I know the transformative power of therapy because I’ve lived it myself. It was therapy that helped me step out from under the weight of self-doubt, turmoil, and well-masked insecurity, and into a vital state of optimism, calm, and true connection with many wonderful others.
I left Russia in my early 20s with a master’s degree and a desire for freedom and opportunity, first in Sweden, then in the United States. At the time, I didn’t realize how much that geographical journey mirrored an inner one: a search to escape my own bleakness and find the nourishment to grow. As an immigrant in new countries, I often struggled to tell apart what my heart truly wanted from what my old and new cultures told me I should want.
I worked hard toward personal and career goals, and achieved many of them, but inside I was at war with myself. I feared that the real me, with my imperfections and idiosyncrasies, would block me from self-actualization and fulfillment. I believed that only by locking away all of my dark corners could I build a successful life filled with love and opportunity.
To my surprise, this “responsible” way of living left me not decisive but empty and desperate, the very place I had tried to avoid. As the poet said, the best way out was through.
I wasn’t eager to step into that dark tunnel, but I knew that if I didn’t face what I had hidden, I would never find wholeness or live as my true self. Therapy became my path to healing. It taught me how to find harmony, welcome moments of unexpected luck, and endure hardship without losing the sense of being fully alive.
I now see therapy as a healing art, one that engages you emotionally, mentally, and physically, and helps you return to the self you were meant to be before the hurt, betrayal, and fear. True confidence, resilience, and the capacity for joy grow out of that process.
Having practiced therapy both as a patient and for 20 years as a therapist, I am grateful for where I am today. I feel deeply privileged to support my patients as they move through twists and turns of their own healing journey.
More Background
I offer individual, couples, and sex therapy using relational and experiential models combined with body-focused approaches. Alongside my private practice as a therapist I also teach and mentor therapists. I offer therapy in both English and Russian languages.
Education & Training
- Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research, New York
- Master of Arts (MA) in Linguistics and Literature from St. Petersburg University, Russia
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Experimental Psychology from Stockholm University, Sweden
Professional Experience
Earlier in my career I cultivated extensive experience providing psychological care across multiple inner-city hospitals. For over a decade, I served as a supervising psychologist and faculty at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, where I cared for patients directly and trained psychology externs, interns, and psychiatry residents in psychotherapy and assessment. That work shaped my expertise in diagnostic evaluation and my ability to recommend treatments that truly fit.
My passion for practicing, studying, and teaching psychotherapy connects me to a vibrant and supportive community of therapists. I take every opportunity to engage in pioneering courses and workshops and find inspiration in the work of others.
Certifications & Advanced Training
- Certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEFT)
- Certified in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SPI)
- Certified in Somatic Sex Therapy (IBOSP, MSTI)
- Certified in Complex Trauma Therapy
- Advanced training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
- Training in Sex Therapy (MSTI), Ericksonian Hypnosis, and more
Associations
- International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
- American Psychological Association
- International Board for Sexuality Professionals
- Institute of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy