Teletherapy for New York

Hello and welcome. There is tremendous potential in human potential of self-growth and positive reformation. I understand that seeking help for mental health concerns can be difficult, but it is a brave and important step towards improving your well-being and psychotherapy is an amazing tool that caters to that. Through therapy and small insightful 'aha' moments, one gains self-awareness that helps make gradual and meaningful changes, to live holistically. My work entails a journey of self discover and self love, aiming towards building a healthier inner core. In the process there is so much to learn from one another.

I work with folks experiencing anxiety and other challenges in relationships. Do you find yourself returning to familiar but detrimental ways of dealing with certain life challenges? Are you in a good relationship that’s triggering a lot of discomfort, making it hard to show up for your partner in ways that you like? If you have outgrown but still struggle with perfectionism, minimizing your needs, overachieving, trying to maintain control or isolating, If you want to feel less anxious, step out of the caretaker role, and have healthy relationships with yourself and others, I understand and can help you get there.

You are stuck in a dark maze carrying the crushing pressure of the world to succeed on your chest. While everybody is at the finish line of the race, you are handcuffed to the beginning of the line. The isolation and loneliness feel like a void in the pit of your stomach that is never filled. The emotions are like waves in the ocean, when it comes, it drowns you, and when it's quiet, it's boxed up in a container ready to explode. My post-grad includes the New York School for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with extensive training in AEDP (focus on here-and-now relational and body - somatic) and EMDR for dating and breakups.

I work with millennials who feel overwhelmed, overworked, alone, and anxious as they go through challenging transitions at work or may be going through emotions, stress and disconnection from themselves, family, friends, and intimate partners. I support my clients in identifying and attaining their full potential. In my work, I help my clients identify the issue, process what is going on, build on resources to slow down their mind & body, and transform relationships and routines to improve your daily life and how you feel within it. As your therapist, I aim for you to leave sessions feeling empowered, connected, and confident.

Whether you struggle with depression or anxiety, are stuck repeating old patterns, or seek support for a specific goal, therapy can be a tool for decreasing stress, building self-compassion, and re-discovering yourself. I offer a safe, collaborative, and nonjudgmental space for you to explore your feelings, while finding the path that leads you to more joy and fulfillment in life. My Asian American identity helps me attune more easily with cross-cultural and intergenerational issues, and I work with both English and Mandarin-speaking patients. I also specialize in working with teens who are struggling with depression and anxiety.

We all experience "stuckness" sometimes and feel disconnected from those we love most. Maybe you find yourself revisiting the same old territory in your mind on a loop, and find that it is hard to make a change on your own. Or maybe you have faced a moment of rupture in a close relationship, and find your world torn apart. Perhaps you are noticing unhelpful patterns in yourself or your relationships, and are now feeling ready to explore them. Or you might find yourself avoiding social situations, even though you have a sense it might help you feel better.

I am currently providing in-person and video sessions for individual therapy and couples work. My therapeutic approach is focused on making room for feelings of relief, self-acceptance, and a sense of inner calm. My clients arrive to therapy because of a tension between their external life feels outs of alignment their inner desires. Or, their relationships a source of pain for them, leaving them feeling stuck, like they are just replaying the same patterns over and over again. My clients have curiosity about their own roles in their dynamics in family relationships, romantic relationships, and friendships.

I’m a Bilingual Licensed Clinical psychotherapist. I offer a safe, caring, professional & therapeutic environment where we can co-create a relationship essential for your healing & growth. I aid individuals with depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, anxiety, chronic illness, medical trauma, food allergies, difficulty forming or maintaining relationships, & life transitions (I.e. college, aging.) I strive to aid my patients in cultivating greater self-acceptance & compassion for themselves. I have extensive experience with Latinx, people of color & LGBTQIA+. Mis servicios son ofrecidos 100 % en Español. www.daringblisstherapy.com.

