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Therapy is a partnership where you and I agree to work together for a time in order to gain a perspective on the forces, events, and people acting upon your life.  We will identify patterns and barriers, develop ways of coping, and consider the strengths and supports available to you. 

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Are you age 25-35? Would it be helpful to speak to a parent, just not your parent? 

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In my own experience as a parent to adult children, I can assure you so many young people in their 20's and early 30's struggle, feeling overwhelmed by choices and competition - and NYC magnifies the intensity. 

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Do you feel your parents mean well, but their help is feeling oppressive, loaded with expectations? Are you living at home, feeling ashamed of it? Do you dread dating or do you feel unsure of the relationship you're in? Does it seem like your friends know what they want to do in their lives and you don't?

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Do you secretly hope for something, "If only I could ___________?" Let's explore this together.

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I have worked with a number of clients in their late 20's in graduate school, others are in their 30's and wished they had gone to college. Therapy centered on considering their next moves, what they really cared about, and the importance of discovering and fulfilling expectations they had for themselves. 

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Are you age 35-50, burdened by the nagging thought, "Is my parenting good enough?" Perhaps you have teenaged children about to apply to high school or college, wondering if your child will be accepted, fearing if they are not?

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Let's be real. Applying to high school in NYC is daunting. The Department of Education's labyrinthian process for admissions is truly difficult. You are not alone. And applying to college is perhaps all the more stressful. It can feel like you are the one applying, constantly asking your child if they have worked on the Common App essay. Do you feel worried about their prospects? Is your anxiety hindering the process?

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I have worked with clients to develop strategies to manage this process, but more importantly, I have worked with people to slow down and look at what is really at stake for them and their children. 

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New York Times journalist Frank Bruni has much insight to offer: Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania. Let's talk about it. 

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Are you age 50-60+, an"empty nester" feeling an ache or loneliness wondering... what now?

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We parents spend a great deal of time working on getting our children in to high school, then college, and then come to find once the children leave, we lack a sense of purpose in spite of having a career. 

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Hallmark does not make sympathy cards for parents who have hit the milestone of graduation and feel and overwhelming sadness for the loss of their children's childhood. We can feel guilty. It can seem so selfish because isn't this what we want - for our kids to mature and move on? But where does that leave us?

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It is a time for re-evaluating, re-defining, re-connecting. Sometimes things with your partner may become more difficult or glaring without the constant diversion of teenagers in the house. Does this necessarily mean separation or divorce? Maybe, maybe not. It is ok to acknowledge differences, the need for separate time and activities. Some find they want to re-define their sexuality or explore something new. Some want to stay with their partners and live apart - together. The first step is to give yourself permission to voice how you want to live now, even if it's outside of convention. 

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Do you secretly desire something, "If only I could _____ ?" Would it feel like a relief to divulge this to someone who will not judge you?

And about those children that have left: There are actually ways to have healthy and strong relationships with your adult children, respecting boundaries, communicating, listening, and listening even more, and validating their feelings. We can explore what it is like to no longer be the expert in their lives. See New York Times best-selling author Dr. Gabor Mate and his son Daniel Mate on Hello Again - A Fresh Start for Adult Children and Their Parents, a past workshop and future book coming out in 2025.

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Are you age 50-70, overwhelmed by responsibilities of caregiving for your parents? Did your deceased parents leave a will that is equitable with your siblings or were you punished, essentially? 

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At this time in our lives, many of us grapple with the decline and death of our parents, struggles with our siblings who have different ideas than we do about our parents' care or possessions, and it brings us face to face with our own aging. We can feel exhausted and unappreciated from caretaking and a little freaked out that our parents' decline and demise means we are next in line. It is vital for the caretaker to be taken care of. You deserve to be replenished and cherished.

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As a society we are only just beginning to talk about aging and death as part of the life cycle. Surgeon, professor, and New York Times best-selling author Atul Gawande has much wisdom to offer in Being Mortal: Medicine and What Happens in the End. Let's explore this together.

Are you angry at your mother or father? Do they intimidate you, or make you feel bad about yourself? Is there a chance of being able to talk about past hurts or do you feel things are irreconcilable?  Do friends say, "Can't you just forgive them?" You do not have to. What might be helpful to you is to find compassion for your parents and their hurt that has so long prevented them from giving you what you have needed. And that is a process!

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Why seek therapy?

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There are many reasons people seek therapy. Sometimes a life event, a crisis in love or work or family brings us into therapy. You have tried coping, but the strategies are not bringing any relief or are unhealthy; your friends are frustrated with you because there may be a pattern of negative behavior. In other instances, there are old unresolved childhood issues that seem to be holding you back from progress.

