Existential Therapists in New York

My intention is to help clients create the lives they wish for themselves. Living with integrity, agency and authenticity usually entails relinquishing deep seated habits of accommodating others. This often involves grief, depression, identity crises, issues with self-esteem, existential anxiety, creative blocks, life transitions and crises of faith. In addition to moving beyond the residue of past trauma, together we will identify narratives and patterns that are no longer helpful and will focus on what, specifically, YOU want for yourself in this life. I enjoy working with people in the arts.

I am a Psychotherapist and Sex Therapist, and the Administrative Director for Liberation Psychotherapy, my private therapy practice. To schedule a 15-minute telephone consultation with me, click on the "website" icon on my profile here; you will be able to schedule a consultation on my electronic calendar. I am accepting a few new patients for the hours of 5-10 pm, Monday-Friday. No A.M. hours. Guided by the scientific research and theories of Carl Rogers and Albert Ellis, I am interested in using profound and philosophical existential and humanistic therapies to help people to understand their own complex and worthy humanity.

Are you ready to embrace a journey of self-discovery and empowerment? Imagine you are ready to dive into the depths of your own existence. You're eager to overcome anxiety's grip, conquer low self-esteem, and find your way through the labyrinth of life transitions. Your journey of self-discovery, existential questions, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, relationship hurdles, or life transitions are part of your story. Join me in embarking on a transformative expedition! If you're ready to conquer your inner battles, forge authentic relationships, and step into a brighter future, reach out today.

I believe that everyone is uniquely designed and no single approach in therapy can be used exclusively. Over the years of working eclectically with the individuals from all walks and being curious about finding omnimodus approach that would describe it all, I found the following sequence in treatment to be more reflective of the needs of most in therapy: Phase I: Psychoanalytic-exploring past character formation during the childhood, including obstacles, traumas through events or other people. "It is only when the mind is free from the old that it meets everything anew, and in that there is joy."

My practice consists of helping my clients become more effective actors in their lives. In the service of these goals, I teach them how to become better critical thinkers, (working together on creating healthy beliefs about themselves, others, and their environments), providing the mental tools required for emotional regulation and a fulfilling life. Additionally, we work together on understanding the past and present sources of troublesome behaviors and reducing them; this approach is called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. And, I specialize in a form of CBT called Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), used to treat OCD.

As your therapist I will see you as the whole and dynamic person you are. I will help you discover which pieces of your story are authentically your own and which pieces no longer (or never) served you. This journey is one that I am excited to embark upon with you while respecting the fact that you are indeed the expert on your narrative. I will be here for you to discover where the authenticity within your narrative may have been lost, perhaps even without your knowledge. Your needs and goals will be of primary importance as we work together to find solutions for those aspects of your narrative that are causing you distress.

If you are seeking therapy at this point in your life, you may be feeling that your usual way of coping isn't working anymore. This may lead to you feeling alienated and lonely, frustrated and angry, hopeless, confused, striving for perfection, or otherwise stuck. It may simply be that your usual way of being is made up of out-of-date strategies - what was once adaptive is now causing you stress and unnecessary suffering. Let me help you learn how to start relaxing the struggle. Our work together will provide an opportunity for self-knowledge, tolerance for difficult emotions, and acceptance of your own humanity.

I believe that symptoms are the psyche's way of communicating, urging us to delve deeper into understanding and nourishing our inner selves. I aim to foster acceptance and understanding, even of the parts of ourselves we may find objectionable, recognizing their inherent value in our journey towards wholeness. Together, we'll explore the depths of your experiences, understanding that the work is often most intense where the soul resides. We will also clarify your values and character strengths within the fluid fabric of human experience. My goal is to support you in living with greater clarity, peace, intuition, and sense of self.

In psychotherapy, we work together to understand the meaning of your symptoms and the sources of your pain. The therapeutic process is in large part a careful encounter with the past in the hope of getting beyond what happened to you and discovering who you are apart from your history. It also includes the exploration of your beliefs, emotions, protective strategies, recurring patterns, and relationship dynamics. From a stance of compassion and curiosity, we put words to your experience and what has been unsayable before.

