individual therapy
We provide active, depth-oriented, collaborative therapy with adults and teens, with in-person sessions available at our Brooklyn office and virtual therapy for clients across New York State.
We are trauma-informed and fully affirming of all gender identities and sexual orientations.
At the heart of this work is a simple idea: meaningful change doesn’t begin with fixing yourself; it begins with understanding yourself.
In-Person in Brooklyn & Virtual Across New York State
We approach individual therapy from a contemporary psychodynamic perspective.
From this foundation we integrate relational-interpersonal, cognitive-behavioral (CBT), dialectical-behavioral (DBT), solution-focused, and mindfulness techniques depending on each client’s individual needs and goals for therapy.
what does this all mean?
It means that first and foremost you have to know yourself, meaning deeply understand why you tick the way you do, before any lasting change can take place. As your therapist, we participate like a guide in developing that self-understanding. We meet you where you are and then foster curiosity with you about you. Together, we explore your blindspots in knowing yourself, your patterns, where you get stuck, and what role you play in what isn’t working for you.
Sometimes this process of growing self-awareness requires looking at the past. This is because part of learning something new often requires unlearning something old. This might also require a process of healing or acceptance of past hurts, disappointments, or losses before taking control of the present and future.
Other times the process of learning about yourself means focusing on the here and now. How do your expectations, fears, beliefs, and behaviors influence your approach to love, friendship, communication, work, and play? Therapy is the laboratory where you can examine your thoughts, feelings, and interpersonal interactions down to their essence. When your awareness about the way you treat yourself, approach relationships, and interact with others starts being known it stops being automatic. That’s where change and growth have an opportunity to come in. In fact, your relationship with the therapist itself may be the first place to start to safely experiment with new ways of communicating and interacting.
Once you and your therapist have a solid understanding of the patterns that are getting in the way of what you want from life and from your relationships, then action begins. You now have the freedom to make the changes that will allow you to experience a more fulfilling life. Your therapist will be your collaborator in making those changes. Part of this process will be deciding together how to alter those pieces that are within your control and how to cope differently with those that are not.
And that’s how we do therapy. It all starts with the Groundwork and grows from there.
Individual therapy at Groundwork Therapy is offered in-person at our Brooklyn office, with virtual options available to clients across New York State. Sessions are tailored to your goals, pace, and needs. Learn more about in-person individual therapy in Brooklyn.
working in the present moment
While understanding the past can be important, therapy is equally focused on what is happening in your life right now.
How do your internal patterns show up in:
Relationships and communication
Work and performance
Intimacy and emotional closeness
Decision-making and avoidance
Self-care, rest, and boundaries
In many ways, therapy becomes a space where your inner world becomes visible in real time. We don’t just talk about your patterns, we notice them as they unfold.
What happens when you feel misunderstood? What happens when you feel too close, too distant, too overwhelmed, or not enough?
As awareness grows, what once felt automatic begins to slow down. And in that space, choice becomes possible.
the therapeutic relationship as a living experience
One of the most important parts of therapy is not just what we talk about, but what happens between you and your therapist.
The relationship itself becomes a place where patterns can be gently observed and understood. This includes how you relate to support, trust, boundaries, closeness, or emotional expression in real time.
In this space, you are not expected to perform or present a polished version of yourself. Instead, you are invited to notice what it feels like to be in a relationship differently, perhaps in ways that are more honest, more supported, or more attuned than what you have experienced before.
For many people seeking therapy in Brooklyn, this relational experience becomes one of the first places where new ways of being with others can actually be practiced, not just imagined.