EMDR Therapists in Brooklyn, NY

I have a Bachelor's degree in Public Communication and have dedicated over a decade to improving mental health and well-being in New York. I volunteered as a Peer Advocate in Western New York and focused on assisting individuals with developmental and intellectual challenges. During the pandemic, I pursued a Master's in social work and now give back to my community as a clinical social worker. I enjoy spending time with my family, practicing yoga, working out, and crocheting in my free time.

As we encounter challenges that impact our lives we shift and transform accordingly. It can be overwhelming and painful to work through these experiences on our own. Psychotherapy offers the opportunity to step more fully into life through the process of integrating conflicting parts of the self, processing painful memories, and identifying harmful patterns in our relationships. I work with adults of all ages and experiences, and am attuned to the ways in which race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability inform our experiences. I specialize in working with clients struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, and substance use.

Dr. Downey creates a warm, validating, and authentic environment for her clients. She specializes in working with adults facing a variety of challenges, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, trauma, disordered eating, and relationship difficulties. Dr. Downey is invested in supporting her clients improve their quality of life, alleviate suffering, create and sustain meaningful relationships and establish emotional well being.

We are all in quite a transitional and chaotic time. I hope our sessions can be a place for you to catch your breath and to zoom out as well as in. My tone is pretty conversational and warm and my style is collaborative, always meeting you where you are. Meaningful flags I fly at my practice: queer, trans, fat acceptance, blacklivesmatter, meaningful allyship, neurodivergent, sex work is work, parenthood, queer family building, former theatre person.

I have been seeing individual, couples and families for the past 20 years, I received clinical training at the Ackerman Institute. I also have specialized training in EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy, as well as Somatic Experiencing. I am in ongoing supervision with colleagues in the field, and attend conferences and maintain an interest in reading up on all the latest theories and new developments in psychotherapy. I have raised a family of my own, and have experienced first hand the challenges and demands of creating healthy relationships. I enjoy working with people and believe in the importance of a positive perspective.

We all have experiences that have shaped how we navigate our relationship with ourself and others. Through the use of talk therapy, creative arts therapies, parts work, and EMDR, I work with people to help them identify patterns they want to change, as well as strengths they would like to expand upon. I specialize in working with people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, PTSD, life transitions, substance use, and themes related to sexuality and gender. I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and work with adults, teenagers, and couples.

I assist in helping each individual work through whatever may have brought them into therapy so that they can find their own internal potential and ability to better cope with stressful situations. I specialize in working with individuals dealing with depression, anxiety and panic related disorders, PTSD, relationship struggles, bereavement, and work related issues. I believe that therapy offers the individual a safe space to share their struggles and work on ways to resolve these difficulties with the support and assistance of the therapist.

I'm an interactive and dynamic therapist striving to provide a compassionate space to explore your inner world. The goal is to develop insight while learning skills to effectively navigate challenges and reduce suffering. Utilizing a dialectical approach, (balancing both self-acceptance and desire to change), we journey together to build the life you want to live. Many of my clients have been through traumatic events and describe feeling stuck in cycles of self-destructive behaviors, thinking patterns, and relationships. Treatment is tailored to the individual client and what they want out of therapy.

I believe the most fundamental aspect of therapy is the relationship between the client and counselor. Growth and change can't take place without an empathetic and trusting relationship. I work with my clients to develop a safe, non-judgmental space to explore and work through negative thought patterns, emotions and behaviors that can prevent the happiness and satisfaction with life that we all deserve. Together we will examine and foster your strengths, uncover ways to move past prior painful or traumatic experiences and problem-solve current life stressors to allow you to fully live the life you want.

Have you struggled to make progress with talk therapy? Would you like to feel more in control of your emotions and behavior? I offer an integrative approach to adults that battle with emotional overwhelm, impulsive behavior, and mood instability. With the right support, these chaotic feelings can be untangled and we can land together in a place of clarity and ease. Whether these behaviors are showing up in personal relationships, at work, or are directed inward, I can help you work toward relief. My style is both gentle and direct and works to tailor a flow of therapy that suits your personal needs and goals.

If you experience overwhelming anxiety loops, feel the weight of grief, or are impacted by trauma - I might be a good fit for you. I can help by pointing out patterns or themes that I notice, explore how and why the brain is wired the way it is, and help you build up armor to face whatever life throws at you. A typical session with me includes talking, cursing, crying, laughing, questioning, and a whole lot of compassion.

I provide a safe, welcoming place to bring your thoughts and feelings, inner conflicts and concerns and your hopes for change. We will work together to understand patterns that no longer serve you and may be contributing to emotional pain. Whether you have issues around intimacy, relationships, parenting, work dissatisfaction, overcoming creative blocks or overwhelming feelings that keep you from creating a richer, more purposeful life, therapy can be life changing. For children, play therapy in addition to talk can help get to the root of difficult behavior in conflicts with peers, at school and with family.

I am psychotherapist who loves her job. I bring curiosity and love to my therapeutic approach and specialize in trauma, couple's conflict, anxiety, depression, and self-growth. My therapeutic style is warm, rooted in kindness and respect for all. I am here to listen, utilizing my skills to help you foster self-awareness, identify and transform negative interaction patterns and empower you to practice skills to improve your relationship to yourself and others. I want to partner with you and plan for how to make life feel more manageable and enjoyable.

I work with individuals struggling to cope with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and life transitions, as well as with couples seeking to restore security and attunement. I have a particular expertise working with survivors of complex trauma, including interpersonal violence, sexual assault, and attachment wounding. I draw from relational, cognitive, and trauma-informed treatment models, and I integrate EMDR and somatic work when appropriate.

I believe in the healing and expanding possibilities of psychotherapy. Exploring and sharing your experiences, thoughts and feelings with an empathic therapist can be a deeply satisfying human experience--and one that is a much needed counterpart to our cultural climate. Do you wish to better understand yourself and your relationships? To improve your work life? To better cope with anxiety, depression, or other psychological difficulties? To increase your repertoire of behaviors, to become more flexible, creative, and spontaneous? If so, please contact me and let's begin our journey of understanding and growth.

If you have found yourself here, I applaud you for taking the first step in your healing journey. Using a collaborative, nonjudgmental approach, I will help you grow into the most fulfilled and authentic version of yourself by addressing your psychological wellness on a holistic level. Together we will explore the interactions between trauma and the body, mind, and soul, and develop the tools and skills that will help you transcend your trauma and use these painful experiences as a pathway to resilience and strength.

It takes courage and strength to share your personal struggles with a therapist. My goal is to help assist you in your journey of discovering ways to cope and manage your mental health with respect, kindness, and warmth. There is something truly incredible about a human being living their authentic and complete truth without feeling burdened by mental or emotional blocks.

Are you struggling to cope with uncertainty and change? I work with those who are feeling anxious about the future, career adjustments, breakups, learning boundary setting, aging parents, or are practicing vulnerability in relationships. The people I work with are often second generation or queer folks who both celebrate these identities and are recovering from societal messaging. I also work with artists exploring personal expression, as well as people who are looking to rebuild community and relationships after impacts of the pandemic.

Welcome! I am a Brooklyn-based psychotherapist with over 10 years of experience providing psychotherapy to individuals and couples in New York City.