Teen Therapists in Upper West Side, New York, NY

My practice, grounded in compassion and acceptance, provides a safe space for growth and healing. I have worked in diverse settings across the world and embrace diversity in its many forms. Having completed training in a multitude of best-practice interventions for individuals, couples, and adolescents; I tailor psychotherapy to best match unique life histories and therapy goals. For almost a decade, I worked as a programming director of adolescent suicide prevention and response. I have finished two specialized research fellowships in global mental health at Yale University and Columbia University.

Improving our lives or relationships, or helping our children do so, may seem like a daunting challenge, yet we know when change is needed. Fortunately, we all have within us a natural capacity for growth and well-being that is best facilitated in the context of relationships that nurture the deepest parts of your being and awaken your strengths. Over the past 20 years I have gained a deep appreciation for the complexity of human experience and the pain and difficulties involved in living with emotional or relational problems in our lives or in our children's lives.

My treatment of children, adolescents and family members reflects over twenty years of experience serving in residential treatment centers, an expertise in the area of Forensic Social Work, working in congregate community programs, and effective management of Preventive Programs. I am licensed to practice as a Clinical Social Worker in New York State and possess a Post Graduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy. My professional service also reflect an eclectic mix of my West Indian heritage, US education and training, and strong family ties.

My therapy style is warm, accepting, and active. I don't expect you to start therapy knowing exactly what you need - I'm here to help you figure it out! My approach is rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy, but I creatively integrate DBT, trauma work, and psychodynamic therapy depending on your needs and preferences. I see our work together as a collaboration and I care deeply about your unique goals and strengths. I want to help you carry whatever it is that's weighing on you, and work toward solutions together. I truly look forward to working with you.

Are you constantly struggling with self defeating thoughts, feelings or behaviors that continually bring you down and can't seem to find a way out? Are you seeking opportunities to gain clarity, heighten your consciouness and committment to yourself while building self esteem and coping skills? Then allow yourself an opportunity to work with someone who will assist you in exploring yourself in a manner that is truly supportive, holistic and integrative, taking into account the aspects of yourself that will lead to a deeper awareness and appreciation of your life and the ability to develop wholeness and mature wellness.

Understanding where your difficulties are coming from, can help dissipate the problems of living and help you grow. My training is in individual, couples and family therapy, and I have over ten years of advanced postgraduate training, which includes four years of in-depth training in clinical theory and practice. I am also an experienced child and adolescent psychotherapist, and have published material in the field.

Do you ever feel uncertain about how to navigate relationships and situations in your life? Have you struggled with disappointing relationships, chronic illness, anxiety or sadness ? I practice solution - focused therapy to help you find new ways to look at your life, relationships and circumstances, and to help develop a new perspective to improve your life. My approach is highly interactive , flexible, and fluid, as we work together to create your strategy to achieve lasting results. In many years of practice, I have helped people understand turning points in their lives, transform relationships and gain respect for their own capacity to cope, change and grow.

I am a clinical psychologist who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of mood, anxiety and behavioral disorders in youth and young adults. I have extensive training and use research to provide expert treatment based on your specific needs. I work directly with you and your family to create a strong sense of calm and connection. I can help to regain a sense of normalcy and support you with developing ways to strengthen relationships, manage behaviors, and improve mood. My goal is to allow you and your family to feel supported and valued to promote a trusting relationship that can facilitate change towards the goals you want.

Most adults enter psychotherapy because they are dissatisfied with certain aspects of their lives or certain aspects of their selves. Most want to change but don't know how. I find that as I provide an accepting, non-judgemental attitude to the understanding of their problems, individuals are able to uncover emotional blocks, untangle emotional confusions, and work toward developing more successful ways of being in their worlds.

Do you, your child or teen suffer from anxiety, depression, sleep issues or other difficulties at school, home or work? These problems can cause a great deal of pain, sadness, and frustration. Are you or your loved-one faced with the challenge of adjusting to a major life change, such as a death in the family, a medical illness, or a divorce? Do you or your child have a learning disability or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? This can impact self-esteem and functioning at school and at home. Our therapists at Cope With School NYC can help.

We are destined to experience joy and wellbeing and to fully express our unique potential. Do you sometimes wish for guidance and help in managing your daily life, making decisions, organizing, regulating your emotions and behaviors, navigating the weave of social interactions, and achieving your goals and life vision? Or do you struggle with Executive Functioning, Impulsivity, Procrastination, Focus, Difficulties at work or school? Get to know the person who knows you best, wants the best for you, knows how to go about it, and will advocate for you with kindness. That person is inside you.

My work as a psychologist centers on problems with anxiety and stress, particularly within the context of our multicultural society. I help people with conflicts in: interracial identity; adolescent -young adult identity and ethnic identity; intergenerational relationships; interracial relationships; and adoption. Such conflicts often coexist with struggles in mood regulation, depression, and anxiety, for which there are effective psychological treatments and healthy solutions.

I have postdoctoral training in both child/ adolescent and adult psychoanalysis. My approach underscores the significance of relationships with others and the role of social and cultural forces in personality development. As a psychoanalyst, I see patients on a 1-3 times a week basis for intensive long-term work that typically lasts no less than a year for children/adolescents and two years for adults.

Felling unsatisfied in your relationships or career? Is your child or adolescent struggling with school or at home? Is anxiety getting in the way of identifying and realizing life goals and aspirations? Do you see yourself repeating various patterns and feel ill-equipped to change them? Learned patterns from the past can persist into adulthood and frustrate one's ability to realize age-appropriate goals with relationships, career issues, and impede academic success.

David Gottesfeld (www.davidgottesfeld.com) is a Licensed Psychologist in private practice since 1991, with offices in Manhattan and White Plains, New York. Dr. Gottesfeld is also an Adjunct Professor at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology teaching the Practicum in Child Assessment. He specializes in comprehensive Psycho-Educational Testing and Neuropsychological Testing, as well as child, adolescent , and adult psychotherapy. He is recognized as an expert in the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults and is skilled in the process of securing extended time and other test accommodations on the ISEE, PSAT, SAT, SAT2, or ACT.

In my current virtual practice I am working with many age groups dealing with the anxiety of trying to cope: with getting ready for college; with city life and roommates; with relationship partners; with making decisions to move ahead with relationship commitment, or not and if so, how; all ages attempting to cope with remote work and cramped living arrangements; and the pain and changed nature of our current city life. I help patients seeking relationships, fixing them and leaving them.

After more than 35 years of doing this work, I am still reminded daily that every therapeutic relationship is different. Working together we will begin to understand how you came to be the person you are, what things hold you back, and how you can learn to change. We will look at your past, but also at your present, including what happens between the two of us. Through treatment you should expect to feel more confident and more flexible in your ability to respond to problems that inevitably crop up. My goal is to help you experience your life as fully as possible.

Whether you are new to therapy or have worked with therapists before, I will create a safe space for you where we will identify, address, & resolve your issues. I have 34+ years of clinical experience. I have expertise working with patients ages 5 to 80. You will find me understanding & level-headed as we explore the origins of your distress. I am trained as an Adult, Child, & Adolescent psychotherapist. In addition, I am a certified psychoanalyst. My psychoanalytic training & specialization in psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy priorities getting to the roots of the conflict. The approach I offer produces lasting change.