For a free video consultation, call or email (917) 250-9244 | conciergetherapies@gmail.com Serving lower Manhattan
  • Child & Adolescent Behavioral Help

    I provide help for children and teens who exhibit defiant or non-compliant (acting out) behavior/s.

    +

    Behavioral problems in children and adolescents can feel overwhelming in the home environment without an objective, proven strategy in place for support and improvement. As a parent, family member or caregiver, reaching out for behavioral help on behalf of your child or loved one who is exhibiting defiant or non-compliant behaviors can be a game changer.

    As a concierge therapist, I am uniquely positioned to offer solutions for challenges that arise from complicated family dynamics. That’s because I have structured my practice around gathering information during an in-home observation period, in which I am able to observe the challenges that you and your child or adolescent are facing in real time, in the home, to develop a true sense of the behavioral issues being exhibited. As an empathetic, keen observer of interactions, this in-home observation period allows me to discern and communicate what I believe is contributing to and shaping the defiant or non-compliant behaviors in ways that would be impossible to recreate or describe in a purely in-office setting. With this detailed view of the problem behaviors and family dynamics in mind, I’m able to devise a plan that is well- thought-out, manageable, and custom-tailored to suit the specific needs of your family.

    I take pride in creating behavioral plans for families that provide tangible, actionable solutions for children and adolescents who exhibit challenging, acting-out behaviors, creating rules and structure and presenting these interventions as a welcome change instead of an additional cause for conflict in the home. Positioning rules and expectations within this context allows your child or adolescent to feel a sense of achievement when they succeed in behaving in ways that are appropriate and expected of them, paving the way for a reduction in stress in the home and more rewarding interactions amongst family members.

    There are myriad problem behaviors that can be improved by my compassionate, caring approach to boundary setting — examples include whining, complaining, crying or screaming when your child doesn’t get their way; acting-out or putting up a fight when parents or caregivers make routine requests; and refusal to clean up after themselves, either in their own rooms, communal areas, or at the dinner table. I can offer trusted, accessible support to help you improve these and any other difficult or non-compliant behaviors that your child or adolescent is exhibiting, leading to a home environment where children understand what is expected of them and are more well-behaved, more respectful, and willing to do what is reasonably required of them.

    Crucially, my concierge therapy approach also includes an unparalleled level of availability, allowing for conversations and assistance when challenging, impulsive, or aggressive behaviors arise in real time. The ability to contact me at any hour, day or night, to diffuse tense moments, establish boundaries and introduce effective problem-solving skills is often the missing piece of a behavior modification process.
    Through concierge therapy, there is hope for creating a workable, custom-tailored plan of action to address challenging oppositional and defiant behaviors in children and adolescents, opening the door to rewarding interactions and a brighter future for your family.

  • Parent Training

    I teach parents effective skills and strategies and help them implement those strategies in real time, in the home.

    +

    In conjunction with my work with children and adolescents, I also offer support, hope, and training tools to parents and caregivers who are feeling stressed and overwhelmed by disruptive behaviors in the home.

    My approach is centered around the belief that each family and child/caregiver dynamic is unique. Instead of relying on an impersonal group setting for parent training, concierge therapy allows parents and caregivers to access advice and guidance in an individualized setting that is completely custom-tailored to the oppositional and non-compliant behaviors exhibited by children and teens in their care. This allows for the implementation of parent training tools that are realistic for each client’s exact circumstances, and which take into account personal goals, priorities and schedules. A critical component of my concierge therapy is my dedication to being available and reachable at all times, which ensures that as a parent or caregiver, you will never feel alone while you are acquiring and implementing new skills to tackle difficult or defiant behaviors.

    As a concierge therapist, my effective, evidence-based approach begins with an in-home observation period, in which I spend time with you and your family in your home environment in order to establish a thorough sense of your routines, as well as the challenges and disruptive behaviors being exhibited. This element of my parent training program is often a great relief to my clients — instead of parents having to explain the nuances of complex dynamics and points of conflict at length an in an office setting, I am able to gain first-hand knowledge of behavioral issues in real time. I bring my compassionate, thoughtful observation skills to daily activities, and am therefore able to compile unique, objective insights into situations and reactions that may be contributing to and shaping disruptive behaviors. After a sufficient in- home information gathering period, I’m able to devise a thorough plan that offers actionable solutions for conflict resolution, providing detailed counseling on how to use praise and age- appropriate consequences to eliminate unwanted behaviors and promote positive change.