Are you living the life you want? Is your relationship a source of pain for you? Are you arguing more, trusting less, or finding yourself not looking forward to spending time together? Maybe your relationship feels stuck, like you're just replaying the same disagreement over and over again. Do you not like the person you are when you're in a relationship or wonder why you keep repeating patterns in the type of person you date? Human beings are wired for connection, yet somehow the people we are closest with also seem to cause us the most pain.

I'm a therapist because I love working with people and embrace humanity in all its glorious, messy, wondrous complexity. I'm here to work with your needs as a client, to help you understand yourself better and to empower you on your journey of growth and healing. I practice using an integrative approach, which means: I see you as a person shaped by your past, present and thoughts about the future; by your innate personality, environment and upbringing; by your social relationships, likes, dislikes and relationship with yourself.

Ram Dass said "We’re all just walking each other home.” While this journey home is beautiful and unique, at times, it can be treacherous and lonely. As your therapist, I see myself as your travel companion – someone to help you identify, navigate, and overcome whatever obstacles you face on your journey. Using an integrative approach, I blend more traditional psychodynamic and relational therapies with evidence-based modalities including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy.

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.

My name is Barbara Mustakas and I am a licensed mental health counselor in New York. I have extensive experience helping individuals and couples with stress and anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, coping with grief and loss, motivation, self esteem and confidence. I believe you are the expert of your story and that you may have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Taking the first step toward a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

I work with adults of all ages dealing with depression, anxiety, relationship stresses, feeling "stuck," identity issues, sexuality, major life-transitions, negative patterns, and grief/loss. I also draw on my corporate/legal background to help with job/career stresses and goals -- executives and professionals find my prior experience as an attorney to be quite helpful. I bring a spirit of creativity to our work, and encourage curiosity and humor whenever possible.

I believe we all want to feel safe, to feel genuinely seen, to have meaningful connection, to be able to weather challenges, and to feel, deep down, that we are good enough and not alone. When we better understand our inner patterns and all our parts feel welcome and seen, then we can tap into the natural ability of our brains and bodies to learn and transform. Beneath our protective defenses and habits, I believe every one of us is curious, courageous, loving, and worthy of love. As flowers turn toward the sun, humans are evolved for resilience. I work closely with clients to rediscover their natural inner resources for healing.

Engaging in creative work, connecting with your partner, and deepening intimacy requires being in touch with your emotions. So it can be particularly challenging when you’re too anxious to get into character, too depressed to get out of bed, or too anxious for date night. All of a sudden, you find yourself feeling isolated, misunderstood, or like a painter working with frayed brushes. You deserve a space in therapy to work through life’s challenges. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in the mind that it becomes difficult—or even painful—to slow down and notice what you're feeling both emotionally and in your body.

If you want to change thought patterns or behaviors, you may need to work with your body because it too has developed habits that support your cognitive and emotional habits. What distinguishes me as a psychotherapist is the amount of attention I give to the bodily components of mental/emotional habits and the resources I can bring to improve the body-mind connection. In my practice I use EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy), IFS (Internal Family Systems), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Neurofeedback (direct brain-training), and EFT (tapping to get traumatic memories unstuck).

Do you struggle to know what you want? Is it hard to commit? In a time of so much uncertainty, it can be difficult to make decisions.  Maybe you feel blocked professionally or creatively. Or, like a lot of us, your struggles show up in your closest relationships. Maybe you’ve dealt with the weight of other people’s expectations and find it hard to listen to yourself or trust your own voice. Or maybe you worry you’ll be misunderstood. Sometimes you wish someone would just tell you what to do, but that leaves you feeling constrained and inauthentic. 

I believe that mental and emotional suffering is best healed in the context of a safe and caring therapeutic relationship. Drawing on an emotion-focused and relational psychotherapy style, we see the client-therapist relationship as the foundation for healing and growth. My style is active and we will work collaboratively with you in order to create a safe, comfortable, and supportive atmosphere for us to explore past and present-day difficulties.