Well+Being Holistic Mental Health
Emotional Health & Wellness Tips From The Therapy Couch And Other Places
The Hidden Grief of Narcissistic Abuse: What Therapists Wish Survivors Knew
We often move through the world unaware of the silent devastations unfolding in others’ private lives. While the heartbreak of divorce or loss may be openly acknowledged, the grief of narcissistic abuse often remains hidden, unnamed, and deeply misunderstood. Survivors may appear composed, articulate, even high-achieving—successful in their careers, steady in their routines. But beneath this curated surface often lies a profound and invisible wound that conventional therapy or casual support systems may overlook entirely.
This isn’t the grief of a conventional breakup. It’s not simply missing a partner or longing for love lost. This is the grief of having your sense of self dismantled, your intuition invalidated, your nervous system chronically flooded, and your reality subtly but systematically denied. Survivors of narcissistic abuse grieve the emotional safety they never had, the years spent self-editing and self-abandoning to keep the peace, and the version of themselves that once trusted freely. It’s a grief made more complicated by confusion, shame, and the slow erosion of identity.
This form of grief is layered, complex, and chronic. And it doesn’t fade just because the relationship ends. In many cases, the real grieving begins after separation, when the trauma bond breaks and the nervous system finally begins to register the magnitude of what it endured. The emotional whiplash—longing mixed with fear, sadness entangled with relief—can feel disorienting, even paralyzing.
How EMDR Therapy Helps You Break the Trauma Bond
Trauma bonds are not ordinary attachments—they are survival-driven connections formed in the shadow of emotional abuse. They arise from repeated cycles of idealization and devaluation, warmth followed by withdrawal, praise laced with punishment. These unpredictable patterns of affection and cruelty create a powerful psychological hook that binds you to someone who may be hurting you. Even after the relationship ends, the imprint remains. You might find yourself thinking about them constantly, doubting your decision to leave, or craving their validation despite knowing how much pain they caused. This is not love. This is the trauma bond at work.
Trauma bonding is common in narcissistic relationships, emotionally abusive dynamics, and situations involving power imbalance. It leaves you stuck in a push-pull pattern where logic says “run,” but your nervous system says “stay.” You may intellectually understand that the relationship was toxic or unsafe, yet still feel pulled back in. That inner conflict—of knowing and still longing—is not a personal failure. It’s a trauma response.
Healing from this kind of emotional entanglement requires more than insight or willpower. It calls for a deeper level of healing—one that addresses the body’s stress response, rewires attachment pathways, and restores a sense of safety from the inside out. This is exactly where EMDR therapy proves to be a transformative and empowering tool for narcissistic abuse recovery.
Why Traditional Talk Therapy Isn’t Enough for Trauma: The Rise of Somatic and EMDR Therapy in NYC
If you’ve been in therapy before and still feel stuck—repeating the same patterns, struggling with emotional triggers, or experiencing unexplained anxiety—you’re not alone. Many high-functioning, self-aware individuals come to Holistic Therapy & Wellness NY, my boutique psychotherapy practice in New York City, with a familiar story: "I’ve done the work. So why do I still feel this way?"
The truth is, traditional talk therapy can be helpful—but it isn’t always sufficient for trauma. Especially when trauma has left its imprint not just on your mind, but on your body and nervous system. This is where modalities like Somatic Therapy in NYC and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy in New York come in. These approaches go beyond insight. They support real, lasting transformation.
How Unresolved Trauma Keeps You Stuck—Even If You’ve Been to Therapy
Unresolved trauma and negative life experiences can create persistent emotional blocks that interfere with the brain and body’s natural ability to heal. When trauma remains unprocessed—especially early attachment wounds, relational injuries, or chronic stressors—it can lead to patterns of anxiety, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, and self-sabotage that are difficult to shift through insight alone. These unhealed experiences often live beneath conscious awareness, stored in the nervous system and shaping how individuals think, feel, and respond. At Holistic Therapy & Wellness NY, trauma-informed therapy targets these hidden barriers using advanced modalities like EMDR therapy, somatic psychotherapy, and nervous system regulation. This highly individualized, integrative approach is designed to help high-functioning professionals in NYC move beyond the limitations of traditional talk therapy by resolving the deeper imprints that keep healing out of reach.