    My training sessions for parents also include office visits, in which I provide strategies and reinforcement as clients learn to consistently apply behavior modification tools, such as ignoring negative behaviors and praising positive behaviors. During these parent training sessions, I collaborate with my clients to compile what we’ve spoken about into detailed, action-oriented written plans in the form of a parent training notebook. This parent training notebook, which can be taken home with you, clearly lays out what has been discussed, and ensures that all elements of the care plan laid out in-office can be referenced clearly and applied effectively in the home setting. I will also return to the home or wherever else I’m needed, going above and beyond to help you enact all established strategies.

    No matter how difficult your home situation feels, my dedicated parent training methods offer a positive, confident outlook and the comfort of knowing that whenever you feel that you would benefit from in-home, real-time assistance implementing new tools or parenting strategies, I will be available and in your corner. Together, we can achieve noticeable improvements in your child’s behavior in ways that do not lose sight of your own need for support.

  • Social Skills Training

    I work with people who experience social anxiety in the real world environment, to improve social skills in any and all situations where they are lacking.

    +

    I know from personal experience that social situations can be deeply intimidating, and a source of social anxiety. I draw upon this experience to create compassionate, thoughtful, custom- tailored tools to help adults, children and teens work through and overcome discomfort in social situations. Whether you, your child or a loved one is experiencing difficulty with social anxiety, I can offer tools and guidance on how best to approach the situations that feel the most challenging, paving the way for a brighter and more confident future.

    Concierge therapy has significant advantages for social skills training, including the flexibility to accompany clients in the moments and settings where they most urgently need support — out in the real world, practicing real world solutions where they may previously have experienced social anxiety. I work with clients at their own pace and in their own environments to practice verbal and non-verbal communication, leading to a significant reduction in anxiety when interacting with others. My unique, collaborative approach allows for a gradual implementation of tools and strategies to help clients overcome anxious feelings, and ensures that a trusted, experienced advisor is available to join you in the moments that feel the most difficult. My systematic, step-by-step method means that instead of having to go through situational exposure alone, I will be there with you to help you carry out custom-designed social exercises and assignments, ensuring that each step along the way is a positive one.

    It’s not easy to leave your comfort zone, and that’s why my approach to social skills training for adults, children and teens is focused on building confidence through small successes, which will lead to bigger successes, ultimately leading to your final destination: Social Freedom. For example, one technique that is helpful for certain clients involves being put in atypical social situations under my supervision (and with my full availability and support). Going through these atypical social scenarios can create desensitization and even immunity to the most intimidating social interactions, so that when a client then finds themselves in a more typical social situation, they are amazed by how much less awkward and uncomfortable they feel.

    My custom-tailored plans are adapted to the needs and personal progress of each individual, and designed to evolve along with you on the path to creating a permanent reduction in social anxiety. This means that once a client has successfully completed the unique social skills training exercises designed around their sources of stress and has achieved a new level of self- assurance and comfort with interpersonal interactions, the amount of time dedicated to working together in the field naturally decreases. At the appropriate time, I transition to a more back-seat, advisory therapy role, allowing for the client to continue to increase their confidence as they practice approaching social situations on their own. During this stage, clients build upon what we’ve accomplished together as they learn to successfully make conversation without having to rely on me, therefore conquering what had once felt impossible.

    If you feel as though you desire to be more social, but that your social anxiety is preventing you from taking the next step, I’m here to help you take the plunge. Contact me to schedule a free consultation to explore the ways in which concierge therapy may be the missing piece in your journey to overcoming overwhelming anxious feelings in social settings.

  • Anxiety

    I help increase self-esteem and self-confidence through a gradual, systematic, action-oriented approach that takes place in real time, in the real-world environment. I work to reduce and/or eliminate anxiety and help clients feel more comfortable in social situations or any other situations that present challenges.

