Find a Therapist in Tivoli, NY

LMFT

Hello, my name is Janet Pierre-Toussaint. I mainly prefer the person-centered approach to address specific needs. My style is direct, polite, respectful and caring. My approach to therapy is not one theoretical method. I use an eclectic approach utilizing techniques that are best suited for helping others empower themselves, ranging from cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing and more. In our sessions, you'll feel supported, heard and guided in a collaborative process. We'll work together to explore your thoughts, behaviors and emotions, identify patterns and develop practical strategies for change. You'll gain tools for self-awareness and emotional regulation, within a safe space. I also provide Clinical Supervision to LSW or LPC who are in pursuit of their clinical license. With over 10 years of experience as a licensed social worker in both NY and NJ. I have hold additional certification in crisis intervention, trauma-informed therapy, specialize in helping professionals manage compassion fatigue and burnout, addiction and anxiety disorders in various populations. I work with clients who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, stress management and much more. A typical treatment plan involves a combination of talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques and personalized coping strategies to address specific concerns. Throughout the process, we'll work together to set goals, monitor progress and adjust the approach as needed. My goal is to create a safe and collaborative space where you will be able to feel seen and heard. Therapy, with me, will be a non-judgmental environment created to make you feel comfortable and confident to begin your journey to wellness.

If you are seeking a compassionate, highly trained psychotherapist, you have found the right person. I enjoy a full-time private practice and offer convenient daytime and evening appointments, designed to meet your needs. Through mutually defined goals and a trusting therapeutic relationship, I will help you relieve your suffering. I have successfully helped clients heal from anxiety issues, panic attacks, phobias, intense grief, behavioral challenges, dysfunctional relationships, posttraumatic stress (PTSD), addictions, depression, and eating issues. I have 28 years of clinical experience and was the director of a licensed outpatient clinic for 10 years. I use a variety of clinical techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, self-psychology, mindfulness, hypnotherapy, and psychoanalytic therapy based on your specific and individual needs.

I work with clients to create an environment that feels supportive, helpful, and safe. I tailor the therapy experience to each person. Sessions can be whatever you need them to be in that moment. There's no "right" way to do therapy! I treat clients holistically, as I believe that physical, mental, and social health are all connected.

You can't always control your environment, but you can learn to adapt to it such that you can feel happier and more fulfilled. Counseling can be a wonderful growth experience. Gain self-esteem and improve the quality of your life by ridding yourself of fears, sadness, loneliness, hopelessness, grief, sleeping and eating problems or a short temper, all of which affect your relationships and your work. I can help you reduce stress from life changes, trauma, crises, marital troubles and relationship problems. And, my past business exprience enables me to help with career, business and financial difficulties. I am in private practice. I was formerly on staff at the New York Center for Psychoanalytic Training Consultation Center as well as a former Associate Director of the Jewish Association of Counseling and Psychotherapy.

Finding the right therapist can be a very confusing and overwhelming process! On your initial visit, I will spend a generous amount of time with you on your presenting concerns and your goals for therapy. Having 16 years of experience, I can accurately assess the type of therapy that would be most useful for your specific situation. My specialty is Cognitive Behavior Therapy and I find most clients achieve significant progress with this approach. When you work with me, together we'll break down your patterns of thinking and behaviors that cause anxiety, depression, and hold you back from enjoying life. You will develop the skills to feel better and create positive change. Many clients find my style a "very refreshing" change from their former therapy. In couples therapy, I use a highly structured format that enables couples to communicate in a way they never have before. This new way of communication gets right to the core issues. My approach to couples therapy brings resolution to issues much faster than traditional therapy. I am available by phone to discuss any questions or concerns you have before beginning therapy.

