The Sherkow Center Method (SCM) is a family-centered, psychodynamically-informed and developmentally grounded approach to working with children, adolescents, and young adults on the autism spectrum. Developed since the early 2000s, Our Method is founded in a deep understanding of the fundamentals of biological and psychological developmental trajectories, while exploring how genetics and parenting shape these intricate processes. The treatment model is tailored to each child’s developmental profile, addressing their unique story and focusing on parent-child bonds and relationships.

Principles of Our Method

• Translating the child’s behaviors & emotions into meaningful narratives

• Connecting the thinking brain & the emotional brain

• Fostering a stronger sense of self and enhancing parent-child relationships

• Integrating the child’s broader life context, including family, school, and community dynamics

Our approach helps bridge the gap between the cognitive and emotional areas of the brain in children with ASD. This integration fosters emotional understanding, reduces anxiety, and strengthens parent-child relationships. By enhancing emotional understanding and self-regulation, the Sherkow Center Method helps children with ASD build a stronger sense of self and thrive in their communities.

Our Vision

At the Sherkow Center, we believe that every child communicates, even when they have no words. What may appear as meaningless behavior is, to us, a message waiting to be understood.
Our vision is rooted in the deep conviction that no child is unreachable, and no expression is without purpose.

We advocate for bringing an individualized, psychodynamic intervention to the treatment plan for every child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or developmental delay.  

We believe integrating a psychoanalytic approach with a neurodevelopmental perspective optimizes

• Behavioral and developmental growth

• Emotional communication

• Genuine social connections

We believe in the importance of parent-child bonds.

We believe in understanding each child’s unique story.

Relationships are at the core of our approach.

Read about The Sherkow Center and our unique approach!

Our Story

Susan Sherkow, MD, founded the Sherkow Center for Child Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2009 as a not-for-profit to promote the optimal development of children, adolescents, and their families through treatment, education and research. Dr. Sherkow integrates her practice of child and adolescent psychiatry and psychoanalysis with a neurodevelopmental perspective to offer innovative effective interventions for children with autism spectrum and other developmental differences. She leads a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive care.

Our Founder

Susan P. Sherkow, M.D. is a Training and Supervising Analyst at BPI, a Supervising Child and Adolescent Analyst at NYPSI, and on the faculties of Mt. Sinai and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Founder of the not-for- profit Sherkow Center for Child Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder, she has presented and published extensively on the application of psychoanalytic developmental theory to the treatment of children, adolescents and adults with ASD, including a TEDx Talk and co-authorship of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives from Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience.

Our Team

Carlotta Bettencourt, Ph.D
Associate Director, Psychologist, Researcher

Dr Bettencourt is a clinical psychologist and researcher at The Sherkow Center for Child Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder in New York City, where she serves as Associate Director, and Co-Director of the Spark Psychosocial Skills Program. She oversees clinical programming, mentor training, and research projects.

Dr. Bettencourt joined the Sherkow Center in 2015 as a volunteer mentor while an undergraduate in NYC and completed her full clinical training there, specializing in the Sherkow Center Method. She holds a Ph.D. from Sorbonne Université in Paris, where her research focused on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in autism interventions. Her research has been published in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, PLOS ONE, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Research in Developmental Disabilities, Computers in Human Behavior Reports, and International Journal of Social Robotics.

At the Sherkow Center, she is also co-leading the development of a clinical manual to help parents, educators, and professionals apply the Sherkow Method. Her current research includes projects on gender and autism, female autism symptomatology, and the developmental stages of play within the Sherkow framework.

Jaime Shannon
Office Manager

Jaime Shannon is the Sherkow Center’s dedicated Office Manager, playing a key role in ensuring the center runs smoothly and efficiently. She oversees all administrative operations, including patient communications, invoicing, and prescription coordination. Jaime also manages logistics for the Spark Program and the Parent Support Group, ensuring accurate billing and seamless coordination. Her organizational skills and attention to detail help support the Center’s clinical mission and day-to-day functioning, making her an essential part of our team.