Protecting What Matters:
Wellness & Future Planning for Special Needs Families
MEET THE EXPERTS Mitchell Weisbrot, CLU, ChSNC Mitchell joined MassMutual in 2011 after 16 years with Northwestern Mutual, where he helped develop its Special Steps program. A father of three sons on the autism spectrum, he is a Special Care Planner and currently one of only 906 Chartered Special Needs Consultants in the country. In 2013, he was presented with the “NY Mets Spirit Award” in recognition of his efforts to enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities, and in 2015 he received the Douglas R. Carroll Award honoring his professionalism and service. Andrew M. Cohen, Esq. (J.D., LL.M.) Andrew is the principal of the Law Offices of Andrew M. Cohen, and has a daughter with special needs. He is a member of the NYS Bar Association and has been Part 36 certified as a Supplemental Needs Trustee, Guardian, and Court Evaluator. In 2006, he became a charter member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners. Andrew has served on the Long Island Board of Directors of Easter Seals New York, and he was named a 2022 Top Lawyer of Long Island and selected to Super Lawyers in 2023. Nishant Patel, LMHC Nishant is a licensed clinical psychotherapist and speaker based in Roslyn Heights, NY, with over a decade of experience helping adults move through anxiety, depression, anger, and fear. His practice centers on four pillars — honesty, meditation, inquiry, and biology — that guide clients toward greater self-awareness and freedom from reactive thinking. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, Nishant helps people question the thoughts and beliefs that drive their suffering, restoring a sense of presence and inner peace.