Understanding the Limits of Talk Therapy for Trauma
Classic talk therapy—whether psychodynamic, CBT, or supportive counseling—relies on reflection, verbal processing, and insight. It can be helpful for:
Increasing self-awareness
Improving communication
Clarifying emotions
Managing some symptoms of anxiety or depression
But when it comes to trauma therapy in NYC, especially developmental or complex trauma, cognitive insight often isn’t enough. Trauma isn’t stored in language alone—it’s held in the body, the nervous system, and implicit memory. That’s why you can understand your past but still feel hijacked by it.
You may still:
React strongly to criticism or rejection
Struggle with perfectionism or people-pleasing
Avoid conflict or experience emotional numbing
Feel chronically overwhelmed or disconnected from yourself
No amount of “talking it through” resolves what’s happening beneath the surface. That’s where somatic and EMDR-based approaches are essential.
Beyond Talk Therapy: How Curated Psychotherapy Practices Help High-Functioning Women Heal
In a city where expectations are high and the pace is relentless, many women have learned to appear composed while experiencing significant emotional strain beneath the surface. Behind professional accomplishments, structured schedules, and the responsibilities of parenting often lies a persistent, unspoken fatigue that traditional advice or superficial self-help tools cannot adequately address.
If you are reading this, it's likely that your current coping mechanisms—overworking, perfectionism, internalizing stress, or accommodating others at your own expense—are no longer effective. You may be seeking a deeper, more sustainable form of support. One that goes beyond symptom management and speaks directly to the complexity of your life experience. This is where professional psychotherapy with a curated approach becomes essential.
The Value of Boutique Psychotherapy for High-Functioning Women in NYC
My practice is dedicated to supporting high-functioning women who are navigating significant psychological and situational challenges. These may include life transitions such as divorce or career shifts, burnout related to chronic overfunctioning, unresolved trauma, relational strain, or an emerging desire to live in greater alignment with personal values. Many of the women I work with hold leadership roles, manage caregiving responsibilities, and maintain high visibility in their personal or professional communities—all while carrying emotional burdens that often go unseen.
Unlike traditional models that apply standard interventions, my practice offers a tailored and multidimensional approach. Boutique psychotherapy means we collaborate to create a therapeutic experience that reflects your unique needs, responsibilities, and internal dynamics. This involves not only addressing psychological symptoms but also examining how your physical health, nervous system, relationships, and identity development intersect.
This approach respects both the external demands of your life and the private emotional world that may have been deferred, suppressed, or misunderstood. We move at a pace that honors your readiness for change and strategically integrate therapeutic methods that restore psychological flexibility, cultivate emotional resilience, and support meaningful transformation.
The therapy I provide is discreet, flexible, and deeply attuned to the realities of modern professional life in NYC. It is a space where high-achieving women can pause, recalibrate, and rebuild a relationship with themselves that is grounded, sustainable, and aligned. Whether you are facing a crisis or seeking to deepen your understanding of longstanding patterns, this work is designed to create lasting, embodied change—so you can lead from a place of stability, not survival.
How to Navigate Divorce When Your Ex is Difficult or Your Relationship is High-Conflict
A survival guide for discerning women seeking clarity, protection, and healing in the wake of divorce
In my psychotherapy practice in New York City, I work closely with many high-achieving, emotionally attuned women navigating the complex terrain of divorce—often while parenting, managing demanding careers, and disentangling from high-conflict or narcissistic partners. These are not just women in crisis—they are women awakening. They come seeking more than legal advice; they come for nervous system repair, clarity, boundaries, reality testing, role and identity changes and the space to grieve and rebuild. My role is to support them not just as a therapist, but as a steady, confidential ally who understands the emotional, psychological, and practical toll that divorce takes—especially when children are involved and the relational dynamic has been chronically manipulative or unsafe. Whether we’re addressing trauma responses, co-parenting with a difficult ex, or reclaiming lost parts of the self, this work is deep, nuanced, and sacred.