In the several years I've been in this profession, I'm extremely grateful that I've had the opportunity to work with many different populations. I graduated from UConn in 2018 with my master's in marriage and family therapy. After my master's, I worked for a non-profit in Willimantic, CT where I treated those with co-occurring substance use and mental health challenges. In 2019, I had a full-time job in Willimantic and went back to UConn for my PhD and also opened a private practice that same year. Throughout my PhD, my research has predominantly focused on sexuality and sexual health. Specifically, I research pornography consumption and how it impacts well-being. Currently, I own a private practice where I specialize in sex therapy. I also work with people who face relationship challenges (whatever that looks like for you) and anxiety that impacts happiness and overall well-being.

My treatment approach focuses on helping individuals and couples identify the thoughts and feelings that impede their relationships and potential for peace. I incorporate family history to enhance understanding of how people arrive at their stuck places and why they make sense and yet get in the way of the relationships they want and of their potential for self actualization. My work with couples focuses on helping couples to recognize and honor the family triggers we all bring to relationships and work with each other to create a relationship that heals rather than adds to the hurt places we all have. My individual therapy allows people to identify their stuck places and the origins in their family history and move toward forgiveness and acceptance. The model allows individuals and families to see how their symptoms make perfect sense yet they are not working in the sense that they impede the peace we all want in our lives.

Self-discovery and growth can feel scary; as a therapist, it's my role to support you. My approach is to help clients move through emotional discomfort, challenge unhealthy beliefs, and explore who they are while providing compassion and acceptance. Together, we can work in a solution-focused manner to help you recognize the patterns in your life or relationships that may be holding you back. I’m a trauma-informed therapist who works with individuals and couples with optimism and understanding about the challenges they face.

I support clients in building effective skills to regulate their emotions and overcome obstacles, and draw on my training as a therapist, behavioral scientist, mindfulness teacher and coach in supporting clients to make meaningful change. I use evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and mindfulness practices. I help people live out their values, improve their health and functioning, cultivate resilience and deepen their sense of meaning, purpose and wellbeing. My background includes training as a coach, psychotherapist, psychoeducator and behavioral scientist. I have training in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Positive Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and CBT for weight management, amongst other approaches. I teach mindfulness-based courses including Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), Mindful self compassion (MSC), Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP).

Life can often feel overwhelming, particularly when facing major transitions, daily stress, or ongoing emotional challenges. Many find themselves feeling anxious, stuck, or uncertain about the future. Therapy provides a space to delve into these feelings, helping you understand your situation, how you’ve arrived at this point, and gain a deeper understanding of yourself. I specialize in working with motivated clients navigating anxiety, relational and women’s issues, trauma, and significant life changes. My clients are looking to understand themselves better, overcome challenges, and lead more meaningful and authentic lives. If you're looking to better understand yourself and find ways to manage your challenges more effectively, I invite you to reach out. Let's work together to explore your strengths and develop practical and personalized tools. Contact me today to schedule a free consultation and see if therapy could be helpful for you.

I believe in the power of people. I believe all people have within us the power to fuel great amounts of suffering, to secretly endure vast amounts of pain, and, thankfully, with the right conditions - to be able to heal ourselves and rediscover our unlimited potential. This is what I have learned through my own healing journeys, what I have seen in decades of work with various different people in NYC, and what I continue to see and be inspired by in each of the people and couples I work with now in psychotherapy. I am not a fan of the modern "medical model" of mental illness, which seems to come more and more from power dynamics in our current society and economy more than a deep understanding of the human condition and what it means to become one's true, best self in a complicated world. Rather, I embrace the perspective that our "symptoms" and "disorders" are actually useful clues to how we are out of balance with our best selves, and they become useful signposts which light one's own personal path to healing. I believe there is much out of balance with our modern human society and that this has effects on all of us. I believe our species is social by nature - that relationships sustain us, heal us, and also can be where we feel pains most sharply. The very things which allow us to connect with others are also those which make us vulnerable to injury. Most of us have been affected by our childhoods, times of dependence on others, etc. in ways which may have altered our own ability to even know our own true best self: how to find it, nurture it, support it, and have it thrive in balanced connections with the outside world. I have found the deeply personal process of psychotherapy to be the single most effective way to find, heal and care for our best selves.