Addiction therapists & psychiatrists in New York

I am a NYU-trained Filipino-American therapist with a background in medicine and technology. I am experienced in working with high-achieving professionals, BIPOC, AAPI, immigrants, and healthcare workers.

I am warm, engaging and view therapy as an educational and empowering process. I see my strengths as guiding the process, but not controlling. I emphasize how each client can take charge of their unique situation and provide the tools to do so as well as over 43 years of clinical practice experience. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in NY and Maryland, the latter is my current virtual practice. I earned my MSW in 1979. I was employed for 42 years at a hospital on Long Island.

I began my psychiatric nursing career after graduating from Columbia University School of Nursing in 2009. Several years later, I pursued an advanced practice degree, also at Columbia University, and earned a PhD. I lived in Poland and France before I arrived to the United States at the turn of this century. Given my international experience, I work in three languages: English, French, and Polish. I offer therapy and medication management and the clients and me decide on the best approach.

I firmly believe one of the bravest things you can do is begin to understand your own story.

My journey of self-discovery has led me here and now. As most people do, we have hopes, dreams, and plans for our lives and aim for fulfillment. We do not always anticipate some of the obstacles that suddenly require a helping hand, a steppingstone, or a bridge. If you are currently experiencing any such challenge in your life, please reach out for help and support. I can provide counseling for individuals and the entire family. If you or your family is being impacted by addiction, relationship challenges, daily life stressors and disruptions and mental health concerns including depression and anxiety, your time might be now to receive some help.

I am skillful in helping families target the core issues that they are working through, whether driven by addiction or underlying mental health or dynamic factors. I employ strength based, cognitive behavioral techniques and a range of other modalities to achieve outlined goals. My role would be to listen, support, guide and to be transparent at all times.

Fear often holds us back from making a change or accepting help. Facing my fears has carved this amazing opportunity for me to help you. My years in the field has deepened my compassion for helping others of different cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. I am inspired by those I helped on their journey and would love to do the same for you.

Therapy can be healing, communicative, and an avenue to self-discovery. It can be a way to access social skills, self-expression, and self-awareness.. Whatever the goal, utilizing the power of music as a vehicle towards these processes can be very effective. (Some of my goals and techniques are featured in a Psychology Today article on 2/18/21 "Increase Coping and Resilience by Writing a Song").

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years of experience working with adolescents, young adults, and adults. I trained at Harvard's McLean Hospital, where I developed a strong foundation in evidence-based treatment. As a husband and father of two, I bring both professional expertise and personal understanding to my work, particularly around life transitions, parenting challenges, anxiety, and relationship stress.