Divorce is never just about two people. When children are involved—especially in New York City, where pressure, pace, and perfectionism run high—the stakes multiply. Add a difficult or high-conflict partner into the mix, and what should be a legal and emotional separation can feel more like psychological warfare. If you’re navigating this terrain, know this: you are not alone, and there are ways to move through it with strength, strategy, and your sanity intact. Whether you’re disentangling from a partner who gaslights, manipulates, refuses to co-parent, or subtly undermines your every effort to protect your children’s peace—you are in the right place. This guide is for the women I work with every day: smart, resilient, and emotionally attuned mothers in New York who want to shield their children while reclaiming their own voice.
Lessons from my own life experience with divorce
This work is deeply personal to me—not just because of my extensive training in trauma recovery, somatic psychotherapy, and high-conflict family dynamics, but because I’ve lived it. I’ve navigated my own difficult divorce, complete with the emotional exhaustion, identity loss, and the quiet ache of holding everything together for my children while unraveling inside. I know what it’s like to feel both fiercely capable and completely undone.
High-Functioning, Highly Anxious: Redefining Expert Anxiety Therapy for Professionals in NYC
If you're searching for holistic anxiety therapy in NYC that integrates psychology, neuroscience, and somatic wisdom—you're in the right place. I offer trauma-informed, evidence-based virtual care for individuals and families navigating modern-day anxiety with depth, humor, and hope.
Anxiety wears many faces in New York City. It might look like a flawless presentation, a packed calendar, a promotion earned through perfectionism. It often hides behind success, but that doesn’t make it any less real. This holistic practice specializes in providing modern, cutting-edge anxiety therapy that does more than just address symptoms; this comprehensive approach targets the root cause of chronic anxiety and anxiety disorders.
If you're a high-functioning professional navigating relentless pressure, sleepless nights, and a nervous system on overdrive, you’re not alone. At Holistic Therapy & Wellness NYC, I work with high-achieving women, men, entrepreneurs, and professionals who are struggling beneath the surface—often silently. This isn’t about managing stress. It’s about unlearning survival mode, addressing the root causes of anxiety, and reclaiming a life that actually feels good to live.
Has Anxiety Becomes Your Default Operating System?
You may not even call it “anxiety” at first. It might just feel like overthinking, self-doubt, or the inability to truly rest. But over time, anxiety becomes the air you breathe:
Constant pressure to outperform and overdeliver
Restlessness, irritability, or shutdown in quiet moments
Chronic worry about relationships, career, or the future
Perfectionism masked as professionalism
Imposter syndrome despite real success
Panic episodes during meetings, travel, or at home
Somatic symptoms—tight chest, digestive issues, disrupted sleep
In a city that celebrates productivity, many high-functioning individuals don’t realize they’re in a chronic state of nervous system dysregulation. Until their body—or life—says “enough.”
Gaslit by the System: How Perimenopausal & Menopausal Women With Mental Health Changes Are Dismissed by Doctors and Therapists
Perimenopause is a profound biological transition that marks the beginning of the end of a woman’s reproductive years. While many associate this phase with hot flashes and irregular periods, far less attention is given to the complex emotional and mental health changes that can arise as the many body-wide systems are impacted by hormone depletion. Typically high-functioning, already overwhelmed New York City women are caught off guard. For many, perimenopause is not just a hormonal shift but a neurological and psychological one, capable of reshaping how they think, feel, and relate to themselves and others.
My mental health is tanking—what’s happening to me?
So many women have no idea what is happening to them during perimenopause. They feel emotionally off-balance, disconnected, or unlike themselves—and often, they’re met with confusion or dismissal. Their doctors may be undereducated about the emotional and neurological dimensions of hormonal changes, or tell them they’re "too young" for hormone therapy. Many are left feeling brushed aside or undersupported. Compounding this is the reality that most mental health professionals receive little to no formal training on how hormonal transitions impact emotional well-being. This lack of awareness can leave women misdiagnosed, misunderstood, and unsure where to turn. In my Manhattan-based boutique psychotherapy practice, I regularly hear from high-functioning, high-achieving women who have been struggling in silence, unaware that their mental health challenges are rooted in hormonal change. Therapy that integrates an understanding of these transitions can be a game-changer—offering validation, regulation, and real tools for relief.
