Family Therapy in New York, NY

There are times in life when we may feel overwhelmed and need help dealing with emotions and issues that we feel are beyond our control. It can be a difficult family situation, a problem in all our relationships, a conflict at work, bereavement or a search for meaning in one's life.

As a therapist with a disability, I have a deep appreciation for life's challenges, pain, loss and suffering. I have learned the art of "transforming obstacles into opportunities," with the help of my guide dog Faith, as she literally guides me around obstacles, and has enhanced my life, turning around an otherwise insurmountable feat. Decades of clinical and life experience, keen intuition, along with compassion and a holistic, evidenced-based approach, and a sense of humor, are some of the key ingredients leading my clients towards feeling better, finding direction and actualizing potential.

Over the past thirty years, I have worked with individuals, couples, and families who are internationals coming from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. I use a range of psychotherapeutic approaches to offer you guidance and help you build coping skills to resolve your unique experiences, such as depression, anxiety, loss, relationship conflicts, work stress, traumas, family /couples' conflicts, and parenting struggles. I am dedicated to helping you transform unhealthy habitual patterns by opening opportunities for you to find more strength, compassion, and aliveness in your life and in your relationships.

There is no ideal client. Each client is a unique subject who has been shaped by an infinitely complex set of circumstances; family , culture and inherited predispositions. The one thing that they have in common is that somehow there is a sense that things are somehow not right and yet still entertain a suspicion that things can improve. Working in an open, honest and interactive way, marked by curiosity, compassion and courage we will work together to discover patterns and styles that hinder the experience of joy, intimacy and achievement. Together we will work to overcome the crisis of debilitating guilt, anxiety and depression.

Welcome to my page! I'm glad you're here. The decision to seek out therapy often happens during a particularly difficult moment in life. Whatever has brought you to seek out therapy, it should feel like a safe environment where you are treated as the greatest expert of your own life experience. I bring extensive knowledge of LGBTQ+ communities, as well as expertise on the unique issues faced by non-monogamous people, sex workers, and kink/BDSM-aligned individuals.

I am a clinical social worker and psychotherapist, with more than 20 years of direct practice experience, with a PhD in Clinical Social Work from New York University, as well as a dual degree in Social Work and Dance Movement Therapy from Hunter College. I work closely with psychiatrists and primary care providers to deliver high quality care to individuals, couples and families, and I am particularly interested in the intersection of health and mental health issues.

Asking for help is not easy, so congratulations on taking the first step toward self-improvement and fulfillment. Through our partnership, I hope to help you better understand yourself in terms of how you function in your personal relationships, and help you see patterns that may be causing distress. My style is one that primarily focuses on empathy and insight. Though talking about issues that come up in therapy may initially be difficult, with time you will notice you are seeing yourself in a new light, and that you are able to accomplish positive change.

If you’ve come here, you’re likely searching for a space for your thoughts and feelings beyond what your friends, family , or partner can provide. You are looking for not only a listener and confidant, but also someone who can reflect back and help you clarify what is on your mind. In a warm, validating, and confidential space, you will gain insight into your patterns- both those that serve you well and those you wish you could change- and test out different ways of understanding and relating that can help you achieve your ultimate goals. Our practice includes therapists specializing in CBT, psychodynamic, and contemplative methods.

As a psychotherapist, I provide a safe environment for reflection where discovering and exploring fixed patterns that hinder you from realizing goals can lead to awareness. We all have parts of ourselves that we do not understand and feel that we cannot change, often leaving us feeling stuck and overwhelmed. Telling your story and gaining deeper understanding of yourself can have transforming effects on your life. I work with patients facing problems in love, work, family , school, issues with self-esteem, identity, and trauma. My analytic training makes me a skilled and empathic listener, helping to identify themes that lead to insights and more choices.

I am interested and committed to seeing you grow and develop as you explore your patterns, scripts, and inner workings to develop a more integrated YOU. Whether you are an individual, couple, or family system, that wants to be the best you can be and free yourself from your emotional or social blockages, I am able to work with you. I have worked with many different ages and presenting concerns with positive outcomes. I handle most cases through an attachment lens as I am certified in EFT. I build easy rapport and provide a very emotionally safe environment for therapeutic exploration.

I am well trained and seasoned by lots of life experience - you can talk to me about anything. A commitment to having a great life, combined with an openness to the support of others, makes anything possible. Being a therapist is my second profession; taken up after working in the investment banking business for more than twenty years. I have raised a family in New York City and have four grown children. Couples therapy, anger managment, addictions, and making major life changes are some of the areas in which I collaborate with my clients.

I welcome clients with a variety of issues, needs, and goals. In my prior work I have experience with client's dealign with different issues that include: ADHD, depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and trauma.

By becoming engaged and working with a solution-focused therapist, you will begin to uncover your child's and/or your family 's potential. You will begin to engage in a life that is worth celebrating, not merely tolerating. Throughout the growth cycles of children and adolescents, they often have many behavioral issues. This includes ADHD, unresolved stress, unsupported grief, addiction/recovery issues. Families of all types can have these ongoing struggles. Conflict resolution is paramount between family members. In addition, counseling the parents re: their own depression, anxiety or personality issues is paramount to completing the cycle of ongoing family distress.

Have you been having trouble finding an open-minded therapist you connect with? Are you going through something that needs attention, and not sure where to seek help? Therapy can help you gain insight into persistent patterns and issues, connect some of the moving parts of your experiences, and guide you toward actualizing your full potential. I provide guidance and support to individuals looking to find answers to problems with relationships, trauma, self-esteem, career stress/burnout, depression/anxiety, and family estrangement.

I do not have an ideal client.

Brenda Shrobe is a graduate of New York University and the Ackerman Institute of the Family and is a New York State licensed Marriage and Family Therapist . She works extensively with couples and families.