Seniel Lucien profile image

Seniel Lucien

Seniel Lucien

(she/her)

LCSW
30 years of experience
Authentic
Direct
Empowering
Virtual

I am a licensed clinical social worker and certified psychanalyst with certified CBT training as well and a Ph.D in an allied field. I had taught at UCLA, USC, and Antioch Universities and I was asked to try to give and develop a college program at the California Institution for Women, at the time, the only facility for female felons in the state. Shortly, I realized I needed clinical training and went back to school specializing in children and families. Later I moved to NYC to attend The Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, an affiliate of New York University. I did one training for adults (5 years) and 3 of the 4 years for the child and adolescent track. I have worked in clinics as well as private practice in both New York and CT. I hope I may be of service.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

We will begin wherever you feel most comfortable—what brings you to therapy now (rather than last month), what concerns you most, what you feel you’re facing. Usually one thing you address will quite naturally lead to more questions and answers. There is no ‘right’ way to begin or proceed. Therapy is a joint process and one that is very special. Both Federal and State Courts have ruled that therapy is a protected ‘space’: whatever you tell me (with a few exceptions about safety) cannot be divulged to anyone unless ordered by a judge. So you can tell me anything and speak however you wish.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I have special strengths in all forms of depression, including suicidality, PTSD, and Bipolarity. At any clinic at which I have worked ( as well as private practice), I’m always given the toughest cases of this type. Gratefully, unless someone drops out of treatment, I help a client to attain progress and gain a better life. I also have really good success with anxiety and couples. An analogy . . . Different therapists have different special traits. I trained with a woman who loved working with premies and infants: she was marvelous at that. I couldn’t do that but, then, she did not especially like working with people who were very depressed or very anxious.

About Seniel Lucien

Identifies as

Specializes in

Serves ages

Licensed in

Accepts

Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

Psychodynamic

I work from where your concerns are first, with frames that include cognitive behavior, awareness of the unconscious, dream, and family constellations.

Psychoanalytic

Working with your present awareness and feelings, we raise questions concerning what brought you to therapy and what forces, patterns seems to keep you ‘stuck,’ unable to change things favorably. We explore considerations of goals and how to move toward them, including new ‘tools’ for manners of handling things to help you approach your goals.

Mind-body approach

Over 30 years, the above methods allow clients to feel less burdened, more productive, and more centered about their lives and future. I have even seen one nurse’s blood pressure drop from over 200 to normal range within one treatment year, without our ever discussing that physical issue.

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Language is often reflective of faulty thinking, like putting yourself down without objectively looking at whether or not you were actually any part of what occurred for which you’re blaming yourself at all.

Cognitive Processing (CPT)

By questioning and re-examining together, you will begin to unshaken yourself and keeps you ‘stuck.’ Then you begin to see things more clearly, feel less trapped, and have more clarity and energy to move towards better choices.