Buddhist Therapists in New York

Note: I am transitioning to ketamine assisted psychedelic (KAP) and MDMA once that becomes available. I am a master therapist and trainer. I love exploring how people have become distorted from their true nature and lose touch with what matters most to them. The work is to help us all clear the distortions so we can return to who we are: awake, kind, free. I often practice using EMDR, Buddhist Psychology, spiritual practice, exploring the nature of satisfaction/dissatisfaction and the nature of self, as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

I’m a Vietnamese, Queer, Buddhist, refugee, cisgender woman with a passion to help others relieve their life stressors, which has been heightened by COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing racism/injustice, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, climate change, wars, violence, and unrest in our world. Life stressors can cause a lot of suffering for people by placing strains on their mental and/or physical health, interpersonal relationships, and finances. Let’s work together to create a happier, stronger and more resilient version of you.

Are you feeling hesitant, worried, shut down, or withdrawn? Or perhaps a little low, not quite yourself, & trying to figure out what to do? Are old patterns you've used to manage no longer working? Perhaps I can help. Using a combination of mindful awareness, somatic (body)/nervous system regulation work & Internal Family Systems/parts work, we can explore the different aspects of ourselves & start to move towards the changes we'd like to see. I offer in person services in Brooklyn, NY or worldwide via Zoom video. I offer a free brief phone or video consult to see if we're a good fit: feel free to book yours at www.maximeclarity.com

On this journey, you'll learn to manage strong feelings and understand your life better. I'm here to guide you toward happiness, aiding with sadness, worry, stress, and balancing work with various aspects of your life. Whether struggling with overthinking or finding yourself in life transitions, you'll gain strength and overcome challenges. Therapy provides a safe space to change habits and thoughts for lasting positive change. Your thoughts and feelings are important here; together, we'll improve your well-being and create a more satisfying life.

I have come to accept that the very thing that causes pain in our lives can be the opportunity for transformation and joy. Death, divorce, loss of employment, and now with Covid-19, are unavoidable human traumas. We simply can not defeat these losses. What we can do is bravely embrace our frailty and slowly discover our inherent well-being and resiliency. Through a trusting therapeutic relationship, you can begin to mend the fragments and feel the soft strength within you.

Often in therapy we work to bring what's unconscious into consciousness, which can create more agency, freedom, and choice. As both a psychotherapist and writer, I believe in the power of finding connections between that which is seemingly disconnected in order to uncover a deeper understanding of oneself and the way one relates to others and the world.

Please don’t ask me to help you become "normal" (most damaging concept ever, IMO) because you can and should aim higher than that. But please do ask me for help learning about, and becoming, your very own unique self, in all your beautiful, hilarious, infuriating, idiosyncratic glory. As with most big undertakings, this work can be rough going at times. But if you're like most of the folks who come through here -smart, creative, successful, growth-oriented people who have done a lot of personal work already, whether in an official therapeutic context or otherwise- you are, by this point, more than ready to get into the trenches.

As a practitioner I seek to assist my clients to begin to shed the layers of the their cocoon, and accept themselves as whole people. I utilize mindfulness techniques, somatic awareness, meditation, attachment and experiential psychotherapy. I encourage clients to stay with their feelings in the here and now, and ask them to accept and honor the present moment with all its feelings rather than exiling or "fixing" their feelings.

Experiences of overwhelm, hardship, and imperfections are inevitable aspects of life, and too, they have beautiful qualities. They create atmospheres to understand imbalances and what is essential more deeply, both in ourselves and all those around us. When viewed as entry points to insight and peace, we can begin to feel some relief and sense of possibility. Rather than hindrances, we begin to see stepping stones on a path to greater awareness, healing, stability of mind amidst changing life conditions, compassion for our suffering and that of others, and joy.

When you need help, where do you look? How do you determine which kind of therapy and which kind of therapist would suit you? These are important questions. There is no one-size-fits-all. The foundation of my work is mindfulness-based, meditation-based, strengths-based, and informed by the current neuroscientic research. If you find yourself facing a significant life transition, a death or loss, anxiety or depression; if you are struggling with past trauma, PTSD, or dissociation, or if you find yourself at a spiritual crossroads, or have a desire to deepen your relationship with yourself, this approach might help.