    +

    Overcoming feelings of anxiety can be a truly liberating process. I know how debilitating it can be to experience anxiety and panic, and I understand the tendency to avoid situations that seem too overwhelming or too scary to confront. Through my gradual, systematic, step-by- step approach, I can help you face challenging situations so that you are no longer controlled by feelings of nervousness, fear and unease.

    Adults, children and teens who experience anxiety tend to avoid confrontation, avoid unpleasant, uncomfortable, or intimidating situations, and worry excessively about repercussions and what other people think (or will think). As a concierge therapist, I am committed to devising tools for anxiety relief that are evidence-based and sensitive to addressing the exact situations that my clients find most challenging in their lives.

    For clients who are experiencing the stress of anxiety attacks and seeking feelings of peace and calm, my approach begins with an in-home observation period that can help to identify the precipitating causes of anxious thoughts and feelings. This period of observation allows me to offer clients completely personalized advice and techniques on how best to handle experiences that cause apprehension and worry where it matters most — in real time, in the real world environment. At the conclusion of the in-home observation period, I formulate a plan that is well thought out, manageable, and custom-tailored to the individual needs of each client, taking into account their level of anxiety and the exact sources of their stress. In presenting my plan, I seek to establish a collaborative approach to facing challenging situations, helping to increase self-esteem and self-confidence to create lasting results. No matter the underlying cause of the anxious feelings, the more often a client faces challenging situations with the comfort of knowing that a trusted source of support and guidance is by their side, the easier it becomes to imagine and approach those situations in the future.

    I offer techniques for anxiety relief that are centered around the knowledge that feelings of anxiety and panic, and even panic attacks, can arise suddenly and feel truly overwhelming. My dedication to helping clients deal with and prevail over the stress of living with anxiety includes an unparalleled level of availability — day and night — whenever or wherever they experience feelings of panic. With my help, you can become a more confident, stronger person through facing challenging situations until they become more manageable. I’m always looking for ways to make sure you’re seeing successes along the way and able to visualize the fruits of your labor — that’s what’s going to give you the incentive/motivation to want to continue putting yourself in anxiety-inducing situations on your path to newfound resilience.

    Through my compassionate, client-specific concierge therapy approach, we can tackle the obstacles in your everyday environment and strategize on how to anticipate and prepare for future situations, with the goal of creating lasting positive change. Finding the confidence and strength within yourself to overcome anxious feelings is possible — I can help you to find your inner calm, take your power back, and reclaim your life!

  • ADHD/ADD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Attention-Deficit Disorder)

    I provide useful techniques and strategies for people who get distracted, have a difficult time concentrating/staying focused, are disorganized, misplace things, and exhibit poor time management.

    +

    Living with symptoms of ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and/or ADD (Attention-Deficit Disorder) can create unique challenges in the lives of children, teens and adults. As a concierge therapist who has received a diagnosis of ADD in the past, I bring an unparalleled level of empathy and understanding to my work. With a focus on action-oriented, practical approaches to improving time management and concentration while limiting forgetful behaviors, my tools, techniques, and strategies for ADHD/ADD help keep my clients’ lives organized and on a confident path to success.

    An important part of my approach to helping people cope with symptoms of ADHD/ADD is the in-home observation period, during which I visit each client’s home to gather information, observe what’s going on, and see the ways in which the symptoms of ADHD/ADD are impacting their lives. This in-home observation provides exceptional insight into how individual elements of the home environment may be impacting the ability to stay focused and resist distraction. Having gathered this information first-hand, I’m then able to formulate a plan that is completely custom-tailored to the real-life needs of the client, including specific advice about ways in which living areas can be adapted and structured successfully so that important items needed for daily life are no longer forgotten or misplaced.