I believe in the potential of human beings to grow, change, experience, seek and find meaning in their lives. I believe in existential, humanistic and person-centered perspectives where respect and dignity of, and for individuals are paramount to their therapeutic process. Growth and change are processes that occur as a result of a combination of one's life experiences; however, our daily life experiences often do not afford the time or space for such self-exploration of one's feelings, thoughts or interpersonal connections and relationships. Therapy is therefore a person-driven process which allows for self-examination and change.

Do you long for greater love and purpose in your life? Do you feel lonely? Stuck in your struggles? Group therapy can help you find deeper meaning and belonging through the practice of authenticity: "letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are" (Brené Brown). Therapy Groups help you bring your full authentic self into connection to transcend loneliness and find more fulfilling relationships. Group can help you lean into your life with more courage, compassion and vulnerability. Group can support your unique journey as you find your way home to where you belong, and to the relationships that sustain you.

The home we seek to settle and belong is the inner home, the light we chase to enlighten our life is the inner light, and the journey we yearn to take for expansion and growth is the inner journey, all to meet the “most important person we will ever meet,” our true self. Each person’s inner journey toward healing and growth is unique. My role as a psychotherapist is to stand with you and help you, as you take steps towards a journey of self-healing and growth. A journey which may call for your courage, vulnerability, and discomfort, but it holds treasures of reintegration, expansion, transformation, and liberation.

Working with me, you will experience a warm, collaborative, tailored, safe, social justice-oriented, and strength-based environment. My focus is on working with clients that are facing anxiety, depression, relationship issues, identity struggles, career stress and transition, and existential crisis. I specialize in counseling entrepreneurs and C-Suite executives, clients in the consulting and finance industry, and folx from the queer community.

Pain seeks our attention. Emotional distress manifests or "speaks" through physical distress. Adults living with physical or emotional pain can benefit from BODY-CENTERED psychotherapy. Sessions can include BODYWORK. Dreamwork and expressive therapies can also be utilized to amplify awareness. Like dreams, body symptoms are dynamic conduits into the unconscious; likewise, they serve as messengers charged with waking us up and redirecting our energies back toward life. Clients become adept explorers, listeners & learners, moving with curiosity toward rather than away from feeling, as they befriend disenfranchised parts of themselves.

Relationships are central to our lives and the most important relationship is the one that we have with ourselves. I work with my clients so that they may understand their experiences by processing feelings and creating a sense of inner peace and acceptance within. The goal is to foster tools for managing anxiety, depression and stress while encouraging each client's personal strengths.

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.

Acknowledging a problem in your life is an important first step toward greater freedom and happiness. If you are reading this, I assume you may be ready to make the courageous decision to address it. Studies have shown that talk therapy can be a highly effective means of dealing with life problems, and of achieving meaningful and lasting change. While each treatment is unique depending on particular needs, psychotherapy may be understood generally as a collaborative process that works to clarify the deeper sources of your suffering, and to enable the constructive choices that can put your life on a new foundation.

An effective therapy experience is one that supports a person in recognizing their own capabilities and potential, while using strengths to mitigate challenges. My hope is to assist you in cultivating a deeper understanding of your own intrapsychic road map and emotional terrain. I am a firm believer that every session should give you a piece of your own puzzle and over time help you gain the skills to navigate your own thoughts, control your behavioral and emotional responses, and understand your relationship patterns and conflicts.

I offer psychodynamic psychotherapy for adults, adolescents and couples. My interests include interpersonal relationships, self and identity issues, emerging adulthood, healing from trauma, divorce and breakups, loss, parenting, and existential concerns. I have extensive experience in women's mental health, including reproductive and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, relationship and attachment difficulties, disordered eating and body esteem. Additionally, I have a passion for working with adolescents, college-age young adults and their parents.