TRAUMA

Among all my areas of practice as a mental health expert and psychoanalyst, I am most extensively trained in addressing symptoms of trauma and PTSD, which in part greatly stems from being a survivor myself who has personally faced and overcome severe trauma.

As a national and international trauma psychiatrist, I have worked with the homeless in New York City, the victims at Ground Zero, and the survivors of the Chechen genocide in the North Caucasus. In addition, I volunteered in a mobile medical clinic in Humla district, the most remote region of Nepal with people without access to medical care. As part of my humanitarian work, after 9/11, I appeared on WNBC news many times in an attempt to calm New Yorker’s fears due to subsequent anthrax poisoning of postal workers and other perceived terror threats.

My volunteer work with emergency workers at Ground zero on 9/11 was featured in the Yomiuri Shimbun, a national Japanese newspaper with the largest newspaper circulation in the world. In addition, I co-created the Grief Relief Network to allow family members who lost loved ones from 9/11 connect with each other to provide additional emotional support.

Additionally, I have worked as Chief of the Psychiatric Emergency Room at St Vincent's Hospital in Greenwich Village for many years, where I worked with patients struggling with:

●      Emotional/Physical Abuse

●      Severe PTSD

●      Dissociative Disorder

●      Depersonalization Disorder

●      Somatic Symptom Disorder, &

●      Eating Disorders

PSYCHOTHERAPY

At my practice as a board-certified psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, I provide a range of psychotherapy services designed to address diverse emotional needs and challenges, and my approaches are tailored to the individual preferences and requirements of my patients.

My main specialized therapies are noted below, each aimed at fostering personal growth and emotional well-being:

●      Brief Dynamic Psychotherapy: A short-term approach aiding individuals to confront suppressed emotions and true feelings that have been avoided due to their intensity, or warded off because they are too painful to integrate.

●      Interpersonal Psychotherapy: Emphasizes the human connection between therapist and client, prioritizing this bond for therapeutic progress as opposed to a paternalistic approach. Focuses on understanding how individuals interact and impact each other.

●      Relational Psychotherapy: Explores mutual influence in personal growth and treatment, viewing the therapeutic relationships as collaborative processes shaped by both parties and it’s neither one-sided nor linear. Draws from theories on social constructivism, feminism, intersubjectivity, and attachment research.

MINDFUL THERAPY

Mindfulness psychotherapy synthesizes ancient spiritual wisdom with modern psychological practices for profound healing and insight. By accessing the world’s wisdom of spiritual traditions, which have been collected for thousands of years, a person can cultivate a deeper awareness of the present moment and embrace experiences with less judgment. This therapy aims to reduce suffering and promote inner peace and equanimity.

One’s spiritual being emerges in and through the psychological work, rather than after it.

Unlike standalone spiritual practices, mindfulness psychotherapy integrates one's spiritual essence into psychological exploration, facilitating a holistic approach to personal growth, spiritual unfolding and transformation.

Examples like existential psychotherapy prioritize experiential learning, present-focused awareness, and conscious living over theoretical constructs, fostering a deeper connection to one's authentic self and a more meaningful connection to the world around them.

By embracing the integration of spiritual and psychological elements, individuals can embark on a journey towards self-discovery, emotional resilience, and a profound sense of purpose.

SPIRITUALITY

I work closely with individuals to explore and enhance their spirituality, focusing on achieving the following objectives:

●      Evolution of Self-Awareness & Actualization: Dedicated to guiding individuals on a transformative journey towards heightened self-awareness and personal fulfillment.

●      Multidimensional Consciousness: Recognizing identity beyond professional and daily life definitions, acknowledging the spiritual essence within each individual.

●      Holistic Approach: Fostering spiritual connections within psychological exploration, aiming to uncover unconscious aspects and promote soul healing.

●      Wholeness in Therapy: Embracing patients in their entirety, shifting focus from deficits to spiritual growth, enriching psychotherapy with profound soul-level healing.

My passion is helping my patients, who are interested, in connecting with a spiritual understanding of their psychological experience, which is mostly unconscious. By embracing each person as a whole, rather than from a “deficit model”, psychotherapy deepens from working with concrete, materialistic issues to healing their souls.

CREATIVITY

Creativity is primal. It's an innate essence that resides within each of us, driving us to craft our unique narratives and shape our distinctive paths. We are the artists of our journey. I encourage my patients to use creative inspirations and images to heal.

When creativity is used in the therapeutic process, it allows both therapist and patient to be more flexible, opening themselves to new ideas and experiences, and garnering a sense of energy and playfulness. Cultivating spontaneity and adaptability within the therapeutic relationship serves as a catalyst for enhancing creativity, fostering a dynamic environment conducive to growth and healing through imaginative expressions and inspirations.

With a focus on professionals and creatives spanning diverse fields such as arts, fashion, film, and writing, my clinical practice is dedicated to nurturing their creative endeavors and life purposes. I am particularly passionate about collaborating with visionaries to deepen their voice and expand their sphere of impact and influence.

COACHING

Get the support you need to be the best person you can be and achieve all of your life’s goals. Whether you're striving for career advancement or personal growth, you can live the life you want!

Are there areas in your life you wish to transform or navigate more effectively, such as relationships, career challenges, or self-confidence hurdles? Together, we will establish achievable goals, unearth obstacles, shift perspectives, and address and transform underlying beliefs that may be holding you back.

With a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in my practice, my coaching methodology is finely tuned to individual needs, ensuring a personalized journey towards self-discovery and success. Tailored to your unique strengths and challenges, our collaborative work seeks to uncover your own distinctive path and “best way” to transformation and fulfillment.

RELATIONSHIPS & SELF-LOVE

It’s said that the most important relationship is the one that we have with ourselves. It serves as the bedrock upon which all other relationships are built, shaping our interactions with the world around us and influencing the depth of connections we form with others.

Embracing and nurturing this primary relationship with ourselves lays the foundation for cultivating healthy, meaningful connections with loved ones, colleagues, and the broader community. By prioritizing self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-love, we embark on a transformative journey that enriches our inner world as well as the quality and authenticity of our external relationships.