    In addition to offering techniques to adjust and modify home environments, I also offer tools to help with forgetfulness outside the home, including one particularly quick and easy technique that can help provide a practical solution to prevent forgetting items such as your umbrella at Starbucks, your coat at a restaurant, or your backpack at school. To help alleviate any struggles around time management, I teach my clients how to think in what I refer to as “ADHD/ADD time”, which will encourage you to look at time from a completely new perspective, designed for success. Incorporating the “ADHD/ADD time” approach can help turn the page on a new chapter of your life, where you no longer forget, are late to, or miss important events. A future in which you are able to arrive reliably on time to all appointments and activities can be life-changing, and with my guidance — it is possible!

    Helping children, teens, and adults with ADHD/ADD stay focused and become skilled at setting realistic, manageable schedules is a deeply rewarding experience. I am dedicated to remaining available and reachable to my clients day and night, always ready to speak by phone or to join you in the home or wherever else I’m needed to implement the strategies that we have identified to help you recover from the symptoms that you find to be most challenging.

    The methods that I rely on are useful for all ages, and can help create lifelong, healthy habits. If you, your child or a loved one are having a difficult time concentrating/staying focused, feel disorganized, often misplace things, and exhibit poor time management, concierge therapy may be the missing piece in the process of learning how to have a more productive life.

  • Anger Management

    I teach healthy and effective strategies to deal with anger.

    +

    Anger is just your body’s way of dealing with emotions. If you or a loved one has struggled with anger management, you know how distressing it can be when a person is unable to control their over-the-top reactions to negative emotions. As a concierge therapist, I am acutely aware of the importance of redirecting anger and identifying the emotions causing the negative behaviors, in order to create healthier, more peaceful environments and restore personal and professional relationships.

    A cornerstone of my approach to anger management involves teaching my clients to understand the underlying emotions that are truly at play when they react with exasperation and rage. Instead of getting angry, my clients learn to let people know what’s really going on inside, choosing to let others in instead of locking them out with negative behaviors. By putting this approach into practice, clients often quickly realize that this method of engaging with big feelings allows for others to hear, acknowledge, and listen to what is bothering them, therefore naturally diffusing the situation.

    Anger management issues can feel insurmountable, but my methodical, systematic approach ensures that small changes can lead to lasting, restorative change. I begin with an in-home observation period, in which I visit the home of each client and spend enough time to observe and gather relevant information regarding the source/sources of reactivity and anger, and to get a better sense of how anger management issues are manifested in their lives, in the real world environment. After the in-home observation period, I present my plan for concierge therapy, which will include tangible, manageable steps, so that you can navigate situations effectively without resorting to anger. These plans are custom-tailored to the specific dynamics surrounding each client, and take into account the root cause of the feelings of rage. Often, the first step towards creating positive change begins with identifying ways in which your environment can be adjusted and set up to avoid your anger being easily triggered. These seemingly small, incremental changes can help establish routines in which you feel more confident and secure both in acknowledging feelings and expressing them to yourself and the people around you.

    In moments of stress and frustration, it can be easy to resort to lashing out behaviors, which can result in damaged relationships with the people closest to you. Restoring bonds with people in your life who have been affected by your anger management issues can be a delicate process, and I offer my clients support as they navigate the challenges of building back the bonds that have been threatened by previous hurtful outbursts. With my easy-to-use, simple, straightforward formula, you will be able to express your feelings/emotions instead of responding with anger. By committing yourself to incrementally changing your patterns of behavior, you are taking the first step towards leaving anger behind and discovering relaxation, emotional contentment, and peace.

    The process of learning how to express how you truly feel, instead of bottling it up, can be truly freeing. Concierge therapy can offer tools to help express emotions in a healthy, positive way, helping you to get more out of life!

  • Coping Skills

    I provide healthy and useful strategies for people who are stressed and overwhelmed.

    +

    Whether you are currently going through a period of difficult transition, experiencing loss or grief, or simply looking for support while coping with the stressors of everyday life, concierge therapy can provide an invaluable set of tools and techniques to help you develop healthy coping mechanisms that will make you less overwhelmed, more resilient, and a stronger person.

    Learning healthy coping skills can improve all areas of life for children, teens, and adults, and can help to create positive change no matter the circumstances that you’re faced with. My approach to helping clients improve their coping strategies involves gaining a detailed understanding of what exactly is causing the feelings of stress and sense of being overwhelmed. I begin with a period of in-home observation, which provides a window into the life events and environmental factors that are causing the most acute feelings of distress. This in-home observation period offers an opportunity through which I am able to capture a sense of how clients cope with and manage stress in their daily lives, as well as identifying the particular people and/or situations that are leading to the difficulties coping.