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Therapy can address anxiety, depression, grief, bereavement, conflict, stress, communication/power and control issues, childhood and adulthood trauma, and life exploration. If you are willing to take accountability and consider the reality that you have agency in your own life, then therapy can deepen and strengthen your self-awareness and lead you toward the change you are seeking. And, there is much more room for change than we believe.

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What should I expect?

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We will first do an in-depth hour-long session where you can give me background of what you have been struggling with, including some family history, and some information on what has been helpful in the past.  Then we will meet weekly for 45 minutes. 

 

Some choose to come to therapy, interested in a shorter term of engagement to focus on a specific issue (solution focused therapy). Others feel the need to do a longer-term exploration addressing complex feelings. There may come a time where it will be helpful to your progress to take action outside of therapy where you read a book, write in a journal, or keep records to track certain behaviors. It’s really important to integrate our discussions into your life between sessions. That is how therapy is going to be the most effective.  And if you feel that something is not working, let’s talk about it. We can course correct or take another route that may be more promising. 

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How will this go?

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Therapy is collaborative.  As the client, you are the expert in your own life.  My job is to listen to you, to reflect to you what feelings are coming through, to raise a mirror up for self-compassion that perhaps has never been held for you. There is no one size fits all approach. You and I will look at the problems and sort out where you want to go. 

 

I believe in a holistic approach to your healing.  Seeing your primary care provider as well as signing up for therapy is critical to good emotional health.  You want to be sure there is not a physical condition that is contributing to your distress. 

 

I use an integrative approach, drawing upon different therapeutic techniques.  The basis of this humanistic approach is client-centered (Rogerian) therapy.  Often psychodynamic therapy - the exploration of past experiences to uncover how they shaped the present – is very helpful.  Cognitive behavioral therapy can help us see patterns, noting our feelings are very real, but may not reflect the evidence.  We can look at this and see if there might be another perspective.  Tools such as logs and journaling can aid this process.  Mindfulness, almost an overused word these days, can be very helpful to stay in the here and now.  Art therapy can be very healing – and you do not need any talent whatsoever to make use of this technique for conveying feelings. 

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I am not used to asking for help. Do I really need therapy?

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This is completely up to you. Take a look around and see if the people you love are all right with how you are coping. And then ask yourself are you really all right with how you are coping? Life has challenging situations all the time and you may have done wonderfully through many of them. This time may be different and if you need the extra support, give yourself credit that you realize you’ve got the self-awareness to see that you need a helping hand. By making a commitment you’re taking responsibility to change your situation. Therapy gives you long lasting benefits- tools you perhaps did not even realize you needed to avoid triggers, redirect maladaptive patterns, and support you in the face of future of challenges.

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What about medication? Can this be a substitute for therapy?

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I have colleagues to whom I can refer you for psychiatric evaluation and medication. Sometimes the combination of therapy and medication is what is needed. The key is to not only treat the symptoms, but to use therapy to address the cause of the pain and the negative behavior patterns that inhibit growth.

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I am concerned about privacy. Is therapy confidential?

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The law protects the confidentialities of all communications between client and therapist. No information can be disclosed without the client’s prior written consent. As a licensed clinical social worker in New York state I am a mandated reporter. This means there are some exceptions required by law to this rule.

 

Exceptions include:

 

-Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.

 

-If a client is threatening seriously bodily harm to another person. The therapist is required to notify the police.

 

-The client intends to harm themselves. The therapist will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure their safety. If an individual does not cooperate, however, additional measures may need to be taken.

 

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My virtual office

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I provide video telehealth sessions using a secure online platform. I am licensed to provide video telehealth therapy sessions to adults across the state of New York. In-office appointments are not available at this time.

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Policies/Guidelines

 

At this time, I am only accepting clients ages 25+. 

This is a safe space for all gender identities, sexual orientations, and BIPOC.

 

 

Fees: Initial session: $275/ 60 minutes

Weekly sessions: $225/ 45 minutes  

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24 hour cancellation policy.  If you are unable to attend, please notify me 24 hours ahead of our appointment and I will make every effort to reschedule.  If you do not notify me within this period, I still have to charge for the time that I saved for you.  

 

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Insurance

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I am not accepting insurance at this time. If you do have insurance, and you want to move forward with self-pay, I can provide you with a superbill.  A superbill is a document that shows a list of services you have received that you can submit directly to your insurance company to receive reimbursement for services. I am unable to determine if your insurance company will provide reimbursement. I encourage you to contact your insurance provider to learn if you have out-of-network benefits.

 

Venmo, Zelle, credit, or debit card are accepted at time of each session.

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Do you offer free consults?

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Yes, of course. We can speak on the phone for 15-20 minutes about your specific needs and any questions you have about my practice.