Anton Shcherbakov, Psy.D, BCBA

Founder & Clinical Director

Education

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D), Clinical Psychology, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP), Rutgers, New Brunswick, NJ
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

Experience

Cofounder & Executive Director, ThinkPsych
Part Time Lecturer & Visiting Clinical Supervisor, Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP)
Clinical Psychologist, The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia
Behavior Analyst, The Uncommon Thread, Stirling, NJ

Training

Postdoctoral Fellow, The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, NJ
Intern, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Lyons, NJ & East Orange, NJ
Research Assistant / Clinician, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Lyons, NJ
Extern, John F. Kennedy Hospital Center for Behavioral Health, Edison, NJ
Extern, Rutgers Psychological Services Clinic, Piscataway, NJ
Behavioral Consultant, Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, New Brunswick, NJ

NJ Licensed Psychologist: #35SI059200
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA): #1-14-16071
Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional
Telepsychology (APIT) through PsyPact: #10222

Email Dr. Shcherbakov:
anton@clearsteptherapy.com

Clinical Specialties

Anxiety

ADHD

Autism

OCD

Executive
Coaching

Relationships

Treatment Approach

I’ll start with a simple truth - therapy that works is hard work. It requires getting out of your comfort zone and making some real changes in your life. It requires work outside of the therapy room and effortful focus during our sessions. After all, personal growth doesn’t just happen, it requires both of us to make a commitment to show up and work.

If you’re willing to make the commitment, the rewards can be life-changing. Many of my patients start therapy because they want to feel better, get along better, or find their way in their careers or relationships. By the end of treatment, they often find that their lives have improved dramatically in both expected and unexpected ways. Most importantly, they say that they feel more free & confident to pursue their dreams and ambitions. This brings me immeasurable joy and gives my work its meaning.

Treatment starts with a thorough assessment of your needs and an individualized treatment plan that we create together. I will lay out the evidence-based treatment approaches available to you. The foundation of my clinical work is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). On a basic level, I help you make connections between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I then provide you with skills and “tools” you can use to help make changes in your life. This approach has been empirically demonstrated to provide most individuals with significant, sustainable improvements in just 3-4 months of treatment.

As a clinician, my goal is to be open, flexible, and collaborative. You can ask me anything and I am always open to your feedback on our work together. I’m here to help you get better and I will do everything I can to help you feel comfortable. We’ll share some laughs and have some fun too. Life without laughter is too dull.

I’m really excited for the opportunity to join you on your personal growth journey. Let’s do some great work together.

Ages Treated

  • Children (5+)

  • Teens

  • Adults

  • Older Adults (65+)

Treatments Offered

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety & Depression

  • Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention (CBT) for Tics

  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

    for OCD

  • Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for Depression

  • Organizational Skills Training for ADHD

Peer Reviewed Publications

Interian, A., Megan, C., Kline, A., Miller, R., St. Hill, L., Latorre, M., Shcherbakov, A., King, A., & Stanley, B. (2018). Use of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to Classify Suicidal behaviors. Archives of Suicide Research, 20(2), 278-294.

Kline, A., Weiner, M. D., Interian, A., Shcherbakov, A., & St Hill, L. (2016). Morbid thoughts and suicidal ideation in Iraq war veterans: The role of direct and indirect killing in combat. Depression and Anxiety, 33(6), 473-482.

Kline, A., Chesin, M., Latorre, M., Miller, R., St. Hill, L., Shcherbakov, A., King, A., Stanley, B., Weiner, M.D., & Interian, A. (2016). Rationale and study design of a trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for preventing suicidal behavior (MBCT-S) in military veterans. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 50, 245-252

Conference Presentations

Shcherbakov, A. Beyond independence: Helping autistic adults live more meaningful and purposeful lives. Workshop presented at the 19th Annual NJABA Conference. Somerset, NJ: (April, 2024)

Shcherbakov, A. Behavior Management Strategies for children with Comorbid ASD and ADHD. Workshop presented at the Autism New Jersey 40th Annual Conference. Atlantic City, NJ: (October, 2023)

Shcherbakov, A. Teaching Emotional Awareness and Regulation Strategies to Children with Autism. Workshop presented at the New York State Regional Centers for Autism Spectrum Disorders Conference, Online: (May, 2023)

Shcherbakov, A & Silverberg, J. Family Fear-Fighting: Strategies to Motivate and Support Loved Ones with OCD. Workshop presented at the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) 2022 Online Conference. Online: (October, 2022)

Contact Us

Interested in working together? Fill out the form with your information and we’ll reach out. Or, go ahead and directly schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation.