About: Emily Brackman, PhD (She/Her/Hers)
Approach to helpingMy goal is to establish a safe, genuine, and supportive connection with you from our first session. Whether you come to therapy to seek relief from symptoms of anxiety and depression, to heal from long-lasting post-traumatic experiences, to learn new ways of managing difficult emotions and risky behaviors, or to address challenges in your relationships, our work will emphasize your sense of agency, autonomy, and subjective well-being.
My approach to therapy is active, transparent, collaborative, and grounded in scientific research. Together, we will work toward expanding your life by helping you engage in new ways in your relationships, think about yourself differently, express and manage your emotions in more adaptive ways, and generate and implement effective solutions to daily life challenges. I highly value the strength of human connection as a key factor in healing and finding meaning and purpose in the face of hardship. I am attuned to the impact of culture and identity on the therapeutic process and am committed to serving individuals from diverse backgrounds. I strive to continually attend to the impact of culture, identity, privilege, and power on the therapy process. Experience and focusAs a licensed clinical psychologist, I specialize in treating adults seeking to process and heal from the impact of trauma and loss on their sense of self and relationships. My expertise centers on integrative approaches to the treatment of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. For couples, I offer counseling intended to deepen communication and develop new patterns of interaction.
I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology from Fordham University and completed my internship at the VA-NY Harbor Healthcare System in Manhattan, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Langone Health's Steven A. Cohen Military Family Center. My experience includes advanced training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy and emotionally focused therapy (EFT) for couples. I have provided therapy to individuals and couples in a wide range of clinical settings, including city hospitals, college counseling centers, and trauma centers. My research background has focused on the connection between trauma, interpersonal stress, and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. I approach these experiences in therapy with a non-judgmental and open mindset, helping you develop alternate coping mechanisms and new ways to respond to difficult thoughts and feelings. More about my storyMy interest in mental health care stemmed from dual passions for social justice and photography. I knew from an early age that observing, describing, and accurately representing the complexities of the human experience would be a driving force in my life narrative.
While I studied academic psychology and acted as the photography editor for my college's newspaper, I was searching for a path that would allow me not only to observe and describe the human experience, but one that would facilitate healing and growth through connection. After learning my first of many invaluable lessons about the social determinants of mental health from Harlem community members as a volunteer, it was clear to me that the intersection of my passions for social justice and creative arts would best be realized through direct clinical care. In psychotherapy, like photography, I believe there is no singular lens suitable to every situation. My incorporation of diverse lenses through which to understand human experience guides my approach to psychotherapy, and I continue to engage in photography as a form of creative self-expression and a way of critically examining the world around me. *Dr. Brackman’s photographic talent and sensitivity has been tapped in building this website, and her images appear throughout the site. We can help. Vertical Divider
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