Looking deeply into your life, your struggles, and what gives you strength and meaning can be a transformative and a healing process. Helping people to do this is a passion of mine. Working to understand your struggles in greater context, changing behaviors or transforming suffering through insight, we will work directly with the feelings and roots of your struggles. We will work towards goals of greater presence with all aspects of life, and a steady foundation to live a life that has meaning, value, and joy.

I believe that at their very core, human beings desire to live meaningful, connected lives. Using a cognitive, as well as existential and spiritual approach, I will help you engage your suffering in a fresh way so you can live a more present, contented existence. I am a mindfulness-based, existential psychotherapist located in Brooklyn, New York. My ideal client is someone who is interested in an alternative to Western psychology and has some interest or experience in Eastern thought or spirituality. Anyone who has found usefulness in psychedelics in the past could also be a good fit.

Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis can be instrumental in enhancing your self esteem, quieting depressive thoughts, unlocking your creativity, improving your relationships and helping you lead a happier, more fulfilling life. I lean toward a self-psychological approach that centers on mutuality, self inquiry and empathic encounter. I work with clients from all walks of life, including academics, artists, writers, executives, couples, people going through important life transitions, and people of different faiths, be it buddhist, christian or secular-spiritual. I also work with children. One of my specialties is giftedness, at any age.

Has talking-only therapy not worked well for you? If you are looking for an experienced holistic practitioner -- a therapist's therapist -- you have found one. My approach is present-centered, relational, and collaborative, informed by understandings from humanistic therapies as well as from spiritual and meditative traditions. This way of working is very interactive and includes methods from Gestalt, Hakomi, and Buddhist practices. I have more than 35 years of experience in both doing experiential psychotherapy and training other therapists in these methods.

Are you a creative, tender soul confronted with issues of self-worth and having trouble getting your needs met? Do you strive to ensure you're liked, accepted, and approved of at the expense of expressing your authentic self or pursuing what you truly desire? Are you your own worst critic, rarely giving yourself a break from the burden of shame, blame, and guilt? I believe in our true state of being, we are all already brilliant and whole. My job therefore is not to "fix" or "cure" you, but to help you reconnect with your innate resources so you can naturally heal and grow.

My approach to supporting others to heal, grow, and better cope with life challenges and transitions incorporates awareness-building, cultivating acceptance and compassion, and providing a space that invites the possibility of exploring new ways of being. These elements empower individuals to take ownership of how they choose to create their lives and to find greater wellbeing and fulfillment. We often do not realize that the very habits and behaviors that cause us to feel stuck or block us from having what we want were necessary tools for survival at some point in our lives. Understanding such patterns is an important step.

It is in my belief that we are all intrinsically whole, deserving and worthy of love and meaningful connections. However, somewhere along the way we have incurred pain and hurtful experiences that have tainted our story and lens of how we see the world and ourselves. Sometimes the narrative runs so deep that we can’t stop the thoughts and feelings that flow continuously. In this way, everyday feels like a struggle. Perhaps you secretly feel lost and lonely or you struggle with feelings of anxiety, insecurity or sadness and are uncertain about how to navigate the complexity of your emotions. Wherever you are - your story matters.

Tracey Gundel, LCSW-R has 20 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist. Her background includes senior psychotherapist positions to Clinical Director of a New York City mental health clinic. Though specializing in anxiety, depression and ADHD, Tracey’s extensive mental health experience gives her the know-how and dexterity to meet all your mental health needs. Her style is supportive and collaborative. As well, Tracey's practice offers a new addition of Lee Hatcher, offering expertise in LGBTQ+ issues and other mental health needs!

I believe that therapy can develop non-judgmental awareness of what is in the present, of thoughts and feelings that are based on conditioned reactions from the past, and of the ability to then cultivate the inner freedom that allows each client to move into a future grounded in experience and directed at a positive and compassionate understanding of self and others. Developing the ability to be aware is a practice that each client learns and practices according to their presenting needs, interests, and learning styles. There is no ideal client, there is only the commitment to practice awareness and find freedom from the past.