Matthew Kraus

I have been a therapist in private practice for the past 10 years and have gained a wide range of experience throughout my career in both inpatient and outpatient mental health settings. I received my Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling and Creative Arts Therapy from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. I was formerly the Director of the Wellness Center at Purchase College SUNY, where I focused on substance use counseling, promoting wellness, prevention, and recovery support for college students. Prior to that, I worked as an Outpatient Counselor at Connecticut Counseling Center in Danbury, CT, where I ran a Substance Abuse IOP Program for court mandated drug offenders and conducted intake evaluations for the State Court System. I have also worked as a Primary Therapist at the Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders in Old Greenwich, CT. Before joining the Renfrew Center, I worked as a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Specialist at New York Presbyterian Hospital's Westchester campus, specifically on its flagship unit, The Haven. During my time at Presbyterian, I worked across all 12 units of the hospital and spent 2.5 years working on the Pediatric Unit.

I pride myself on being able to support clients experiencing a wide range of mental health concerns and strive to provide compassionate, individualized care to each person I work with.

The foundation of what makes working with me helpful, based on feedback from clients, is the personable nature of our conversations and our connection. I do not place myself on a higher footing than clients. Clients feel more at ease when they realize what they are working on is often the same as many others or things I have faced as a human. Clients know that I am accessible and committed to helping them strive towards the therapy or life goals they express are close to their values.

I work in a DBT practice and DBT offers many great tools and skills. I am also an Art Therapist and have worked in many mental health settings. I like to consider DBT, Art Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and other treatments as tools in a toolbelt. I will introduce therapeutic interventions and ideas to fit the desires and needs that I hear from clients.

I regard all my clients very highly and unconditionally accept them for who they are and what they are doing at any given moment. It is my belief my clients feel this and know this to be true. I take my job very seriously, yet find ways to bring humor, smiles and acceptance into the therapeutic relationship.

In the first session we will focus on the establishing a sense of comfort and the relationship for therapy. I will focus on what the client brings to the session and not push or force comfort. I think it is VERY important that clients feel comfortable and like the feeling of speaking with me. I am very personable and open with clients.