Dr. Zachary Barletta

I am a licensed psychologist and I support individuals and couples facing trauma-related mental health concerns, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, and a wide range of identity concerns. At the heart of my work, I create empathic connections with the individuals I work with—creating spaces for them to explore and express all of themselves, and to feel seen, understood, and connected while doing so. Broadly, my approach is collaborative and compassionate, helping you understand what’s holding you back and develop new ways of being that foster empowerment, authenticity, and meaningful change.

I work from a psychodynamic, trauma-informed perspective, which means we will explore how your experiences in your family, community, and culture have shaped how you see yourself, your relationships, and the world. I will encourage you to bring a curious developmental lens to our work and deeply consider the coping strategies you may have had to develop in your life in order to feel safe, connected to others, and worthy. Together, we will determine if these strategies are still helpful. When they aren't, we will creatively develop newer ways of being that feel meaningful and aligned with your goals. Throughout this process, we will be particularly attentive to the impact of socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors on your development and possible connections to present day challenges. I also regularly draw from somatic and cognitive-behavioral approaches, because lasting change often requires attending to the body, our narratives, and our behavioral patterns.

In my work with couples and relationships, I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), an empirically supported approach that helps partners break out of cycles of conflict and disconnection. Together, we will look at how conflicts begin and unfold in your relationship and explore them through the lens of your attachment styles and histories. Our first step is to de-escalate conflict, so you can see how certain attempts to reach your partner may unintentionally create more distance. From there, we will practice new ways of communicating—sharing needs and feelings with greater honesty, vulnerability, and clarity. As these patterns take root, partners often find more intimacy, deeper understanding, and renewed closeness in their relationship.

After our initial session, my goal is for you to feel empowered to begin doing the work of therapy — possibly challenging existing beliefs, experimenting with being with difficult feelings, trying out new ways of asking for support from others or seeking that same support from within yourself. I would also want you to feel encouraged to keep showing up to further sessions as your ever-changing, multi-faceted self.