What to Expect from Therapy in NYC: A Guide for Those Seeking Help for Eating Disorders and Trauma
Here’s what you can expect in therapy in NYC
If you're considering therapy in NYC, you might be feeling a mix of hope, anxiety, and curiosity.
Whether you're dealing with eating disorders, trauma, or other mental health challenges, taking the first step toward therapy is a courageous and important decision. As a therapist specializing in treating eating disorders and trauma, I offer virtual therapy to provide accessible, personalized care. You can avoid the NYC traffic, trying to squeeze your car into a parking spot or taking public transportation during the height of the summer heat or during winter storms. Therapy shouldn’t cause more stress and therapy via secure video calls is just as effective as in-person sessions for most people! Here's what you can expect from therapy in NYC and how it can support your journey to healing.
Finding the Right Therapist
New York City is home to a diverse range of therapists, each with their own specialties, approaches, and styles. When seeking therapy for eating disorders or trauma, it's crucial to find a therapist who is experienced and trained in these specific areas. Look for a therapist who:
Specializes in Eating Disorders and Trauma: Ensure they have expertise in addressing the unique challenges of these conditions. You can do this by checking out their websites! A therapist who has a specialty should have a website that has a ton on the topics they specialize in, so their website should give you a pretty good idea on what they specialize in. Also, most therapists offer free consultation calls. Schedule a consult call with your potential therapist options and ask questions including about their experience working with eating disorders or trauma and what their approach to treatment is.
Offers Virtual Therapy: For convenience and accessibility, especially if you prefer or require remote sessions. My clients love that they can easily fit therapy into their busy NYC lives since virtual therapy cuts out all of the stressful commuting.
Has a Holistic Approach: Combining different therapeutic modalities to address both the physical and emotional aspects of your condition. You are not just a diagnosis, and therefore, there’s much more involved in your treatment plan than just what your struggles are. Your therapist should try to understand you as a whole human being and address all aspects of your life and struggles. Also, a good therapist will let you know when they believe another professional could be helpful in your recovery whether that be a doctor or a dietitian or someone else, your therapist should make that recommendation and make every effort to collaborate with those professionals for your optimal treatment.
Initial Intake
Your first session, often called an intake session, is an opportunity to discuss your concerns, goals, and expectations. During this session, you can expect to:
Share Your Story: Discuss your history, current struggles, and what you hope to achieve through therapy.
Ask Questions: Inquire about the therapist's approach, experience, and how they can help you with your specific issues. Hopefully, you already have a pretty good idea about this from your initial consultation call I mentioned earlier, but this gives you a chance to go much more in depth.
Set Goals: Work with your therapist to establish clear, achievable goals for your therapy journey. We want to work together to make sure that we both have a clear idea on what you want your life to look like in 3 months, 6 months, a year and longer assuming that therapy is doing it’s job. This keeps us on track and making sure that you are continuing to take strides to meet your current goals and setting new goals as appropriate.
Therapeutic Approaches
Therapy for eating disorders and trauma often involves a combination of therapeutic approaches tailored to your individual needs. I believe in using a combination of approaches so that I can best gear treatment to my individual client and I have found this to be crucial in their success and recovery. Below are some of the most effective methods for treatment and ones that I use the most in my practice:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
CBT is a widely used approach for treating eating disorders and trauma. It helps you identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and build resilience.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT):
DBT is particularly effective for individuals with eating disorders and trauma. It focuses on building skills in mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. As a Certified Dialectical Behavioral Therapist (C-DBT), this is something that I have found incredibly useful for my clients who work best with very clear tools that they can put to use in their daily lives.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT):
CPT is a highly effective approach specifically designed for individuals who have experienced trauma. It focuses on helping you understand and change the way you think about the traumatic event. This type of therapy is very structured and allows for the trauma to be worked through with minimal negative impact that often comes from other modes of therapy that cause the individual to re-live their trauma. Re-living your trauma is not necessary in order to heal from it.
Nutrition Counseling:
For those struggling with eating disorders, I believe that it is always best to be working with a dietitian in conjunction with therapy. A dietitian will help you to learn the real facts about food (not the lies that diet culture tells us) and will help you to learn new ways of thinking about food. With an eating disorder, not only do we need to address the psychological impacts of the disorder, your physical body needs attention as well especially via proper nutrition. I work closely with my clients’ dietitians to ensure that your therapy supports your nutrition counseling and vice versa.
Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment
A key aspect of effective therapy is the creation of a safe, non-judgmental space where you can openly share your thoughts and feelings. Your therapist will:
Listen with Empathy: Provide compassionate and understanding support as you navigate your challenges. We are not judging you!
Maintain Confidentiality: Ensure that your privacy is protected and that you feel secure in sharing sensitive information. We are not gossiping about you!
Encourage Self-Compassion: Help you develop a kinder, more forgiving relationship with yourself. I bet you have compassion for everyone else, now it’s time to have compassion toward yourself as well.
Virtual Therapy: Flexibility and Accessibility
In a bustling city like NYC, finding time for therapy can be challenging. Virtual therapy offers a flexible and convenient solution, allowing you to attend sessions from the comfort of your home or any location that suits you. Virtual therapy provides:
Accessibility: No need to commute, making it easier to fit therapy into your schedule.
Comfort: Participate in sessions from a familiar and comfortable environment.
Continued Support: Access consistent therapy even during travel or unexpected changes in your routine.
The Journey of Healing
Therapy is a journey, and progress can take time. It's important to approach your therapy with patience and an open mind. Throughout your therapy journey, you can expect:
Growth and Self-Discovery: Gain deeper insights into yourself and your experiences.
Skill Development: Learn new coping strategies and tools to manage your eating disorder or trauma.
Support and Encouragement: Receive ongoing support from your therapist as you navigate challenges and celebrate successes.
Ready to Get Therapy in NYC?
Seeking therapy in NYC is a positive and proactive step towards healing and wellness, especially for those dealing with eating disorders and trauma. With the right therapist and a supportive, personalized approach, you can work towards achieving your mental health goals and leading a fulfilling life. If you're ready to start your therapy journey, consider scheduling a free consultation to explore how virtual therapy can support your unique needs.
Click here to submit a contact form in order to set up your free 15-minute phone consultation call with me, an NYC therapist, to see how I can help you recover.
*Disclaimer* - I am not a medical doctor and this post does not constitute as medical advice. This post is derived from my experience working with clients who struggle with Bulimia, research and collaborating with medical professionals.