Specialized Trauma Therapy in NYC

"I Can't Bear to Remember It"

Trauma is a deeply human experience that can profoundly affect your emotional, relational, and physiological well-being. It emerges when overwhelming events — abuse, violence, accident, loss, or prolonged stress — exceed your capacity to cope, leaving behind intrusive memories, hypervigilance, numbness, or a shattered sense of safety. Trauma does not always announce itself clearly; it can live in the body, in patterns of avoidance, in difficulty trusting others, or in a persistent feeling that something is fundamentally wrong. I help you heal from trauma with compassionate, depth-oriented therapy — not surface-level advice or quick fixes, but careful work that gets to the root of your pain.

Common Symptoms of Trauma

• "I cry all the time, at nothing." → Intense sadness, crying, or depressive moods
• "I can't feel much. Even love for my family." → Emotional numbness, detachment, or dissociation
• "I mostly stay home. I have no urge to go out or socialize." →Social withdrawal, isolation, or loneliness

• "I have no energy anymore." →Fatigue, diminished motivation, or sleep disturbances
• "I can't forgive myself for what happened." →Guilt, anxiety, or hypervigilance
• "I'm drinking too much and I know it." →Increased substance use or abuse, or risky behaviors
• "I aways feel tense." →Physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive issues, or chest tightness

"I Was in a Car Accident and I Can't Stop Reliving It": How Trauma Takes Hold

Trauma is not simply a bad memory — it is an experience that overwhelms the nervous system and reshapes how you see yourself, others, and the world. A single catastrophic event, a prolonged period of abuse, or repeated exposure to danger can all leave lasting psychological wounds. Trauma disrupts daily functioning, evokes powerful emotional and physical reactions, and can severely strain your closest relationships. Many people find themselves caught in cycles of avoidance, hyperarousal, and shame — unsure why they cannot simply "move on." You don't have to navigate this alone. With the right therapeutic care, the nervous system can be regulated, traumatic memories can be integrated, and a renewed sense of safety and self can be rebuilt. I help you move forward — not by pushing the past aside, but by working through it with depth, care, and clinical expertise.

"I Block Out the Terrible Memory": Trauma Therapy and PTSD Treatment

Trauma occurs when an experience overwhelms your psychological capacity to cope. There is a common misconception that if others don't recognize something as traumatic, you shouldn't be so affected by it — but this is simply not true. Your pain is yours to define, and your experience deserves to be taken seriously. In trauma therapy and PTSD treatment, I help you restore emotional regulation, process traumatic memories safely, and rebuild your sense of self and confidence.

"My Heart Always Races": Trauma-Related Disorders

Several distinct disorders can arise from traumatic or stressful events. Understanding which applies to you helps inform a therapy approach tailored to your specific experience and needs.

"I Feel On Edge All the Time": Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD involves persistent, distressing symptoms lasting more than one month — including intrusive memories, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of trauma reminders, negative shifts in mood and thinking, and chronic hyperarousal. Therapy focuses on emotional regulation, integrating traumatic memories into your life narrative, and rebuilding a cohesive, confident sense of self.

"Why Can't I Relax?": Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)

Acute Stress Disorder occurs in the immediate aftermath of trauma and lasts between three days and one month. Symptoms may include dissociation, intrusive thoughts, heightened anxiety, emotional numbness, and avoidance. Early intervention is important — and can significantly reduce the risk of progression to full PTSD.

"I Can't Fit in Anywhere": Adjustment Disorder

Adjustment Disorder involves emotional or behavioral responses to an identifiable stressor — such as divorce, job loss, or a major life transition — that significantly impair your daily functioning. Therapy focuses on building adaptive coping strategies, reducing distress, and restoring your sense of stability and purpose.

Core Concepts in Trauma Recovery

• Empathic Failures: Early relational disruptions with caregivers interfere with secure attachment, trust development, and emotion regulation. Treatment focuses on relational repair and guided interpersonal experiences.
• Chronic Shame: Trauma often generates pervasive self-blame, feelings of defectiveness, and a deep sense of inadequacy. I help you develop self-compassion, challenge maladaptive thought patterns, and restore your dignity.
• The Shattered Self: Trauma can fragment your identity and severely diminish your confidence. In therapy, we work on reconstructing your story, exploring new perspectives, and integrating fragmented memories into a coherent sense of self.
• Body-Mind Dysregulation: Trauma manifests physically as hyperarousal, muscle tension, chronic pain, or autonomic dysregulation. Mind-body approaches — including grounding, mindfulness, and body awareness techniques — help restore your equilibrium and sense of integration.

The Path to Healing

The path to healing from trauma begins with establishing safety and emotional regulation in the therapy room. I provide a secure therapeutic environment where you can learn to manage anxiety, hyperarousal, and intrusive memories through mindfulness, stabilization exercises, and a deepening understanding of your own mind. Once that foundation of safety is in place, traumatic experiences can be explored gradually — at a pace that prevents overwhelm. I use techniques such as narrative therapy, guided imagery, cognitive restructuring, and mindfulness to help you integrate memories, reduce avoidance, and build genuine mastery over distress.

Healing also means rebuilding identity and agency — restoring your self-confidence, autonomy, and sense of purpose. Reflective exercises, values exploration, and goal-setting help reconstruct a coherent, resilient self capable of engaging meaningfully with life. I also help you reestablish healthy relationships and address the disruptions in trust and relational patterns that trauma so often causes. Through relational skills training, role-playing, and guided interpersonal experiences, you can strengthen communication, set healthy boundaries, and cultivate secure, meaningful connections. Trauma touches many dimensions of a person's life, and I have the clinical expertise to tailor every aspect of this work to your unique needs and goals.