Trauma Focused Therapists in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

Relationships, whether familial or romantic, are arguably the most challenging and fulfilling part of life. My practice is geared toward helping individuals, couples, and unconventional families recover from complicated relational histories. I draw from a decade of community organizing and training in trauma-informed care to support clients in their efforts to develop greater confidence, communicate more effectively, and resolve longstanding conflicts. I especially love working with misfits, black sheep, rebellious women, and folks striving to break patterns of intergenerational trauma!

Beginning a therapy journey can feel overwhelming, but ultimately the goal is to help you feel better and acquire more adaptive coping skills to lead a more fulfilling life. This process is unique to each individual. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or are a parent looking for extra support for your child, your needs and issues will be discussed with empathy and care. Together, we will build attainable goals to help you express yourself in empowering, healing and transformative ways.

“The good life is a process, not a state of being.” -Carl Rogers (1961). My aim in therapy is to empower you and to help you discover what “the good life” means to you. We all need support on our journey through life’s ups and downs. Together we can figure out how to manage the good and bad moments through genuine, empathic, and healing therapy work.

I work with women in New York who are struggling with issues related to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and relational trauma. With empathy and warmth, I work to create a comfortable, non-judgmental space to explore and understand how past experiences and relationships inform your current thoughts, feelings and behaviors. I offer guidance to help you deepen your awareness and understanding of what you want and need to alleviate symptoms and suffering and move towards living a more aligned, satisfying life.

If you found yourself here, it is because you have achieved the first step in recognizing that something has to change. You're ready to take the necessary steps to deal and heal. You're ready to regain control over your life while developing a greater sense of self, acceptance of yourself and healing from the things that has kept you stuck for so long. You're ready to re-create a new and improved story for your life. You're ready to let go of fear and negative thoughts of not being enough. I'm here to tell you, you're not alone. I will meet you where you are as we work together in a collaborative and supportive relationship.

Do you feel anxious most of the time? Perhaps you're trying to get pregnant and the IVF schedule is making your head spin. Maybe you are newly pregnant, but you're nervous about how a baby will change your relationship and sense of self. Or, you're grieving a loss, and you've heard "at least you know you can get pregnant" one too many times. You want to make sense of all the complicated, and often competing, emotions you feel, so that you can let go of what is no longer serving you.

I am a Queer-identified therapist with over 20 years of experience working with diverse Transgender, Queer, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Gay identified individuals. My style is warm, active, and authentic. Starting therapy is hard, so my priority in early sessions is for you to feel relaxed, understood, and comfortable. Your laughter and questions are welcomed. With a background in LGBTQ+ public health, I am sensitive to the challenges and stressors that come with living outside cisgender/hetero norms. I also value subjugated knowledge​ - the wisdom we possess from not fitting into the dominant culture.

You’ve accomplished so much in life. You achieved your goals and set yourself apart from your peers. But there's still something wrong. No matter how hard you work, there’s an emptiness that you just can’t fill. You’re often on edge and fearful, sometimes for no apparent reason. You can even feel it in your body. Sometimes you wonder if it goes back to things experienced earlier in life. Painful memories flood back without warning and it's hard to cope. You’ve tried desperately to overcome these problems on your own, but it hasn’t helped. It feels hopeless, and you’re ready to give up.

I am here with you. Well, not yet. But when I’m with you, I’m with you. With you in your pain and loneliness, your sadness and anger, your joy, surprise and inspiration. With you in your transition, your loss, your growth and transformation. Therapy with me is a creative process of exploration and discovery in the here and now. I believe that we have a boundless capacity to grow and change, to heal and become unstuck from self-denying, self-destructive ways of being. I also believe that your experience of being stuck is REAL; it’s not “all in your head” and you can’t “just snap out of it.” I know because I’ve been there.

I am psychotherapist who loves her job. I bring curiosity and love to my therapeutic approach and specialize in trauma, couple's conflict, anxiety, depression, and self-growth. My therapeutic style is warm, rooted in kindness and respect for all. I am here to listen, utilizing my skills to help you foster self-awareness, identify and transform negative interaction patterns and empower you to practice skills to improve your relationship to yourself and others. I want to partner with you and plan for how to make life feel more manageable and enjoyable.

I became a therapist after years of teaching and tutoring middle school, high school and college students, and have experience working with students with ADHD and executive function challenges. I have worked with students who were at risk of dropping out of high school and with children and adolescents who experienced various forms of trauma. I bring warmth, empathy and humor to my practice, and use a strengths-based, relational and trauma-informed approach. I incorporate mindfulness and use nature for inspiration in healing, and bring a commitment to social justice and an anti-oppressive lens to my practice.

Therapy is an opportunity for growth and healing. Each client is unique and therapy is tailored in partnership to identify your needs, develop mutually agreed upon goals and consider what can be most helpful. You may be dealing with challenging life situations and are looking for understanding and ways to develop effective coping strategies that provide relief. As an experienced clinical social worker I welcome working with children, teens and adults to promote healing and restore hope.

I am most well suited to help people working through life transitions, difficult relationships, trauma and anxiety. I also find I work particularly well with people drawn to visual imagery and other nonverbal experience. While verbal expression is essential, we all also carry internal images, physiological and emotional expressions that can stretch well beyond words. I find working efficiently with these nonverbal elements can generate deeper connections and expand therapeutic potentials in very effective ways. What kinds images come to mind when you think about your life experience? What kinds of sounds and smells?

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

Some people come to therapy knowing exactly what they want to work on. Others have a more vague sense that something in their lives is wrong. Both motivations can be an incredible opportunity to learn more about oneself and figure out how to build a more authentic and fulfilling life. I work with clients who may experience anxiety, depression, or the effects of trauma. I also assist clients in identifying and breaking outside of societal norms to figure out their true personal and interpersonal needs. With couples, I use a variety of methods to help build stronger relationships.

In times of crisis and uncertainty, it can be hard to remember our potential for joy, meaning, freedom, and connection. I act as an ally and accomplice, offering support as you walk the path of questioning and transformation. I believe therapy is just another word for the wisdom humans have always held – we hurt and are healed in relationship to others. Over the course of our work, clients gain confidence, learn to recognize and set boundaries, and grow more attuned to the present moment.

Life can be overwhelming and it can cause us to feel less confident, find things more challenging, or just have us feeling down. It is important when seeking a therapist to find someone you can develop a trusting, judgment free relationship with. I provide a supportive, safe, empathetic, and understanding space. We will have a partnership in your treatment because you are the expert in your life. I am just here to advance your self growth using your strengths and insight.

With experience and compassion, I provide support and guidance to individuals navigating life's challenges. I specialize in ADHD, trauma, relationship issues, executive functioning, and stress management. I help my clients gain awareness, provide practical strategies, and achieve their personal goals. Whether it’s you and/or your child with ADHD, I provide tailored supports to help you navigate challenges and find balance in all aspects of life. No matter the specific challenges you may face, I provide a safe space to explore emotions, improve communication, and cultivate healthier connections.

Beginning your search for a therapist can be challenging- while I do not yet know you or what you need to hear to reach out, you can be certain that I wish to know and understand. For those who are feeling stuck, together we will uncover how past experiences impact your current thoughts, moods and patterns and guide you towards a more fulfilling life.