Start the journey...
None of us are perfect. We all have parts of our lives that could use some extra attention. Psychotherapy is a journey of looking inward. By getting to know ourselves better, we gain understanding of the more challenging or less satisfying aspects of our lives. Then, equipped with insight, we can make positive changes.
ABOUT ME
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Since completing my graduate training at New York University in 2004, I have gained much experience providing individual counseling and psychotherapy to adults on a full spectrum of clinical issues. Additionally, I hold a staff position at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill-Cornell Medical Center.
As a therapist, I provide a supportive and nonjudgmental space to explore the issues that are causing you distress or holding you back in life. My approach is flexible, strength-based, and utilizes a broad range of techniques and interventions based on your individual needs and preferences. I view the therapeutic relationship as a partnership and treat clients with empathy and respect. Twenty years ago, I made the decision to pursue a career as a psychotherapist inspired by my own meaningful experience of being helped by a therapist. With a true appreciation for how it feels to be on the other side, I strive to facilitate maximum healing, growth, and change.
About Therapy
TREATMENT AREAS
SELF ESTEEM
Self-esteem impacts every aspect of life: the way you perceive yourself, value yourself, treat yourself. It also dictates how others behave towards you. Fortunately, psychotherapy can be highly effective in developing confidence, self-compassion, and redefining self-image.
RELATIONSHIPS
Are you lonely? Are the relationships in your life conflicted, tense, lacking intimacy, or otherwise unsatisfying? Do you fall into codependent or other unhealthy patterns? So many people struggle with these issues. Let's work together to examine your style of relating.
DEPRESSION
Scientific research has found that psychotherapy is more effective in treating mild to moderate depression, in the long term, than medication use alone. Have you hit a rough patch? A trusting therapeutic relationship can help to restore feelings of hope and optimism.
ANXIETY & STRESS
Do you have difficulty managing your stress or suffer from acute or chronic anxiety? Let's get these highly disruptive symptoms under control.
In addition to being a Clinical Social Worker, I am also a certified yoga instructor. The combination of talk therapy with deep breathing and meditation techniques can be very effective in managing stress and anxiety.
LIFE TRANSITIONS
Are you in the midst of a major life change or approaching one? Transitions, brought on by choice or not, can overwhelm our normal coping mechanisms. Whether you are dealing with a divorce or breakup, a health issue, death of a loved one or pet, job/career transition--or facing another challenging crossroad, it is essential to have strong support.
PERSONAL ENRICHMENT
Many high functioning people find happiness and contentment elusive. On paper everything looks right, yet something feels off. Sound familiar? It might be time to take a step back and and look inward. Psychotherapy offers a unique opportunity to explore your most authentic dreams and desires.
CONTACT ME
WELCOME
CLIENTS
I offer individual treatment to adults age 18+ and welcome clients of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations. Sessions are generally scheduled once or twice per week. To engage meaningfully in insight-oriented treatment requires a reasonable level of emotional stability. If you are in a serious state of crisis or actively abusing alcohol or drugs, you may require a higher level of care than I can offer.
FEES & PAYMENT
My rate for each 45-minute session is $175. If you have financial concerns, please feel free to contact me. I accept Empire Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Oxford/United Healthcare, Aetna, NYSHIP, Beacon, Cigna, and Medicare. If you have insurance with another company, you may still be eligible for treatment coverage if your plan offers out-of-network benefits. Forms of payment accepted are cash, checks, and all major credit cards.
THE GIFT OF THERAPY
Emotional wellbeing is a gift. When our minds become burdened by inner conflicts and wounds, it can become very difficult to maintain balance in our lives. Psychological issues may manifest as symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, addiction, or other unwanted feelings and behaviors. Presentation can also be more subtle--like a nagging or restless feeling that something is wrong. Regardless, these uncomfortable experiences are red flags and a call to action (much like a persistent sore throat would send you to the doctor). In essence, psychotherapy is care for the mind. It is an opportunity to heal, grow, and improve the quality of your life.
THE RIGHT THERAPIST
It is important to feel comfortable with your therapist and confident in his or her skills. Before scheduling an appointment, make sure that the professional you have selected has appropriate credentials (education, state license in their field, clinical training). When you meet with me or any therapist for an initial consultation, my advice is to trust your instincts and notice how well you feel understood and supported. While it is normal to feel nervous in a new situation, you should begin to get a sense of whether or not it seems like a good fit.
TYPE OF THERAPY
My priority is always to provide the best possible treatment to every client—so my approach is flexible and incorporates many different therapeutic techniques. That said, my choice modality is psychodynamic (also called “insight-oriented”) treatment. This means that several core beliefs and principles guide the way I think as a therapist. Have you ever wondered why you act or think or feel the way you do? Psychodynamic therapists believe that we are driven—at least in part—by forces that are "unconscious" or outside of our awareness. We conduct in-depth exploration of the problems you bring to therapy, seeking to understand and resolve the underlying issues that are responsible for your struggle. This approach differs from other modalities that focus solely on changing behaviors or correcting thought patterns. In my experience, such therapies can seem highly effective in the short term—but often ultimately fail because root issues are never addressed.
TREATMENT DURATION
Psychotherapy is a process. New clients often ask how many sessions it will take to achieve their goals, and the answer is always the same. It depends. Each client comes to therapy with a unique set of issues and responds to treatment differently. Sometimes change happens quickly, but more often it requires time and patience. Taking the first step of beginning therapy, however, often has the immediate effect of eliciting feelings of hope and optimism.
SCHEDULING
To schedule a session, please feel free to call or email. I am currently offering the choice of in-person or virtual (telehealth) treatment.
Phone: 646-481-4607
Email: DebbieGinsburgLCSW@gmail.com
OFFICE LOCATION
My office is conveniently located in heart of the Upper West Side at 155 West 72nd Street, close to all major public transportation.
Subway: 1/2/3 and B/C
Bus: M104/M7/M11 and M72