Allen Vayner, LSW, is a Pennsylvania-licensed social worker and psychotherapist. He earned his Master of Social Work from Bryn Mawr College’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research (GSSWSR) and his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Pennsylvania State University. Allen completed his clinical training at Penn Psychiatry’s Outpatient Psychiatric Center and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital’s
Center City Emergency Department.

Allen specializes in treating disorders related to stress, trauma, mood, and
neurodevelopment, including ADHD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, addiction, and anxiety. He also works with issues such as self-esteem, distress tolerance, dopamine addiction, caregiver fatigue, perfectionism, executive functioning challenges, and social skills. His approach emphasizes a strengths-based perspective on neurodiversity and the importance of creating a space that prioritizes understanding the individual over applying labels. He has successfully worked with a broad range of individuals—from those navigating daily life stressors to those feeling “stuck” in high-pressure work or family environments or during major life transitions.

As a trauma-informed clinician rooted in a biopsychosocial perspective, Allen places strong emphasis on understanding how past trauma manifests in the present and how biological, environmental, and social factors interact to shape mental health and behavior. His therapeutic orientation integrates cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic approaches, combining structured techniques with exploration of clients’ emotions, imagination, and personality structure.

Allen tailors each session to meet clients’ immediate needs while remaining focused on long-term goals. Clients can expect careful listening, insightful observation, and active engagement. His therapeutic space is safe yet appropriately challenging, with a strong emphasis on accountability, goal-setting, session-to-session continuity, self-inquiry, real-life experimentation, exposure work, and mindfulness practice.

Allen is trained in EMDR through Trauma Recovery/Humanitarian Assistance Programs (HAP), the only EMDRIA-approved nonprofit based entirely on Dr. Francine Shapiro’s original methods. He is also extensively trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through Jon Kabat-Zinn’s program at the University of Massachusetts and is a practitioner of Zen, Thai, and Won Buddhist-style meditation. In addition, Allen brings experience in crisis intervention, opioid addiction response, and de-escalation from his work in emergency medical settings.

Allen works under the supervision of Kelly Corbitt, LCSW at Newtown Therapy and Wellness Center.