    At the the conclusion of the observation period, I’m able to present a plan to each client that is well-thought-out and custom-tailored to their exact needs, taking into account their particular level of stress. At this point, having identified all the unique, complex pieces of the larger puzzle, I will work with you to implement my plan in such a way that it feels manageable, so that the goal of coping healthily with challenges feels realistic and attainable. Breaking down each puzzle piece into these small, achievable steps sets the stage for true progress to be made. I will help you devise a schedule, making sure that each step in the schedule is rewarding along the way. These rewards will motivate you to want to continue, instead of giving up and throwing in the towel.

    Realizing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and a way out of the darkness that you are currently faced with helps to make big feelings feel less overwhelming. By setting small goals, life’s challenges will begin to feel more manageable.

    My measured, evidence-based guidance for alleviating stress will improve your resilience, making you a stronger person. Instead of facing life’s overwhelming challenges alone, my clients can find comfort in knowing that I’m just a phone call away, and able to meet in the home or wherever else I’m needed to provide support and give the extra push that they need to stay on course. If you are ready to take the first step on the path to developing healthy coping mechanisms and accepting challenges with a positive attitude, concierge therapy may be the missing piece of a puzzle that will help you get there — one step at a time.

  • Depression

    I develop concrete, tangible, and manageable steps to help people out of states of unhappiness and sadness.

    +

    Depression is an incredibly challenging experience that can feel quite overwhelming. Concierge therapy can offer personalized tools and strategies designed to offer hope for you, your child or your loved one dealing with feelings of intense hopelessness and sadness.

    By combining 24/7 availability with an actionable, goal-oriented approach, I assist children, adolescents and adults by developing a plan that is well-thought-out, manageable, and custom-tailored to their unique level of depression severity. Concierge therapy allows for a dynamic approach, including an observation period in the home to help create a full understanding of the circumstances faced by each client. I am dedicated to thinking of ways to help you through your depression, day or night, so that you or your loved one never feel alone or without a safety net.

    After sufficient information gathering and in-home observation, I seek to identify and establish the situations and relationships that are causing the most intense feelings of unhappiness and anxiety. This allows me to recommend and implement strategies that offer a better way to handle and respond to these difficult circumstances, creating a future in which clients are able to respond to the people and situations to which they had previously been the most resistant in ways that create positive rather than negative experiences. Whether the client is dealing with a major depression or a minor one, I will work with them to help find ways to add joy and happiness to their lives.

    Under my guidance, you will learn how to stop avoiding the situations that cause you the most discomfort and approach them in a healthy, goal-oriented way. I understand how difficult it can be to confront these challenging situations, but facing them head on will set you on the path to becoming a more resilient person, and getting more of what you want out of life. The empathy with which I approach each unique set of circumstances takes into account all the ways in which depression symptoms are impacting your life — and ensures that I am available day and night to help you through each step on the path to successful healing.

    I am committed to going above and beyond for my clients in order to help them alleviate their feelings of unhappiness and sadness, and am experienced in identifying the pitfalls and traps to look out for as they begin to experience relief from their most painful symptoms. This method, in conjunction with my availability to come to the home or wherever else I’m needed to help teach and implement helpful skills and techniques, helps my clients to avoid sliding back into another period of depression.

    If you, your child, your teen or a loved one are struggling with symptoms of depression and are ready to take the first step in finding the path out of hopelessness and sadness and towards feelings of hope and healing, contact me for a free consultation.

  • Phobias

    I will help you overcome your fear of flying, heights, elevators, public speaking, etc.

    +

    Living with a phobia can cause feelings of intense anxiety surrounding a particular fear. Whether it’s a fear of flying, a fear of elevators, etc., phobias can be debilitating. Understanding phobias involves the realization that they do not just simply develop overnight — it can take years of environmental modeling and conditioning to shape these acute, severe reactions.

