Christina Tanner

You may be doing well on paper and still feel lost, stuck, or isolated, especially amid the pressure of life in New York. Loss, grief, or a major life transition can make that feel overwhelming. I work with adults who want to understand what lies underneath and make changes that last, including people in demanding careers and those living between countries or cultures.

I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in New York with an MSW from Columbia University and fifteen years of clinical experience. I completed the Intensive Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program at the William Alanson White Institute and postgraduate psychodynamic training at the Tavistock and Portman in London. My work is psychodynamic: we explore how early experiences and relationship patterns shape the present.

My approach is psychodynamic. We explore how early experiences and relationship patterns shape the way you feel and relate now, and I take an active, engaged role in sessions. I also draw on training in cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness strategies when they would help, so the work can be tailored to you. I work with depression, anxiety, grief, and life transitions, and I have worked with clients from many cultural, economic, and ethnic backgrounds and diverse sexual and gender identities. I work both open-endedly and in a time-limited way, depending on what you need.

In our first session we’ll talk about what brings you to therapy, what you hope will change, and a little of your history, at your own pace. There’s nothing to prepare, and you’re welcome to ask me anything about how I work. Many people come during a life transition, such as moving to a new city, losing a loved one, or ending a relationship, or because the state of the world feels overwhelming, but you don’t need a specific problem to begin. By the end of the session we’ll both have a sense of whether working together feels right, and how we might go on: understanding where your feelings come from, looking at patterns in your relationships, and building healthier habits. Sessions take place by secure video.