Call (646) 609-6323

Specialties: Self Development 

Developing a healthy sense of your authentic self is critical to building a meaningful life. Your personal identity guides and grounds you in the world. Your values, relationships, and life decisions are shaped by who you are and who you want to become. A clear and coherent sense of self is generally something that develops over time.
 
Certain questions can help guide self-knowledge about who you are, such as:
•    How do you see yourself in the world?
•    How do you imagine people see you?
•    What do you like?
•    What don’t you like?
•    What feels genuine to you?

How we help you explore a healthy self

Establishing a safe and confidential judgment-free space is essential for exploring or discovering your authentic self. J&L Psychology is LGBTQ+ affirmative* and welcomes  anyone exploring or questioning the intersections of  identities that contribute to your understanding of yourself . We also recognize that family, culture, and environment influence how you develop a healthy self consistent with your personal values. 
 
By listening to your experience, we help you recognize and understand who you want to be and why. We also may gently help you explore aspects of yourself that you dislike or that you find difficult to accept to facilitate an open, honest foundation for personal transformation.

Treatment methods to strengthen the self

Therapeutic techniques, such as role plays and identification of your personal values, may be used to help you practice new ways of engaging in the world. For example, treatment may focus on teaching you skills to assert yourself more authentically in your relationships. You may learn to challenge self-critical thoughts and develop strategies to overcome anxiety that keeps you from expressing yourself in ways consistent with your identity.  
 
Self-development is a lifelong process; exploring who you are and why in the context of a supportive therapeutic community can enhance your self-compassion. Supportive therapy can provide you with more clarity about how you understand yourself and how you want to express yourself in the world. 

*J&L Psychology recognizes personal pronouns reflective of your preferred gender expression. 
Vertical Divider

How a disconnect
with your
authentic "self"
might affect you​

When people struggle to connect to a healthy sense of themselves, the question of “Who am I?” can seem impossible to answer.  Issues might include:
  • An inability to describe your likes and dislikes
  • A lack of clarity regarding personal goals and aspirations
  • Feeling you were born in the wrong body
  • Barriers to expressing your gender identity or sexual orientation 
  • Believing you need to escape from or hide your authentic self 
  • Feeling disconnected from your everyday life and relationships
 
Painful emotions often are a result of chronic "othering:" Racism, colorism, ageism, sexism, and transphobia are some examples of how bigotry manifests in overt and covert discrimination. Society's macro- and microaggressions erode one's healthy sense of self by suggesting "you don't belong." When the world feels unsafe, it is difficult to accept or express diverse racial, ethnic, gendered, and sexually oriented aspects of yourself.

​At J&L Psychology, we start from a place of respect and dignity and work with you to explore what makes you unique. 
J&L Psychology