    In keeping with this understanding, I approach phobias with respect for each individual’s unique history and set of circumstances. I believe that any intervention involving tools and techniques that have the potential to lessen the severity of phobia symptoms must be carefully thought-out and well-planned.

    In order to gain an understanding of each client’s profound feelings of fear and anxiety and their underlying causes, I begin with an in-home observation period. During this period, I visit the client’s home environment to gather information, observe what’s going on, and get a sense of the severity of the phobia as well as the intricate history surrounding it. At this phase, I’m also able to determine the extent to which the phobia is limiting the person’s social, professional, or personal life. This unique approach to my concierge therapy allows me to devise plans that are custom-tailored to each set of circumstances, taking into account the levels of fear and discomfort being experienced. In presenting my plan, I am always sure to begin at a place that makes the most sense for you.

    Phobias can develop at any age. Feelings of panic can affect children, teens, and adults — and can be quite distressing. No matter what your fear is (flying, elevators, etc.) and how much anxiety you have surrounding it, concierge therapy has a well-thought-out, gradual, step-wise approach that will help you conquer it. I am committed to being available to my clients day and night, whenever or wherever they feel they need support. This includes additional home visits, as well as my availability to join you out in the real world, to help with whatever environmental situation is causing you the most distress. By being with the client to implement the steps that I have laid out for them, I am able to customize and tweak the methods to suit their progress at every step of the way, ensuring that there is always a feeling of confidence and success surrounding the plan of action.

    With my approach, you will slowly, gradually, and systematically face your fear, until your phobia is no longer debilitating. Using my trusted, evidence-based tools and techniques for fear reduction, it is possible to approach the source of your specific phobia, leaving feelings of avoidance and panic behind.

  • Marriage Counseling

    I provide real solutions for better communication with your spouse for a happier marriage (implemented in real time, in the home).

    +

    Couples seek relationship and marriage counseling for countless reasons, many of which center around issues with communication. My approach to healing troubled relationships focuses on teaching clients how to communicate with their partners more effectively, and how to learn to take responsibility for their roles in the relationship, even in times of conflict. Even for couples who are not currently experiencing difficulties in their partnership, exploring healthy communication techniques and receiving guidance on boundary setting can be a worthwhile process, strengthening your bond and laying the groundwork for a successful future.

    While there are many options available to couples who choose to seek marriage counseling, my concierge therapy approach is designed around implementing strategies for improved communication that are completely custom-tailored to the needs and environment of each couple that I work with. My process begins with an in-home observation period, during which I visit the couple’s residence, in order to get a clear picture of the dynamics at play during routine activities and disputes. After sufficient information gathering and observation, I will draw upon my extensive experience working with couples, as well as the complex dynamics and challenges at play in each individual partnership, to devise a plan of action that is well- thought-out, manageable, and custom-tailored to your situation. My couples counseling strategy has a central focus on adaptability and customization to make sure that the plan is perfectly suited to your needs and centered around creating healthy, positive patterns of behavior in which your marriage and family can truly thrive.

    My evidence-based, practical tools and techniques will help teach you how to support one another and work together as partners, with an emphasis on remembering that you’re on the same team. With a focus on learning to show appreciation and disappointment in a healthy way, you and your partner can learn to appreciate each other’s qualities on a deeper, more meaningful level, for a happier, stronger, and more rewarding marriage.

    If you and your spouse are seeking tools for restoring faith in your partnership, or you simply have the feeling that you’re growing apart and becoming distant from each other, concierge therapy can offer proven solutions for approaching these challenges. Learning, for example, how to express feelings in a way that avoids counter-arguing and prevents arguments that descend into character assassinations can help restore a sense of security and support in daily interactions, ultimately leading to increased feelings of happiness, calm and rekindled romance.

    Whether your partnership is in need of repair, or simply a fine-tuning, my methods will enable you to better meet each other’s needs. If you are ready to take the first step on the journey to restore your partnership to its full potential, embracing healthier patterns of self expression and conflict resolution, I can offer advice, guidance, and real solutions to help you learn to live in harmony as each other’s best advocates and cheerleaders.