Therapists in Flatiron, New York, NY

I completed my doctorate in clinical psychology at Yeshiva University and psychoanalytic training at New York University. I have been in private practice for over 20 years, treating adolescents and adults. Most of the people I see, seek treatment to get help with difficulties in relationships. In psychotherapy, we identify repetitive patterns that interfere with the initiation and/or maintenance of intimate relationships. I also work with people who experience anxiety or depressive states.

I try to create a therapeutic space that helps you process any difficulty you might be facing, whether that be work or school stress, past or recent trauma, or ongoing symptoms of anxiety or depression. I utilize my experience in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help you identify what may be holding you back as well as what you might need to mobilize moving forward. My approach to therapy is collaborative and honest. I will be sure to meet you where you are, help you feel understood, and foster a strong therapeutic relationship.

With over 25 years of experience working as a Clinical Psychologist, I have learned that pairing a warm and empathetic environment with asking challenging and thought provoking questions is an effective way to allow people to explore their issues and empower them to make changes.

"When we protect ourselves so we won't feel pain, that protection becomes like armor that imprisons the softness of the heart". In therapy, rather than avoiding pain, we learn how to hold space for it. Therapy is a space to slow down, to be present and to fully connect to ourselves and our experiences. When we connect directly to our experiences, we create space to foster emotional growth, gain insight and move toward healing.

I call my practice The Community Couch because the name feels inclusive and accessible - like private therapy should be. I want you to be able to see me for therapy whether you work at a corporation, a small non-profit, or for the city; as a retiree who has Medicare; as someone with Medicaid who relies on affordability; or as someone who needs to pay out-of-pocket but can't unless the rate is reasonable. I accept several public and private insurance plans to help you stay in-network, and for out-of-pocket payers, my rates are fair and flexible. I have a few no-fee appointments for clients facing more complex barriers to care.

My clients include women of color from diverse backgrounds who are struggling with self love, self esteem, colorism, hair stigma, cultural adjustment, religious identity, and intersectionality. Women of color are hit the hardest with race-related stress, and yet they seldom have the proper resources or tools to heal. In my practice, I help clients disrupt the intergenerational trauma that continues impacting them.

I believe that therapy is not a one-size-fits-all phenomenon and that everyone experiences the world differently. I am a collaborative, eclectic, solution-focused therapist that uses a multi-modal approach that is client-focused and strength-based. It is important that we work collaboratively together to identify the changes you want to see in your life, identify negative thinking patterns, and utilize multiple interventions that can be tailored to everyday life.

I bring a compassionate and creative focus to my work with individuals, parents, couples and family clients. My approach is warm and unconditionally accepting, which allows my clients to explore the most difficult parts of their experience in a space completely free of judgment. I believe that our experiences in past relationships play a large role in defining who we are and how we interpret our world.

I believe in the transformative power of therapy and the comfort of having an ally and someone who is on your side, by your side. If you are feeling depressed, anxious, angry or experiencing other emotions or mood fluctuations, you may feel like no one is on your side or understands you. It can feel overwhelming and negatively impact you and your relationships. You may not want to see anyone or it may be hard for you to regulate your emotions around others. You want to feel better and interact with others in a healthier way. You want to be present and fully engaged in your life but do not know how to get there.

I believe the relationship between a client and therapist is sacred. I feel that therapy can increase self-awareness, promote self-discovery, and foster healthier relationships with self and others. I think therapy is a reciprocal process, and I have learned a great deal of life lessons from my clients. I have the privilege of working with clients from different cultural, ethnic, sexual, economic, spiritual, racial, and gender identities. I do not take it for granted when clients share their most intimate life experiences and vulnerabilities with me.

Over my career, I have experience working with a wide range of mental health disorders including trauma, depression, and anxiety. I want to help facilitate changes that lead you to a happier and healthier life. Choosing to attend therapy isn't always easy but you don't have to struggle alone.

You may be wondering if therapy is for you. Therapy can be many different things to different people. You may have a specific problem you would like to address - a strained relationship, an unsatisfying job, trouble with food or sex. You may be dealing with something more obscure - a vague feeling that something is not right, a general sense of detachment from yourself and others. Or you may need someone to delve with you into the depth of your suffering and bear it with you. Certain experiences and discoveries can only happen in the presence of a professional, supportive other.

Whether your decision to find a therapist is related to recent or long-standing issues, greater self-awareness and behavioral change can reduce your distress and lead to a more satisfying life. Together, we will identify the goals of treatment and pathways to transform difficulties. Individuals contact me to address a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, self-judgment/shame, substance abuse, relationship problems, poor motivation, job stress, loss, identity issues, trauma, and life transitions. I work collaboratively with clients to identify and enhance inherent strengths, and develop new tools when indicated.

I am a therapist who focuses on understanding. Each person that I work with is a story. Being able to understand the person through their eyes is the guide that moves us towards why they need help and how I can help them. My therapeutic style is to find ways to get to know who I am speaking to and who they want to become with my support. The years that I have spent working with various people in various locations makes me feel comfortable in saying that I am able to know who my client is and am able to prove to them that I do and want to understand.

People start therapy for different reasons. Sometimes people come in to see me during a period of transition - starting or ending school or work, moving to a new city, beginning or leaving a relationship. You might feel something isn't quite working in your life, like you're frustrated, uncertain, or slightly out of step. Maybe you feel yourself hitting the same walls in friendships or relationships repeatedly. Maybe you feel lost. I'll work with you to help you find what's getting in the way of getting what you really want from your life and to find a way forward that feels right to you.

Congratulations on taking this step in seeking help and support for yourself or your family. I work with children and adolescents, families, men, and women. My 20-plus years of clinical work with children and families is built on an attachment-oriented foundation and is informed by my personal experience as an adoptive parent and training in relevant play and family therapies. Regardless of a child’s emotional/behavioral presentation or attachment (RAD) history, I view parents as partners in their child’s therapeutic process and support and guide them, in parent sessions and/or in family sessions with their child.