Grief and Trauma Therapy in NYC

Grief and trauma are distinct experiences, yet often deeply intertwined. Both represent profound ruptures in one’s sense of safety, continuity, and self-cohesion. At my Manhattan practice, I help individuals navigate these transitions—whether processing the finality of a loss or the lingering effects of a traumatic past.

Grief Counseling and Loss Support

Grief affects not just your emotions but your sense of self. Therapy focuses on processing these emotions, restoring meaning, and integrating the experience into both your inner world and daily life.

Grief That Others May Not Recognize

Some losses are not acknowledged by others, yet still deeply affect you. These can include:

• The end of a relationship or divorce.
• The loss of a career or professional identity.
• The death of a pet.
• The loss of youth or changes due to aging.
• The effects of a disabling injury or chronic illness.

When a loss matters deeply, grief can be overwhelming. Sometimes it co-occurs with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), complicating the coping process.

Common Symptoms of Grief

Grief manifests differently for each person. You may notice:

• Frequent sadness, depression, or crying.
• Numbness, shock, or dissociation (feeling "unreal").
• Loneliness or social withdrawal.
• Fatigue or loss of interest in life.
• Increased use of substances to manage pain.
• Guilt, anxiety, or fear.

Types of Grief

• Anticipatory Grief: When a loved one faces terminal illness.
• Complicated Grief: Intense longing and emotional pain that interferes with daily life.
• Disenfranchised Grief: Loss that is not socially recognized, like that of an ex-partner.
• Traumatic Grief: Sudden, violent, or shocking losses.

A Reflection on Enduring Love and Loss

"Jane died of leukemia at forty-seven... Now it is April 22, 2016, and Jane has been dead for more than two decades... Last January I grieved again, this time that she would not sit beside me as I died."
— Donald Hall, on the death of his wife, Jane Kenyon.

Trauma Therapy and PTSD Treatment

Trauma disrupts a person’s sense of safety and self-cohesion. Therapy focuses on restoring emotional stability, meaning, and a cohesive sense of self over time.

Understanding Trauma

Trauma is a rupture in one’s sense of safety, often stemming from adverse experiences or empathic failures. It can leave you feeling fragmented, flawed, or powerless.

Key Aspects of Trauma:

• Empathic Failures: Lack of emotional attunement during critical developmental stages.
• Chronic Shame: Internalizing a sense of being "defective" and losing personal agency.
• The Shattered Self: Long-term effects on identity, self-worth, and security.

How Trauma Affects the Body

Trauma impacts both mind and body. As highlighted in Bessel van der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score, traumatic experiences can manifest as chronic tension, hyperarousal, or disrupted physiological patterns.

The Path to Recovery

My approach combines depth-oriented and evidence-based methods to help individuals reclaim their lives:

1. Establishing Safety and Emotional Attunement

Therapy begins in a space where you feel seen, understood, and safe—critical for restoring self-cohesion.

2. Integrating Traumatic Memories

Painful experiences are processed gradually, helping you differentiate past threats from present safety.

3. Restoring Agency and Self-Esteem

Therapy supports rebuilding a resilient self through reframing negative beliefs and cultivating self-compassion.

4. Strengthening Connection

We work to rebuild trust, intimacy, and healthy communication, modeling relational patterns that foster security and growth.