The Many Ways EMDR and Somatic Therapy Can Transform Your Mental Health in NYC
Life in New York City moves fast. It demands performance, poise, and resilience—often at the expense of your emotional well-being. Beneath the surface of high achievement and curated success, many New Yorkers silently struggle with anxiety, burnout, unresolved trauma, and a deep disconnection from their own bodies. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and somatic awareness therapy offer powerful, body-centered healing that goes beyond talk therapy—addressing not just what happened to you, but how your nervous system learned to survive it.
For high-functioning professionals, creatives, and caregivers, the stress isn’t just situational—it’s somatic. It lives in your body as tightness, insomnia, restlessness, and a relentless inner critic. You may appear composed, accomplished, even thriving, but inside you're quietly unraveling—overwhelmed by expectations, disconnected from your own needs, and unsure how to slow down without losing your edge. In my boutique NYC therapy practice, I work with individuals like you: insightful, driven, and exhausted. Through a holistic, trauma-informed blend of EMDR, somatic therapy, and depth-oriented dialogue, we’ll gently untangle the stress patterns running your life. Together, we’ll restore your nervous system, rewrite the stories that keep you stuck, and reconnect you to the parts of yourself that have been sidelined by survival. You don’t have to live in overdrive to be extraordinary. Healing begins with the decision to pause—and reclaim your inner rhythm.
As a seasoned, trauma-informed psychotherapist with deep roots in New York City, I understand the unique emotional terrain that high-functioning New Yorkers navigate daily—relentless pressure, invisible anxiety, and the constant push to achieve. My boutique practice offers more than just a place to talk—it's a space to recalibrate your nervous system, rewire unhelpful patterns, and reconnect with your true self. With advanced training in EMDR, somatic therapy, and mind-body integration, I help you access lasting, embodied change—not just symptom relief. If you're looking for therapy that meets the intensity of your life with depth, clarity, and attuned expertise, you're in the right place.
How EMDR and Trauma Therapy Support Narcissistic Abuse Recovery in NYC
In the quiet aftermath of emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and psychological betrayal, survivors of narcissistic abuse often find themselves asking: Will I ever feel like myself again? At Holistic Therapy & Wellness New York, I want you to know the answer is yes. Healing is not only possible—it’s your birthright. I’ve seen it happen!
Can You Truly Recover from Narcissistic Abuse?
Yes. Absolutely. But healing from narcissistic abuse is not a one-size-fits-all journey. It’s a deeply personal, layered process that involves reclaiming your identity, restoring your sense of safety, and rewriting the story that was shaped in the shadow of someone else’s control.
In my boutique psychotherapy practice in New York City, I work closely with individuals who’ve been affected by narcissists in romantic relationships, families, workplaces, and even therapeutic or spiritual settings. Whether the abuse occurred recently or decades ago, the effects can be disorienting, lingering, and deeply confusing. But you are not broken—you are adapting, surviving, and ready for change.
At Holistic Therapy & Wellness New York, I offer a trauma-informed, integrative approach to help you break free from the invisible grip of narcissistic abuse. Whether you're navigating the aftermath of a toxic relationship, rediscovering your identity, or learning to trust yourself again, I provide a compassionate, expert space where deep healing can unfold. Using evidence-based modalities such as EMDR, somatic psychotherapy, attachment repair, and nervous system regulation, I support high-functioning individuals in untangling complex emotional patterns and reclaiming inner freedom. My boutique NYC psychotherapy practice is uniquely tailored to those who seek personalized, high-touch care rooted in both clinical insight and holistic wisdom. If you're ready to release old survival strategies and embody your worth, I invite you to begin this transformative work with me. Healing from narcissistic abuse is not just possible—it’s profoundly empowering. Let’s begin your recovery, together.
Panic Disorder Treatment in NYC: A Holistic Approach to Healing
In the throes of a panic attack, it can feel utterly indistinguishable from dying. Your heart pounds like it's about to give out, your chest tightens, your breath comes in shallow gasps—or disappears altogether—and your vision may narrow as a wave of dizziness and unreality crashes over you. The terror is primal, total, and convincing: something is deeply wrong.Many people rush to the ER certain they're having a heart attack, only to be told their body is responding to fear, not failure. But in that moment, logic vanishes. Panic hijacks your nervous system and convinces you this is the end. And yet—every time—it passes. You survive. The work of healing begins by understanding that what you’re experiencing isn’t madness or weakness, but your body sounding an alarm that something needs care, attention, and repair.
