Therapists in Brooklyn, NY

I am a licensed community-based clinical social worker with ten years post masters experience. I received my masters from New York University Silver School of Social Work. I work with individuals who have experienced trauma with a focus on institutionalized racism, separation, and insecure attachments. I utilizes a multi-faceted theoretical approach to treatment that includes interpersonal therapy, trauma-focus therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and family systems therapy. My focus is to help individuals improve emotion regulation, interpersonal difficulties, and family challenges.

Ray DiStephan, LCSW. I have been working with teens and their families for the past 28 years. I have an in-depth understanding of public education and special education. I also work with adults and focus on building a personal rapport with every individual that I work with. Together we look for and find some strategies and a few answers. Generally, yes. But each individual is different, and his/her/their reason for being in counseling can greatly vary. Goals are an important piece, but only after some trust is established.

DURING THE PANDEMIC-ALL SESSIONS ARE CONDUCTED VIA ZOOM. What motivates me? 90% of divorcing couples do not receive EVEN ONE HOUR of marital therapy, 2/3 of divorces do not involve high-conflict marriages, children of divorce are twice as likely to divorce and 2/3 of divorces occur within the first 10 years of marriage. I have been married for 43 years, father of 4, counseling couples in NYC since 1980 with an 80% success rate in saving couples on the brink. Most couples wait 2 years before seeking any help. For goodness sake, DON'T WAIT! My mantra: I'll be the last person in the room to give up on your marriage

Its a pleasure to welcome you to my page! Please feel free to call if you are ready to book your first session. Seeking a counselor can be very challenging but this is the first move forward, and its a decision that will impact your life. There are few things to help you decide if we are a good match. I can provide support, with depression, anxiety, relationship and family issues, life coaching, substance abuse and addiction, anger management... I look forward to working with you.

I have to agree that finding the precise therapist can be quite challenging! Hopefully I can make your search less hectic if given the opportunity. I provide an unbiased, trusting environment necessary to explore vulnerabilities which foster healing. I have success working with clients of various ages from diverse backgrounds. I have received advanced training in Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse, and I am also well-versed in cognitive, behavioral, mindfulness, and psychodynamic approaches. I combine techniques from different therapeutic modalities to help my clients reach their goals to success and overall self-fulfillment.

Do you sometimes have a hard time accepting parts of yourself or your feelings that you are experiencing? Perhaps you know what you should do, but just can't do it no matter how much advice others give you. Or perhaps you feel sad, angry or stuck and don't see a way out. Therapy can be a place where you can gain clarity regarding your feelings, needs and desires as well as a place to look at parts of yourself you might be scared to look at. You are never one identity, one feeling, one experience, but rather many all at once. Life is hard, especially under captialism and systemic oppression. You got this, one step at a time.

My guiding principle as a therapist is deep listening without judgment (acknowledgement plus acceptance) so that people can feel the freedom to express themselves, explore their experiences and create authentic connection. I believe that listening is an essential tool in healing and feeling valued. My approach is trauma-informed and client-centered, with an anti-oppression lens. I am committed to the lifelong unlearning of colonial structures that are deeply rooted in mental health, and to holding space for others to unpack how societal and institutional structures have impacted their mental health and wellness.

When you determine that you should seek counseling services I keep in mind that each individual is different biologically, psychologically, sociologically and economically. I also understand that receiving a diagnosis will have an impact on you, your family, friends, lifestyle and social situation. As a counselor I am aware that left untreated many disorders can escalate and in some cases as in substance abuse cause chemical changes in the brain, with mental disorders left untreated can have a negative impact on your life.

At the heart of all significant issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, and loss are relationships. Therefore, change must also occur within a relationship and therapy is a unique one which provides the safety, trust and honesty, to foster growth. As your therapist, I am fully present for you, in a way that even the best intentioned friend or family member may not be, because I do not have an agenda, and I am invested in the decisions you make to improve your quality of life.

