brunella is a School Social Worker with the Barnegat Township School District. She has been with Barnegat Township Schools for about nine years. Brunella has provided services at Monmouth Psychological Associates for thirteen years,including group therapy, individual therapy, and family therapy for children, adolescents, and young adults with eating disorders. Brunella enjoys art, music, and riding bikes. She values spending time with family and friends, and developing positive relationships with people.


Lauren Takacs, M.A., L.P.C., Lauren has been working at Monmouth Psychological Associates for the past five years, first as an intern and now as a Clinical Associate. Lauren has her B.A. and M.A. in Psychological Counseling from Monmouth University, where she was also a member of the Psychology Honor Society and the Academic Honor Society. Lauren did her internship in the psychological counseling office of Catholic Charities in Red Bank, and also worked at St. Rose Elementary School counseling students and having class meetings on character education. Lauren has also worked for Ocean Township Human Services as a counselor in the agency as well as a SAC at Wayside Elementary School. While she was interning at Monmouth Psycholgical Associates, Lauren worked on several very interesting projects. One project, a pilot study on body image using digital photography, involved putting her face on 10 different bodies all dressed the same. Then, she would photograph patients volunteering for the study who would wear the same black work out clothes. Then, switching her head for theirs, in the photo, she would mix all the images together to see if patients could pick out their body with her head! Preliminary results suggested that most students pick bigger bodies than their own...just what one would expect with the body image distortions that are so problematic with eating disorders. Lauren also developed a peer relations curriculum for girl-girl bullying and relational aggression which she began implementing in middle school systems in the Fall of 2004. Having been raised in the Red Bank area, and having graduated from Middletown North High School, Lauren is a true "local" and knows the shore scene! She enjoys music, shopping, and spending time with family, friends, and her puppy.


Elizabeth Ebner, M.S., R.D., a clinical nutrionist at Monmouth Psychological Associates, received her Bachelor degree from Rutgers University with a double major in Biochemisty and Nutritional Science. Liz completed her Masters degree program at Texas A&M University in Nutritional Biochemistry, and began an intensive year-long dietetic internship at Texas A&M affiliates, which she completed in 1992. Her Master's Thesis was a study devoted to weight management in obese and non-obese females, and was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in March 1992. Liz has been working with clients in the Eating Disorders Program at Monmouth Psychological Associates for almost eight years. Prior to coming to this program, she worked for two years for Diabetes Treatment Centers of America. She currently is active in the American Dietetic Association, and offers her nutritional services through their national network. Liz also speaks to a variety of schools and health care professionals in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania regarding eating disorders awareness. The most significant factor in Liz's success with her eating disordered patients is that she herself had Anorexia Nervosa. During her adolescence, she sought professional treatment that only had a marginally positive effect. It was not until she was in her early twenties, when she devoted herself to the study of nutrition, that she truly recovered. She strongly believes that part of her continued recovery process is setting a healthy example for her patients. Liz enjoys many indoor and outdoor exercises, especially when they involve her two children; and believe it or not, she also loves to cook!


Hilary Turett, M.S., R.D., has been a member of our nutritional counseling group since 2002. She has been working with clients along the spectrum of eating disorders for over fifteen years. Hilary received her Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics from the University of Maryland follwed by a Master's Degree in Human Nutrition in 1983 from the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University. Her interest in eating disorders was firther prompted by training in adolescent nutrition at the University of Washingotn in Seattle. Hilary has an active family life, keeping up with two athletic sons and a sports medicine physician husband. Recently, she has developed a fondness for weight training and pilates.




Beth Allen, is the Office Manager at Monmouth Psychological Associates. She is usually the first person new clients speak to when they call for information. Beth coordinates appointments and schedules. She knows all about the Eating Disorders Program and is glad to answer questions about how to get started in treatment. She is glad to discuss the cost for services, and what is involved with treatment at this facility. If you have questions regarding insurance, she can give you answers to generic questions. She can steer you in the direction you will need to be when placing a call to your insurance company. Beth graduated from The Fashion Institute of Technology, and worked in retail for a number of years. She made a career change when coming to Monmouth Psychological Associates. Beth has been with the office since 1999. She is knowledgable about all aspects of the struggle with an eating disorder. She balances her schedule around a hectic family life. Her young son and husband keep her running!


Siobhan McDermott, has been working at Monmouth Psychological Associates since August of 2008. She is at the front desk on Saturdays. Additionally, Siobhan administers the Metabolic Rate Testing, and helps patients understand more about how their bodies are working and burning food. She is currently a student at Georgian Court University. She graduated in May 2009 with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and is doing the Master's Program there in Counseling Psychology. Her goal is to become a licensed professional counselor. Along with her job at Monmouth Psychological, she also works at a daycare center in her hometown. On her days off she enjoys spending time with her family and most importantly going to concerts. If you think you see her working in a salon or someplace else after you have just seen her at Monmouth Psych., you are not seeing things! It's just her twin sister, Kelly.



Carly Proper, has been working at Monmouth Psychological Associates since the summer of 2007. She helps manage the office along with Beth and Siobhan. She is always happy to help clients and their families with anything she can as they work with their eating disorder. Carly works directly with clients when she administers the Metabolic Rate Testing. In these sessions, she aims to help clients learn about how their metabolisms are functioning, and how their behaviors may be attributing to this. She also is going to start leading the Support Group at Riverview Medical Center. Carly recently graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. in Bioevolutionary Psychology. She is currently working towards a Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University. She enjoys spending time with her six sisters and going back to Penn State to tailgate with her friends and cheer on the Nittany Lions!