Katrina was driving across the Williamsburg Bridge—just another part of her daily New York City commute—when it happened. Out of nowhere, her heart pounded, her vision blurred, and a crushing wave of dread swept over her. Trapped in traffic high above the East River, she felt like she couldn’t breathe—convinced she was going to lose control or pass out behind the wheel. Though the panic subsided, everything changed after that moment.
Now, she avoids the bridge altogether, rerouting through side streets, canceling meetings in Brooklyn, and meticulously planning every trip to prevent another episode. This is the hidden reality of panic disorder for many high-functioning New Yorkers: one terrifying event followed by a life increasingly shaped by fear, avoidance, and the haunting question—what if it happens again?
What Is Panic Disorder?
Panic disorder is a complex anxiety condition marked by sudden and repeated panic attacks—intense surges of fear that peak within minutes and trigger distressing physical symptoms such as a racing heart, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, and a feeling of detachment from reality. Many individuals report feeling as though they’re dying or “going crazy.” Unlike general anxiety, panic disorder includes a persistent worry about future attacks, which often leads to avoidant behaviors. For New Yorkers, this can mean steering clear of subways, elevators, bridges, high-rise buildings, or crowded events—shrinking one's world in a city where independence and mobility are everything.
The High Cost of Hiding: Where in Your Life Can You Be Your True Self?
Do you remember your younger self—free and unencumbered? Play was your native language—spontaneous, curious, full of wonder—before self-consciousness taught you to script every move. There was a time—maybe faint, maybe fragmented—when you moved through the world with ease. Before the edits. Before the mask. You laughed without measuring the volume. You asked for what you needed without apology. You created, expressed, explored—unfiltered and unafraid. That version of you wasn’t performing; they were simply being. But as the world pressed in with expectations, judgments, and subtle rules about how to belong, you learned to adapt. To polish. To perform. The authentic self didn’t vanish—it just went underground, waiting for the day you’d be ready to return.
On the outside, your life tells a compelling story—successful career, relentless ambition, a carefully composed image. To colleagues, friends, and even family, you appear composed, accomplished, and in control. But behind the polished exterior, there’s a quieter reality: burnout, emotional exhaustion, and a subtle, persistent sense of disconnection.
This is the hidden experience of many high-functioning professionals, executives, and creatives I work with in my boutique New York City psychotherapy practice. You may find yourself constantly managing appearances, performing roles, and meeting expectations with precision—yet wondering why none of it feels fulfilling. In your private moments, when the meetings end and the world quiets down, the distance from your own inner life becomes harder to ignore.
You’ve adapted so well to the demands of your environment that you’ve become fluent in the language of performance—always saying the right thing, presenting the right image, becoming who others need you to be. Over time, that adaptability can come at a cost: a loss of clarity, authenticity, and connection to your true self.
This isn’t failure. It’s survival. It’s the cost of succeeding in high-pressure, high-visibility environments. But the consequence is that many find themselves navigating life on autopilot—deeply capable, yet emotionally undernourished.
True Self, False Self, And The Journey Home To Authenticity
There’s a kind of grief that doesn’t have a name. It’s not about a person or a place or a clear loss. It’s the ache of not being able to live as who you really are. At Holistic Therapy and Wellness New York, my boutique psychotherapy practice for vibrant New Yorkers, this silent grief shows up often. It speaks in the language of burnout, perfectionism, over-functioning, or anxiety that won’t quit—even when everything looks "fine." This is the pain, and the grief of the False Self.
Maybe you’ve spent your whole life being “the strong one.” The high-achiever. The peacekeeper. Maybe you’ve become so good at adapting, performing, pleasing, that you’ve started to forget who you were before the roles, before the masks. You might feel emotionally disconnected, chronically tired, or strangely out of place—even in a life that looks “good” from the outside. If you’ve ever wondered “Who am I, really?” or “Is there more to me than this?”—you’re not alone. And you’re not broken. What you’re feeling may be the voice of your True Self, quietly, persistently asking to be found again. If any of this resonates with you, at Holistic Therapy and Wellness New York, I help people like you explore these deeper questions—compassionately, gently, and at your own pace. This is a space where all your parts are welcome, even the ones you’ve hidden to survive. Especially those.