In the changing landscape of childhood and family life, children and teens are facing unprecedented transitions through COVID-19, the use of social media and other social and cultural shifts. I work with children and families to mitigate stress and other challenges. I provide a safe and nurturing environment to process difficult emotions and create productive solutions from a heart-centered, holistic perspective. I specialize in psychotherapy for young people with anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges, those with ADHD and impulse control challenges, developmental diagnoses, and autistic children.

Although you might come to therapy seeking help with your vulnerabilities, I believe you possess the strengths to develop healthy relationships with yourself and others and to change your life. Whether you come to therapy during an acute crisis, have reached a crossroads, or need to process and reflect on a layer of your life, therapy can be a powerful, supportive exploration. If you are seeking a better understanding or to change how you feel related to others, the meaning of important or painful moments in your life, or to develop insight into your life patterns, therapy can be a transformative tool for you.

My clinical approach is interpersonal, humanistic/holistic, self-reflective and strength based. My approach is meeting the client where they are. But I create a space where it instills hope that they can move from that place and walk on a journey of healing, breaking intergenerational cycles, naming/calling out the traumatic experiences, knocking down roadblocks and doing so without judgement. I approach therapy as a parallel experience “you are not alone.”

I work with people struggling with life transitions, overwhelming emotions, and feeling stuck with where they are. My clients often find themselves disconnected from family and friends due to fear that they won’t be understood. Some have dealt with years of anxiety, depression, and trauma, making it difficult to imagine feeling better. Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to do it alone. Our work can help with finding your way through challenging times with greater appreciation of your own innate strength and a newfound perspective of what it means to create a life that is fulfilling and worth living.

There are many uncertainties and transitions in life that overtime can be unsettling, lonely, heavy, and profound. I believe that connection and community can help us navigate back to ourselves, our power, and our ability to evolve. Maybe we have some goals and clarity; maybe we don’t yet. Many times we need someone to hear us out with patience, authenticity, and encouragement. I aim to hold a steady place for individuals and couples, where we can explore these patterns, experiences, relationships, and beliefs with compassion and vulnerability. Then when you're ready we can take the risk of greeting change and creating momentum.

I have had the privilege of working with a wide variety of clients from all walks of life. I have experience conducting individual, couples, and group therapy. I have worked with clients that struggled with diagnosis that ranged from anxiety/depression to schizophrenia to substance use disorders. I have also worked with clients who have struggled with stress management, self-esteem, and family/work issues.

I provide psychotherapy to individuals struggling with mental health issues and other stressors. My aim is to provide a safe space in which patients can process their life experiences and gain insight into their behaviors and patterns. Insight and increased attunement to the self and others can help lead to change and greater fulfillment.

Insight is good, but change is better! If you are strugglng with anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem, you may have been "just living with it" for awhile. Ask yourself: "How would my life be different if I didn't feel this way?" Seeking support can be a scary step, but when you are ready for change, it can be an enjoyable process, even when it is hard work or explores painful issues. We can work together to determine the best way to achieve your goals in a warm, compassionate and non-judgmental environment.

Life can be stressful and overwhelming. Friends and family are all going through their own stressors, and it can be easy to feel unseen, unheard, and invalidated. You deserve a safe space to feel supported where you can speak freely, be validated, process your thoughts and trauma, and grow toward the person, partner, or family member you want to be. Therapy is just that place, and I’m so glad you have taken the first step of your healing journey by reading this page.

Down bad? Feeling wonky? Lets talk about it. I help clients with a variety of issues by tailoring my therapeutic approach to their unique needs and goals. I want everyone I work with to realize their full potential by restructuring maladaptive thought patterns that lead to distress and poor functioning. I hope to give my clients the space to process their thoughts and emotions, and understand the ways in which their behavior and subconscious beliefs about themselves and the world around them play into false narratives that ultimately keep themselves down. I strive to help my clients to learn to love themselves without condition.