Licensed to practice in New York and accepts 3 insurances. Specializes in Grief, Life Transitions, Trauma and PTSD and 10 more.
Hi, I’m Valerie, and I specialize in complex/developmental trauma and grief. I work primarily with women navigating childhood trauma, complicated family dynamics, narcissistic abuse, and what it means to move through life without the support they should have had. I also work with young adults who have experienced the loss of one or both parents. Many of my clients are used to being the "strong one" -- the one who holds everything together, even while feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or exhausted underneath. Therapy with me is a space where you don’t have to do that anymore. I use EMDR and Induced After Death Communication therapies to help process experiences that feel stuck, not just intellectually, but emotionally and physically. This work goes beyond talking about what happened; we focus on helping your system actually shift so those experiences no longer carry the same weight. I have a particular passion for working with grief, including the kind that isn’t always recognized—like estrangement, losing a parent (emotionally or physically), or becoming an adult without the support you needed. I don’t believe grief is something you “get over,” but something you learn to carry differently. I earned my Master of Social Work from Fordham University and my Bachelor of Social Work from Adelphi University, graduating summa cum laude from both. I began my work in a community mental health clinic and later worked in several private practices before opening my own.
I believe therapy is a partnership. My role is not to “fix” you, but to walk alongside you as you develop greater self-understanding, resilience, and self-compassion. Together, we work toward helping you feel more grounded, more connected to yourself and others, and more able to live a life that aligns with your values and hopes for the future. My style is warm, collaborative, and down-to-earth. We move at your pace, and our work is tailored to you, not a template.
I have a deep respect and passion for working with trauma survivors, individuals navigating grief—particularly young adults who have lost a parent—new mothers, and those facing significant life transitions. I take an eclectic and collaborative approach to therapy, tailoring treatment to each individual in order to create a personalized blend of strategies that best supports your healing and growth.
If you are seeking support for grief/bereavement, depression, or anxiety, or trauma, are suffering from relationship difficulties, are adjusting to motherhood or other significant changes, or if you simply feel like you need somewhere to unpack your burdens you have carried - let's chat. I accept you openly, all the shadows of yourself you try to hide away. Therapy is beautiful because it allows those parts of ourselves an opportunity to be seen but without judgment.
Other specialties
I identify as
EMDR
I use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help individuals identify their negative core beliefs -- as in the beliefs that are so deeply embedded within ourselves that they can drive our actions without our own conscious awareness. These negative core beliefs generally originate in our formative years. Then, I have clients create positive core beliefs that I install, thereby helping them overcome the actions associated with the negativity. Additionally, I utilize EMDR to help people recognize and reprocess traumatic memories in a safe space, empowering them to then reintegrate the memories so they no longer carry as much influence. Despite the myths, EMDR is not hypnosis (the person is fully aware and in control the entire time), and EMDR does not erase memories. However, EMDR can help decrease the emotional intensity of the memories, thereby making them easier to cope with and letting the person move forward. I am certified through THRIVE Counseling & Consulting, an EMDR International Association-recognized EMDR program, in which I was supervised for over a year to become proficient with this treatment method.
Grief Therapy
I am a certified bereavement specialist through a training program by Calvary Hospice and Hospital. Bereavement comes in various forms -- the loss of a spouse, child, friend, pet, neighbor. Regardless of the role and relationship, bereavement hurts, and left unsupported the person can feel very alone. I use a gentle, compassionate, humanistic approach when working with clients who are grieving. In particular, I specialize in working with young adults who lost a parent. This comes from lived experience, something that I feel is essential in the art of therapy and cannot be taught through textbooks and professional experience. I lost both of my parents, and I recognize it can feel difficult to navigate through life feeling unanchored. I work with young adults - and others grieving at large - in helping them accept the loss and still move forward with their lives, but while honoring the person who has passed. I consider grief therapy to be a sacred privilege, a means of helping someone during a most vulnerable time. I am always especially sensitive with this issue.
Trauma-Focused CBT
I completed an educational program in Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) through the Medical University of South Carolina. TF-CBT is a form of CBT that is specific for children and youth and their caregivers who suffered from trauma.
Trauma Informed Care
As a trauma therapist, it is essential I am well-versed in trauma-informed care. I ensure the highest standard in working with traumatized clients, meeting them with compassion, empathy, and hope.