Winnicott: The Mirror We Never Had
British psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott, a pediatrician turned psychoanalytic visionary, didn’t speak in clinical riddles. He spoke in human terms. He taught that the True Self is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for living a life that feels real, alive, and meaningful. The True Self, in Winnicott’s view, is formed in early life through moments of attunement. When a baby cries and the caregiver responds—not perfectly, but good enough—something sacred happens: the child begins to trust the world, and themselves. Their feelings matter. Their needs don’t make them unlovable. They learn: I can exist, fully, and still be held.
Developing Resilience In The City That Never Sleeps: Therapy For Women In Manhattan & Brooklyn
In the heart of New York City, where skyscrapers mirror dreams, and the streets echo with determination, professional women rise—balancing ambition with authenticity, and success with self-care. For women drawn to this electric place, the city holds endless potential. But let’s be honest: beneath that curated confidence, there’s a quiet hum of burnout, exhaustion, and overwhelm. And you’re not alone.
In New York City, the expectations placed on women can feel relentless — as though every aspect of life demands attention, excellence, composure, and constant forward motion. There’s pressure to excel professionally, maintain a polished personal brand, stay physically well, and remain socially present — often all at once. From leading meetings to keeping up appearances on social media, many women find themselves performing rather than living, navigating roles that leave little room for rest or authenticity.
Beneath the surface, however, many are carrying fatigue, disconnection, and the quiet longing for a space where they can simply exhale, be themselves. Therapy offers that space — a private, supportive environment where the façade can fall away, and the focus can return to what truly matters: your inner well-being, clarity, and sense of self.
This is your invitation to slow down.
In a city that glorifies “having it all,” aka headed towards burnout, choosing to rest can feel like an act of rebellion. Holistic Psychotherapy & Wellness for women in Manhattan and Brooklyn offers a place to drop the performance and return to your raw, radiant self. Maybe even discover your true self. It’s a space where you don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to be “on.” You just get to be.
EMDR Therapy NYC & Online: Transforming A Range Of Mental Health Challenges Beyond Trauma
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is widely recognized for its effectiveness in treating trauma, but its benefits extend far beyond small traumas, big traumas and PTSD symptoms. At this boutique NYC private psychotherapy practice, I use EMDR not only to heal the past, but to recalibrate the nervous system, disrupt limiting beliefs, and spark deep psychological change across a wide spectrum of mental health concerns. We learned during the pandemic that EMDR could be successfully administered virtually, and many of us have continued this practice.
Whether you're a creative, professional, or sensitive soul navigating the pressure of modern life, EMDR can help you find your way back to balance, clarity, and emotional freedom. This is transformational therapy for those who want more than symptom relief. EMDR gives you a way to reconnect with your power, your wholeness, and your story—on your terms. Sessions available in NYC or online across New York State and globally. You don’t have to stay stuck. Let’s begin the work of integration and lasting change with EMDR Therapy.
This NYC private psychotherapy practice offers EMDR as a powerful complement to traditional talk therapy—deepening the work, quickening insight, and helping clients move beyond the grip of old patterns. While talk therapy offers a meaningful space for reflection and growth, EMDR gently guides the nervous system toward lasting emotional resolution. Together, they create a fuller picture of healing: one that honors your mind, your story, and your resilience. Clients often find themselves feeling more grounded, empowered, and emotionally spacious—able to live, love, and lead with greater authenticity and ease. EMDR can be a stand-alone practice or a complement to traditional talk therapy & CBT.
Letting Go, Moving On: Emotional Support For Divorcing Women
If you're reading this, you're probably in the thick of it—and whether it’s a low-conflict divorce, or a complex high-conflict divorce, it can still shatter your world and break your heart! Maybe the papers have been filed. Maybe you’re sleeping on the “wrong” side of the bed. Maybe your world looks nothing like it did a year ago. Divorce isn't just a legal shift—it’s a full-body experience. It's grief, fear, freedom, confusion, clarity, exhaustion, and sometimes all of that before lunch. And if you're a woman walking through it, the weight can feel like yours to carry alone. I’m a licensed psychotherapist from New York City, I help women feel strong and empowered as the move through the separation and divorce process.
