Category: NYC Therapist

trauma-therapy-intensive-nyc-and-long-island

Trauma & PTSD Therapy in NYC, NY & Long Island, NY Heal the past, settle into the present, and reclaim your life.

Trauma therapy for adults dealing with trauma, performance anxiety, overwhelming stress, growing up the oldest, Caribbean parents, or with PTSD. Therapy for trauma is offered in person in Lynbrook, NY, and online across New York City and New York State, and EMDR Trauma Intensives.

I’m Ready.

Feeling stuck?

Living with trauma can feel like you’re trapped in a cycle your mind understands, but your body won’t let go of.

You may be doing “all the right things” — praying, journaling, talking it out, even going to therapy — and still feel triggered, overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally shut down. That’s because trauma doesn’t only live in your thoughts. Trauma lives in the nervous system.

And when your nervous system is still on alert, it can feel like you’re always bracing for something — even when nothing is happening.

This is why trauma symptoms often show up as:

  • chronic body tension or pain

  • anxiety or panic responses

  • difficulty sleeping or staying asleep

  • feeling constantly on edge or emotionally shut down

  • irritability, reactivity, or sudden overwhelm

  • feeling disconnected from yourself or others

    Book an appointment

Many people don’t realize they’re dealing with trauma symptoms because it doesn’t always look like flashbacks or start with the typical events like sexual abuse or physical abuse.

It can look like:

  • people-pleasing, perfectionism, or over-functioning

  • feeling numb, disconnected, or emotionally “flat”

  • trouble sleeping, nightmares, or waking up tired

  • chronic tension in the body (tight chest, jaw, shoulders, stomach)

  • feeling unsafe in relationships — even when someone hasn’t done anything wrong

  • intrusive memories or racing thoughts

  • trouble with authority or communicating needs without hurting others

You may look “high-functioning” on the outside, but inside, you feel exhausted. On edge. Guarded. Or like you’re only half-living.

You deserve more than survival mode.

If you’ve been searching for trauma therapy near trauma therapist who understands the mind-body connection, or me, growing up Caribbean or the black experience, you’re not alone, and support is available with our practice, Kensho Psychotherapy Services, with virtual and in-person therapy available. Healing doesn’t require reliving the past. It requires the right approach, good coping tools, at the right pace, with the right support.  Whether it is traditional psychotherapy or EMDR therapy, which changes your relationship to trauma. 

Trauma therapy and EMDR Intensives in Long Island, NY, help you change that relationship and feel more in control of your life.

For details on booking your next therapy session, start here.

Additional Reads:

What Got You This Far, Can’t Carry You

Dear Self, It’s Not Time to Panic Journal  

How EMDR Therapy Helps Untangle These Patterns

quote about starting psychotherapy now, sometimes later becomes never. do it now.

Protect Your Mental Health: The Power of Honest Conversations in the Therapy Room

Mental health encompasses more than just our emotions; it’s influenced by our actions, diet, and thoughts. A comprehensive self-care plan can significantly improve your mental well-being by taking inventory of your entire life, honing in on what you’re doing well and where you might need additional support. This plan is a vital tool in therapy, guiding clients toward taking ownership of their mental health.

Creating a self-care plan helps identify gaps in your current routine and highlights areas needing attention. It’s like driving a car; you can only ignore that check engine light for so long.

Get Honest About the Barriers in Therapy

During therapy sessions, we have open, honest conversations about these barriers. Therapist Tamara Dopwell shared this reflection: “When clients identify that their thoughts are the problem, we go further and dig deeper—How often are we thinking negatively? We explore where this behavior was learned.” With honest conversations and the right clinical skills, we can unpack the false narratives that have taken root, something we do with care and compassion for our clients, entering these spaces with curiosity and leaning into the discomfort to dismantle the untruths.

This journey is about reclaiming your power and embracing the dope, transformative process of self-discovery and healing.

quote, sometimes later becomes never. do it now.

Take Action and Start the Journey

If you’re ready to take charge of your mental health, consider booking a session with one of our therapists at Kensho Psychotherapy. We offer virtual appointments and accept various insurances, including Cigna, Aetna, 1199, BCBS, UBH, Oxford, and Northwell Direct. Don’t wait to start your journey toward better mental health. We recognize it’s sometimes difficult to prioritize your needs, but the benefits are well worth it.

