Psychoanalytic Therapists in Chelsea, New York, NY

"Life is not what it's supposed to be. It's what it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference. . ." (Virginia Satir). I can provide you with the careful support and effective feedback to assist in the resolution of current problems as well as complex patterns of behavior. By offering a safe and empathic environment, patients are encouraged to discover solutions to a myriad of challenges and psychological concerns.

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.

The people I treat often begin therapy because they are in emotional pain or are unsatisfied with some aspects of their lives. They might be seeking better, more intimate relationships, more fulfilling careers and financial security, or relief from self-defeating thoughts, feelings, or behaviors such as anxiety, depression or addiction. My approach is individualized, and I will use the treatment approach that best suits each individual's particular needs in reaching their goals.

For over 30 years as a psychoanalyst, my life work has led me to specialize with professionals from the fields of art, theater, spirituality and business. I have connected with like-minded people, sharing the unique perspectives and diverse background of my own past life careers as an actor, producer, chaplain and minister. Want to improve your relationships? Drawn to my specialization in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, individuals, couples and groups do just that, through eliminating addictions, resolving feelings of abandonment and career ambivalence, and overcoming fears of intimacy and/or sexual difficulties.

Experience has taught me that each person is unique and must be listened to, in an open nonjudgmental manner focusing on the singularity of their own life. No matter how traumatic an event could be, there are always important reasons that maintain a person trapped in her/his own life. Discovering and understanding these reasons is central to unlock a traumatic situation. Anxiety, depression, panic attacks, eating disorders, difficulties to connect or relate to others as well as the different types of addictions are all symptoms connected with a particular way that someone has to deal with suffering.

I see psychotherapy as a creative, collaborative and compassionate practice that helps us make meaning of our lives, deepens our self-awareness, and fosters emotional growth and lasting positive change. I strive to create a space of safety and potential where we can work together to help you tell your story in all of its complexity; understand the impact of the past on the present; imagine possible futures; explore dreams, their meanings and messages; to find greater satisfaction, connection and authentic engagement in your everyday life, your work, your creative pursuits, your intimate and family relationships and friendships.

My decision to become a therapist evolved as my values, my own understanding of the world & my place in it, broadened. It is this evolution that I work to facilitate for my patients as they seek to find their unique places in the world. I believe in relationship therapy, with both a psychodynamic & open systems theory base. I try to account for both environmental & hereditary variables in the treatment paradigm using direct intervention & a mix of traditional psychodynamic & psychoanalytic techniques, including CBT & DBT elements.

I use a contemporary psychoanalytic approach to address a variety of issues by engaging with and honoring each person's unique history, internal experience, and personal and cultural circumstances. I work with people from many different backgrounds who find themselves struggling in their lives: those who feel stuck or stalled in approaching a crossroads, those who can't get past what has happened or are going through something too big to bear alone, those who know where they want to be but can't seem to get there, and those too anxious or depressed even to look ahead.

Dr. Kim is a licensed psychoanalyst and a certified psycho-spiritual therapist. Besides his psychoanalytic background, Dr. Kim also was trained intensively in living Jesuit life over forty four years. From his psychoanalytic teachings at training Institutes and from his active Jesuit life, Dr. Kim has learned the fundamental queries of clinical and existential pangs in life. Psychological and medical issues, existential loss and life threatening challenges are always surrounding us. Dr. Kim knows the core symptoms of all dimensions of our life seating behind in disguised forms.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist with over ten years of experience working with clients of all ages who struggle with a broad range of psychological challenges. While I am expertly trained in a variety of treatment modalities including psychodynamic/psychoanalytic therapy, mindfulness-based therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, I provide individualized treatment for each of my clients. I specialize in working with adolescents and young adults. I love working with this population and appreciate the unique perspective young people offer as they navigate the often tumultuous transition between childhood and adulthood.

I view therapy as an ongoing process of learning about oneself. Our interpersonal relationship allows for exploration, growth, understanding, insight, and ultimately change. I specialize in working with adult individuals who may be struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, grief and loss, areas of self and identity, and the general frustration of feeling stuck or conflicted. Therapy is --and can be-- for everyone!

Do you feel isolated in emotional pain and confused about how to begin to address it? Do you feel alone and misunderstood in your relationships? I am a licensed psychotherapist and psychoanalyst in private practice for nineteen years. I have worked with a full spectrum of struggles to achieve fulfillment, overcome fears and trauma as well as reaching self-fulfillment and meaning. I have held clinical leadership positions at St. Luke's Hospital in New York and served as Clinical Field Instructor for Columbia University and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Miami Department of Psychiatry.

Whether your problems are specific - a relationship, work, troubling thoughts or experiences, or more abstract - feeling stuck, empty, lonely or misunderstood, quality therapy can offer invaluable support. I work collaboratively, compassionately and interactively with individuals and couples to improve their lives. Following your lead and pace, we explore your past and present, patterns in your life, your perceptions, behaviors and choices, and consider how our relationship may mirror your dynamics in the outside world. Though it can seem impossible initially, gradually you gain the insight and emotional capacity necessary for invaluable lasting change that feels authentic and comes from within.

Finding the right therapist is an important factor in achieving your goals and improving your life. My goal as a therapist is to create a safe space for you to discuss and explore any issue you present. In terms of relationships, my goal is to work with you to identify challenging patterns in your life and to help you form new and satisfying ways of improving communication, find a sense of well-being and achieve your goals. I have experience working with adults, adolescents and couples and my approach is engaging, accepting and warm.

Psychoanalytic therapy is often maligned in popular media but it remains for me one of the few treatments that seeks to address the innermost, often hidden, parts of ourselves. Psychological symptoms are not only a source of suffering, they are also a message that speaks to desires, conflicts, and pain, wrought by a personal history that can sometimes only come alive when spoken to a professional listening other. The flip-side of anxiety is always a passionate dream that has not been encountered as such. I see my work as bringing my clients closer to that possibility. The intimacy of speaking and listening is rare and a gift.

Through both my psychoanalytic training and my training as a creative arts therapist, I treat each person as an individual and we come up with a treatment plan together. My patients are often dealing with depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship issues, identity formation, trauma, and attachment issues. My view of therapy is a collaborative process where we work together to help you increase your self-esteem, have a greater understanding of yourself, and be able to have healthy and long-lasting friendships and romantic relationships.

When sadness and anxiety trouble you, when you wake up dreading conflicts with loved ones, when you're unsure of who you are on the deepest levels, you need a safe and welcoming harbor. My patients appreciate the maturity and life experience I bring, along with my professional understanding and techniques, to help them heal and grow. I offer sliding scale fees and an initial get-acquainted visit at low cost.

My expertise lies in counseling my patients to master their anxieties, depression, relationship, and vocational struggles. In addition to being a licensed social worker, and psychotherapist on staff at my post-graduate institute for psychoanalytic psychotherapy, I have extensive experience in both the business and fashion worlds and can readily appreciate the difficulties engendered by high-pressure careers. Having worked in competitive environments, I am exquisitely attuned to the many self-esteem vulnerabilities that can inhibit people from achieving their goals.

"At its best, psychotherapy alleviates suffering and makes possible a richer, more meaningful life. I work with patients by drawing on a number of different perspectives. In particular, I use a psychoanalytic approach to address repetitive patterns and historical forces that prevent people from creating the life they want to live and to untangle what's been painful in the past from what's possible in the future. I integrate behavioral interventions when appropriate to confront specific problems and to help people develop a sense of competency, control, and agency."