Let’s be real: the world still often expects women to be the emotional glue. To hold it all together for the kids, for your friends, for your job. To not unravel. But here’s the truth I want you to hear: you’re allowed to fall apart, and you’re strong as hell for showing up anyway. Divorce is a kind of emotional surgery. It cuts deep. But it also clears space. It asks hard questions like, Who am I now? What do I want? What parts of myself have I been ignoring just to survive? These questions are painful—but also powerful. You don’t have to answer them all at once. And you don’t have to do it alone.
In my New York therapy practice with women navigating divorce, I see the raw moments: crying in the car, re-learning how to eat alone, wondering how to explain things to the kids, waking up at 2am with that tight-chest panic. But I also see the strength that quietly grows beneath the rubble. The woman who starts to hear her own voice again. The one who starts making decisions from a place of self-worth, not fear. The one who no longer apologizes for taking up space.
Therapy isn’t about fixing you—because you’re not broken. It’s a space to breathe. To be seen without judgment. To figure out what healing looks like on your terms. Whether you’re angry, numb, grieving, relieved, or cycling through all of it in a day—I’ve got space for that. You don’t need to show up perfect. You just need to show up. So if you're walking through divorce and feel like you’re carrying too much, I want you to know this: You’re allowed to ask for help. You’re allowed to take up space. You’re allowed to build something better than what you lost. You are not alone. And you’re stronger than you think. If you're looking for support through divorce or want to explore how therapy might help during this transition, I offer a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where you can start to rebuild. Reach out when you're ready.
Everyone Is Talking About The Vagus Nerve: Why You Should Care, And How To Keep It Healthy
The vagus nerve is so trendy right now, I half expect it to start a TikTok. But seriously—the vagus nerve isn’t just wellness hype. It’s one of the most important parts of your nervous system, acting as a communication superhighway between your brain and body. It helps regulate heart rate, digestion, mood, inflammation, and your ability to calm down after stress. When the vagus nerve is functioning well, it’s easier to feel grounded, present, and emotionally balanced. When it’s not, you might feel anxious, disconnected, or stuck in overdrive. Supporting vagal tone isn’t just about feeling relaxed—it’s about building a more resilient, regulated foundation for your mental and physical health. Of late, my NYC therapy patients are coming to psychotherapy sessions curious about the vagus nerve and interested in exploring ways to improve vagal tone.
If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, burnt out, or like your body is stuck in “survival mode,” you’re not imagining it—and you’re not alone. Many people who come to therapy are dealing with symptoms that don’t always make sense on the surface: racing thoughts, a tight chest, digestive discomfort, irritability, and trouble sleeping. What’s often missing from the conversation is the connection between these symptoms and the state of your nervous system. For many New Yorkers, life moves fast—too fast for the nervous system to fully keep up. Constant noise, crowded commutes, long work hours, and the pressure to always be “on” can leave the body stuck in a chronic state of high alert. Over time, this wears down the vagus nerve’s ability to regulate stress effectively. Instead of shifting back into calm after a busy day or a tough interaction, your body may stay tense, wired, or exhausted. You might notice this as anxiety that never fully quiets down, a gut that’s always acting up, trouble sleeping or feeling emotionally reactive over small things. This kind of vagus nerve dysregulation is common in fast-paced, high-stress environments like NYC—but it’s also something therapy, along with nervous system-informed practices, can help you gently repair.
Natural Solutions and Alternative Treatments for PTSD
Living in New York City, you might feel like you're constantly on the go, juggling personal and professional responsibilities. But for many, the emotional weight of past trauma can make even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming. As a licensed trauma psychotherapist, I treat patients who have undiagnosed and diagnosed symptoms of PTSD using EMDR and other highly effective therapeutic strategies. PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as an accident, assault, or natural disaster. The impact of PTSD isn’t just mental—it can affect your emotional well-being, physical health, and relationships, making it challenging to navigate daily life. In many cases, the signs of PTSD go unnoticed or are mistaken for everyday stress, leaving individuals feeling isolated or misunderstood. Whether your trauma occurred recently or years ago, seeking help is the first step toward healing. My NYC psychotherapy practice offers compassionate, trauma-informed care to help you address the root causes of your distress, develop healthy coping strategies, and work toward a more fulfilling, balanced life.