Take the first step today. Book a session with our therapists. If you are already in therapy, we encourage you to think about how you can be more honest and open on your journey. It’s not easy, but it will only help with your healing.

psychotherapist, Tamara Dopwell, virtual therapy

Tamara Dopwell, LMSW, is currently a Psychotherapist at Kensho Psychotherapy. We appreciate her work with children, families, and women. If you reside in NY and would like to inquire about therapy, call us at: 347-868-7813.

Finding A Therapist That Works For You

So, you’ve finally decided it’s time to see a therapist, only to find out there are many types of professionals, including Psychiatrists, Social Workers, LCSW’s, Ph.D’s, and MHC’s, who address many issues like childhood trauma, depression after a job loss, managing a break up, life transitions and more, which can make the search confusing. It’s important to know it can take a bit of research, time, trial and error, and patience.

To help you better navigate finding a therapist or mental health provider, we have compiled a super easy list below. Several professionals across the U.S. have joined in collaboration of this project, including Amanda Fludd, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-R) and NYC Therapist, to give you all the tools you need to navigate the challenging task of finding a psychotherapist.

 

  1. Start with a Licensed Professional. A licensed professional means the person in front of you has had to meet a standard of supervised training and education and took an exam designated by their State governing body to earn their license. Their license usually also requires them to take additional training to maintain their license, so they are constantly learning and growing. If someone is unlicensed, you will want to ask if they are supervised by a licensed professional (get their name and research them), and how that would work in your case. Some limited permit holders or interns are examples of unlicensed professionals who can help, if they have quality supervision and regular oversight to best address your

 

  1. The fit. Knowing yourself and the type of person you best respond to is essential in this process. For example, if you’ve experienced a traumatic experience with a male, you may not be ready to talk openly and honestly with a male therapist. In general, you want to feel comfortable with your When looking for one, something about their description when researching should speak to your need. Fit is important to us at Kensho Psychotherapy Services. From the initial consult, we are listening to your needs and assessing who on the team would be a good fit.

We always recommend staying with your therapist for at least two months to see if a working therapeutic relationship can develop where you are open, you’ve developed goals, and feel like you are doing work in therapy. Therapy is a beautiful working process, and sometimes it’s just not the right fit for the client and therapist. You as the client, may also come to realize you may not be ready to commit to the time therapy requires, or face deep emotional work, and on the other hand, the therapist may recognize your needs like complex trauma, anxiety or chronic depression are out their scope of practice, and in that case refer you out. If you just want general support and direction, and less intensive work, you may benefit more from a counselor, that unlicensed intern, or a life coach. At Kensho Psychotherapy we treat the difficult and offer deep connections and strategies and specifically specialize in general anxiety, depression, trauma work and minority mental health.

  1. Be patient. As more people are looking for therapy, it means there may be wait-lists and trouble getting through to someone on the other line. It helps to reach out to multiple providers that may be a fit and leave a message with your concern, type of insurance, and the best number that you can be reached. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t reach the first person you call. Other places to look include Psychologytoday.com, Therapy for Black Girls, or just reach out to us here, and we will do our best to connect you.

4. I’ve found someone, now what? It is important to know that everyone is nervous for the first                                 appointment and your therapist will be asking you lots of questions to figure out what’s going on, and if                     they can help. You can also ask questions too because you need to know if this is a potential match for you                 as well. Just go right with this list and ask:

  • Have you treated other clients with my particular issue?
  • Do you have a niche you enjoy working with? What about a particular clinical approach? Can you tell me more about that?
  • What will sessions look like?
  • What happens if I’m not comfortable, and this isn’t working out, how would we end services?
  • How long have you been practicing and are you a licensed professional?
  • If unlicensed, what has your training looked like and are you under supervision? Can I have your supervisors name.
  • Is it easy to reach you, how can I reach you in an emergency, or non-emergency?

 

Therapy isn’t always pretty; it’s work. With these tips, you are well on your way to finding a good connection on your journey to a healthier and more balanced you.

 

The Kensho Psychotherapy Team

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