Psychoanalytic Therapists in Gramercy Park, New York, NY

I see psychotherapy as a creative, collaborative and compassionate practice that helps us make meaning of our lives, deepens our self-awareness, and fosters emotional growth and lasting positive change. I strive to create a space of safety and potential where we can work together to help you tell your story in all of its complexity; understand the impact of the past on the present; imagine possible futures; explore dreams, their meanings and messages; to find greater satisfaction, connection and authentic engagement in your everyday life, your work, your creative pursuits, your intimate and family relationships and friendships.

My approach to therapy emphasizes insight, emotional healing, and empowerment to help individuals and couples reach their highest potential and to have more gratifying lives. Through an alliance of trust and collaboration, we will work together to untangle confusing thoughts, feelings, and behavioral patterns to rediscover your capacity to make meaningful choices that are right for you or your relationship. I am also the Founder and Clinical Director of Gotham Mental Health Group, PLLC, a Flatiron based group private practice in Manhattan.

Feeling stuck, overwhelmed or unmotivated in relationships, career, or life in general are reasons many seek psychotherapy. I honor the courage it takes to reach out for support. I work collaboratively and compassionately to create a safe environment in which we can learn to understand how you came to be who and where you are now. Talking about and exploring your unique individual history, mental processes, feelings, interpersonal patterns and possible trauma can lead to clearer understanding and insights which can be transformative. You will learn to develop ways of coping which will lead to long-lasting positive change.

Are you feeling stuck? Is life getting hard to manage; perhaps even unbearable? Are you dealing with relationship problems or a stressful career? Do you feel locked into cycles of anxiety or depression? Let's figure things out. Together, we will urgently dive into your stressors, feelings, relationships, upbringing, and dreams. We will identify major themes and strive for curiosity and deep understanding. This can help ease psychological burdens, improve relationships, regulate and understand emotions, and lead to a deeper sense of vitality.

Many of my clients come seeking clarity on why they feel the way they feel, what's getting in the way of their goals, and how they have established patterns of relating that do not serve them. Others struggle with long-term mental health issues, trauma or crisis. I work with clients to solve problems and diminish symptoms by exploring the roots of their troubles. Through my training and careful listening, I empower my clients to create lasting change in their lives through the insight we gain together while providing a safe space to connect and experience relief.

Ashley (she/her/hers) believes that the human experience is both unique and deeply personal. It’s not easy to share your problems, especially when you don’t believe that your problems are important. However, comparing your problems and experiences to others will not allow you to heal. No problem is too small, so if something is affecting you, then we can take the time to explore it and see how we can improve your daily life.

Do you feel isolated in emotional pain and confused about how to begin to address it? Do you feel alone and misunderstood in your relationships? I am a licensed psychotherapist and psychoanalyst in private practice for nineteen years. I have worked with a full spectrum of struggles to achieve fulfillment, overcome fears and trauma as well as reaching self-fulfillment and meaning. I have held clinical leadership positions at St. Luke's Hospital in New York and served as Clinical Field Instructor for Columbia University and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Miami Department of Psychiatry.

Finding the right therapist is an important factor in achieving your goals and improving your life. My goal as a therapist is to create a safe space for you to discuss and explore any issue you present. In terms of relationships, my goal is to work with you to identify challenging patterns in your life and to help you form new and satisfying ways of improving communication, find a sense of well-being and achieve your goals. I have experience working with adults, adolescents and couples and my approach is engaging, accepting and warm.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist who takes a psychodynamic and relational approach, integrated with evidence-based practices, to work empathically and collaboratively with individuals of all ages. I have expertise working with trauma and PTSD, interpersonal difficulties, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, and grief. I can also help you navigate challenges with life transitions, work and personal relationships, identity, and parenting.

I can help you to figure out why you feel unsettled or are challenged with a relationship, or help you face a life transition or pending job change and position yourself for such change. My goal is to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself and increase your capacity to have a strong self-worth, better relationships, greater work satisfaction and a positive state of mind. With time and work, we can bring about your desired change and growth. I have an eclectic therapeutic approach clinically, as different psychoanalytic and relational theories inform my work. I often use coaching techniques as well.

My clinical approach is informed by the theories of Freud and Lacan. I specialize in psychoanalysis for those seeking to realize deep personal changes. I also offer psychoanalytic psychotherapy to work through targeted issues that require immediate attention. We work together in a collaborative work-play process utilizing free-association and dream interpretation to get to the deeper, unconscious roots of your problems. This results in continual benefits beyond just temporary symptom relief: often fundamental shifts in your psychic economy.

I work with individuals, couples, and families who are trying to cope with their own or a loved one's chemical or behavioral addiction, relationship challenges, work issues, or life decisions. I also see people who aren’t enduring any of those concerns, but who want to speak on a regular basis to address small issues before they become big ones. My style is conversational, direct, and investigative. I listen carefully both to what is said and for what is omitted, ask questions until we agree that I understand your perspective, and help guide you to long-term solutions. For therapists: I am available for supervision.

I imagine that you are seeking therapy because you feel depressed or anxious and want to explore what troubles you and why. Maybe you're unhappy at work, or aren't getting along with a partner, or are grieving the loss of someone dear to you. Therapy is a safe place where you can be yourself and open up about the difficulties you're having. Together we will identify how you get in your own way and work to remove the blocks that weigh you down and keep you from achieving your goals and more contentedly living your life.

What's keeping you from meeting the world the way you want to? Many people seek therapy because of a specific set of symptoms or problems. Others feel more generally stuck, fed up, or confused by patterns that they cannot break despite continued efforts. I work with adults, couples, and adolescents struggling with relationship issues, depression, anxiety, grief, addiction, sexual identity, and the impact of traumatic experience. Together, we will create an exploratory space that fosters emotional authenticity, relief from shame, and a restored sense of vitality.

My decision to become a therapist evolved as my values, my own understanding of the world & my place in it, broadened. It is this evolution that I work to facilitate for my patients as they seek to find their unique places in the world. I believe in relationship therapy, with both a psychodynamic & open systems theory base. I try to account for both environmental & hereditary variables in the treatment paradigm using direct intervention & a mix of traditional psychodynamic & psychoanalytic techniques, including CBT & DBT elements.

Sometimes life's challenges can cause us to feel overwhelmed, stuck, and unfulfilled in different areas of our lives. I work closely with you to create a supportive therapeutic space where we can safely explore your thoughts and feelings, overcome obstacles, and build a path towards a more fulfilling life for you.