How To Know If You Might Have PTSD:
Emotional Turbulence At Perimenopause: Coping with Mental Health Changes & Hormonal Transitions
One day, you’re managing it all, the next, you're overwhelmed, edgy, crumpled in a heap, and fighting back tears—and sweating, don’t forget the sweating. It’s the kind of sweat that comes out of nowhere, drenching you in the middle of a meeting or while trying to sleep, leaving you feeling even more out of control, confused, and defeated. You have thoughts of exiting your life, even your relationships. It can feel that dramatic for mid-life perimenopausal women. Perimenopause can feel like a mysterious, overwhelming storm that suddenly disrupts your life, often without warning. For many women, it’s a time of confusion, frustration, and isolation, as they experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms that seem to come out of nowhere. Hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and disrupted sleep may appear with no clear explanation, leaving women wondering what’s happening to their bodies. For some, the transition can be so gradual that they don’t even recognize it as perimenopause at first. Instead, they may chalk it up to stress, aging, or even a personal failing, unaware that hormonal changes are quietly reshaping their lives. The reality is, perimenopause affects every woman differently, and many are left to navigate this journey without the clarity or support they need. But the good news is, you don’t have to endure it in silence or confusion. There are answers, and there are ways to regain control and find relief.
The suffering is real; few escape with only minor symptoms, often beginning in their late 30s and lasting a decade or more. Research indicates that up to 60-70% of women experience some form of emotional or psychological distress during perimenopause, including symptoms like anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability, and sleep disturbances. As a licensed psychotherapist from New York City working almost exclusively with mid-life women, I see the suffering regularly. Therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists often serve as the first point of care, providing more immediate and personalized support than doctors, who regularly dismiss emotional symptoms as part of the aging process. While doctors typically focus on physical symptoms and may prescribe medications such as antidepressants and anxiolytics, therapists specialize in exploring the mental and emotional aspects of perimenopause.
Rosemary Essential Oil: Your New Ally for ADHD, Anxiety, Mood & Everyday Wellness
Essential oils offer a natural, holistic approach to supporting mental health, providing calming and grounding benefits that can help individuals with ADHD manage focus, stress, and emotional balance in their daily lives. As a psychotherapist and consultant from New York City, I integrate essential oils into my therapy practice, particularly when working with clients undergoing EMDR and trauma resolution. Personally, I rely on essential oils in my own work, especially when I’m operating on less sleep or need a boost of focus and relaxation. These oils not only help me maintain clarity but also promote grounding and emotional stabilization, which is crucial when navigating complex emotional work. When it comes to holistic self-care, nature offers some of the most powerful tools, and rosemary essential oil is one such gift. Known for its versatile and therapeutic properties, rosemary oil has been used for centuries to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being. If you’re beginning a new chapter in your mental health journey—whether through psychotherapy, trauma healing, or personal growth—integrating rosemary essential oil into your routine can help regulate your nervous system and provide a holistic layer of support. From calming the mind and enhancing focus to soothing the body and uplifting the spirit, rosemary oil is an invaluable tool for managing ADHD, depression, mood concerns, and emotional regulation. It can help stabilize your energy, promote emotional balance, and guide you toward lasting wellness.
When Tolerating Hurts: How Trauma Makes You Tolerate More Than You Should
People who have experienced trauma often develop an acute ability to endure discomfort, whether it's emotional, mental, or physical. Having navigated through profound adversity, their capacity to withstand pain and uncertainty becomes heightened over time. While this resilience can serve them in surviving difficult situations, it can also create a paradox—what was once a survival mechanism becomes a pattern of tolerating unhealthy dynamics, stifling growth, and preventing healing. This ability to endure, honed through hardship, can sometimes mean accepting stress, imbalance, and disconnection in relationships or everyday life. Yet, recognizing this tendency is the first step in breaking the cycle and reclaiming the power to prioritize well-being and growth.