Our Approach
At NYCBT we believe that the key to successful therapy is finding a therapist that you really connect with and working together to help you reach your goals. We want to get to know you - not just your struggles but your strengths, your interests, the things you enjoy, and the things you are passionate about. By understanding you better we will be able to help you build the life you want, as this will allow us to address the problems you're facing as well as capitalize on your strengths.
Within this framework, we utilize the most up-to-date, scientifically studied and proven types of therapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Our approach is to focus our efforts on the things that are maintaining the difficulties you are having, including patterns in your thinking and behavior that impact you emotionally and affect how you respond to the challenges in your life. This allows us to discuss the issues you are currently experiencing and target them immediately in our treatment together. This type of approach is different from what you may experience in other types of therapy, where there is often a greater emphasis on understanding how these problems developed and where they came from. Although we certainly address these questions too, at NYCBT we believe in a more practical approach to help you overcome the challenges you are facing and build a more fulfilling, meaningful, and satisfying life. Your therapist will work together with you to come up with a focused, personalized plan for your treatment based on your specific goals. Depending on the issues you are looking for help with, your therapist will help you learn and use specific, proven strategies in sessions as well as in your everyday life in order to reach your goals.
Our Approach
At NYCBT we believe that the key to successful therapy is finding a therapist that you really connect with and working together to help you reach your goals. We want to get to know you - not just your struggles but your strengths, your interests, the things you enjoy, and the things you are passionate about. By understanding you better we will be able to help you build the life you want, as this will allow us to address the problems you're facing as well as capitalize on your strengths.
Within this framework, we utilize the most up-to-date, scientifically studied and proven types of therapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Our approach is to focus our efforts on the things that are maintaining the difficulties you are having, including patterns in your thinking and behavior that impact you emotionally and affect how you respond to the challenges in your life. This allows us to discuss the issues you are currently experiencing and target them immediately in our treatment together. This type of approach is different from what you may experience in other types of therapy, where there is often a greater emphasis on understanding how these problems developed and where they came from. Although we certainly address these questions too, at NYCBT we believe in a more practical approach to help you overcome the challenges you are facing and build a more fulfilling, meaningful, and satisfying life. Your therapist will work together with you to come up with a focused, personalized plan for your treatment based on your specific goals. Depending on the issues you are looking for help with, your therapist will help you learn and use specific, proven strategies in sessions as well as in your everyday life in order to reach your goals.
Our Approach
At NYCBT we believe that the key to successful therapy is finding a therapist that you really connect with and working together to help you reach your goals. We want to get to know you - not just your struggles but your strengths, your interests, the things you enjoy, and the things you are passionate about. By understanding you better we will be able to help you build the life you want, as this will allow us to address the problems you're facing as well as capitalize on your strengths.
Within this framework, we utilize the most up-to-date, scientifically studied and proven types of therapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Our approach is to focus our efforts on the things that are maintaining the difficulties you are having, including patterns in your thinking and behavior that impact you emotionally and affect how you respond to the challenges in your life. This allows us to discuss the issues you are currently experiencing and target them immediately in our treatment together. This type of approach is different from what you may experience in other types of therapy, where there is often a greater emphasis on understanding how these problems developed and where they came from. Although we certainly address these questions too, at NYCBT we believe in a more practical approach to help you overcome the challenges you are facing and build a more fulfilling, meaningful, and satisfying life. Your therapist will work together with you to come up with a focused, personalized plan for your treatment based on your specific goals. Depending on the issues you are looking for help with, your therapist will help you learn and use specific, proven strategies in sessions as well as in your everyday life in order to reach your goals.
LGBTQ+ Mental Health Program
What is the LGBTQ+ community?
There are many terms used to describe the community that includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. The + at the end of LGBTQ+ is meant to represent this community’s large diversity of sexualities and gender identities, not all of which are captured by “LGBTQ.” These other identities include intersex, pansexual, gender nonconforming (GNC), asexual/aromantic, non-binary, two-spirit, and more. The LGBTQ+ community also includes individuals of every race, age, religion, class, ethnicity, and culture. While people with LGBTQ+ identities are all connected, each identity and its corresponding communities have their own unique experiences, strengths, and struggles.
Why does mental health matter in the LGBTQ+ community?
LGBTQ+ people, particularly queer and trans people of color, are subjected to cultural stigma and discrimination. Due to stigma, they may hide their identities, have negative views of themselves, or face social isolation, rejection, or violence. These experiences can lead LGBTQ+ people to struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health issues. Some people might turn to substance use or self-harm to cope with their stressful experiences. Indeed, research suggests that LGBTQ+ people suffer from particularly high rates of mental health disorders and difficulties. Unfortunately, many mental health care clinicians don’t recognize the unique stressors that LGBTQ+ clients face, or they might lump all LGBTQ+ people together and assume every queer or trans person has the same experiences.
How can LGBTQ+ people benefit from therapy?
CBT and DBT, our practice’s specialties, are particularly useful therapies for helping reduce depression, anxiety, self-harm, and the other mental health issues commonly experienced by LGBTQ+ people. Additionally, CBT and DBT have both been adapted to address the specific needs of LGBTQ+ people looking for help in dealing with identity-related stressors. Our practice strives to create an inclusive, affirming, and culturally sensitive environment for LGBTQ+ people, while attending to each person’s unique circumstances. For those seeking DBT, we offer a skills group specifically for LGBTQ+ clients, so that they can learn coping skills in an environment where their identities are validated and they can feel safe discussing problems related to sexuality and gender as they emerge.
Several of our therapists specialize in working with questioning, queer, and trans clients. We are ready to help you navigate any sexual- or gender-identity-related struggles, including:
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Coming out and/or transitioning
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Questioning your sexuality or gender identity
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Overcoming trauma
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Improving self-esteem and combating shame
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Coping with discrimination and invalidation
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Navigating stigma specific to your intersecting identities
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Increasing assertiveness, building social support, or ending harmful relationships
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Understanding how your queer or trans identity can fit with your religious, racial, or other cultural community
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Reducing substance use, self-injury, unsafe sex, or other self-damaging coping behaviors
Of course, many LGBTQ+ people are proud of their identities and lifestyles, and many queer and trans people have grown more resilient by overcoming experiences of discrimination. Whether your sexuality or gender identity relates to your mental health issues or not, we are prepared to meet you where you are and help you in your journey to mental health wellness. Please feel free to reach out to us with any concerns or questions, and to learn more about whether NYCBT is the right fit for you.