Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in Westport, CT

There was a time when I felt trapped by anxiety, depression, and overwhelm. I spent years feeling like I was constantly reacting to the world around me—easily overwhelmed, shutting down, and unsure how to move forward. I was living in a hypervigiliant state - always on edge, feeling unsafe in relationships and in my aloneness. This was also followed with depressive states followed by shame and guilt. Working with a Practitioner in Somatic Experiencing has transformed my emotional well being by helping my brain and body recognize safety and reducing my sensitivity to unpleasant sensations and arousal. I now feel more in control, I welcome unpleasant bodily sensations when they show up, and feel more safe in my body.

I am a psychiatric nurse practitioner with a broad background in sociology. In my approach to treatment, I explore how culture, gender, and identity intersect with personality and neurochemical imbalances to produce psychiatric symptoms that impede daily functioning and interpersonal activities. Together with my clients, we determine the best pharmacological interventions to provide relief of these symptoms. I offer psychiatric evaluations, medication management, assessment for post-traumatic stress disorder, Connecticut state registration for eligible clients for medical marijuana, and Suboxone treatment.

I work with adults (26 - 64 years old) to improve the quality of their lives through a collaborative process in which client and provider together devise treatment plans that combine medication and behavioral modification. I am especially interested in men's mental health, but I work with all adults regardless of their gender identity.

In a world that is increasingly busy and complex, life can be overwhelming for all of us at some point in our lives. We all need a variety of ways to decompress. For example, I like to go to a pickleball court as often as my body will allow, where I find activity, community, and friendship. It is at these times when we need to reach out for support. Don't feel you have to struggle alone. I invite you to reach out and make a connection.

You're the one people call when things fall apart. You're good at it — steady, competent, the person who knows what to do. And somewhere along the way you stopped having anywhere to put your own stuff.

So you can run the meeting, hold the crisis, answer the phone at 2 a.m. — and still not be able to make yourself open the mail. Competence and collapse live together far more often than anyone admits out loud.

I work with adults carrying that particular load: substance use and recovery, emotions that arrive at full volume with no dimmer switch, thoughts of self-harm or not wanting to be here, and the specific erosion that comes from caring for other people for a living. Helpers, clinicians, parents, first responders — people whose exhaustion doesn't have an obvious place to go. I work with teenagers too, often the ones in families like these.

My style is direct, warm, and collaborative. I'm not going to nod quietly for fifty minutes. We'll find what's actually driving things, build skills you can use on a Tuesday afternoon when it counts, and I'll tell you honestly what I'm seeing. You set the pace. I'll bring the structure.

My name is Kari, a clinician with over 20 years of experience working with individuals who are ready for change, want to discover themselves, overcome barriers and achieve stability and resilience. I believe you are the expert of your life and I am here to help guide you along your journey to self-awareness, provide practical tools to assist with obtaining and maintaining your mental health goals and celebrating your successes along the way.

Hello, my name is Christie Jones and I am a licensed clinical independent social worker, licensed to practice in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. I have been clinically licensed for 12 years and have a variety of experience working with many different people from different walks of life. My approach to therapy is very direct. I am warm and compassionate and do my best to help my clients lead functional and productive lives.

I believe that we are always one decision away from living the exact life that we want! I am a first-generation Haitian-American graduate from SUNY Albany & Stony Brook University. I've worked in the mental health field for 12 years and still find myself energized by the stories of my incredibly brave clients. In my practice, I help first generation Women of Color break free from rescuing others and give them tangible tools to begin healing themselves through daily practice.

Terence Ching, PhD (he/him) is a Yale-, Dartmouth-, and UConn-trained clinical psychologist licensed in CT.

Dr. Ching has vast academic and clinical expertise in mood, anxiety, and trauma-based disorders, especially obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Dr. Ching is also an Instructor on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. There, he leads psychedelic clinical trials (namely, psilocybin) for OCD, depression, and other disorders in the Yale Program for Psychedelic Science. There, Dr. Ching assumes the role of Director of Psychedelic Training, pioneering the training and supervision of numerous facilitators who work with study participants in psychedelic dosing sessions.

In the psychedelic therapy space, Dr. Ching is an extensively published global leader in culturally attuned, queer- and trans-affirming, and ethically rigorous care of individuals experiencing altered states of consciousness.

Lastly, Dr. Ching is an internationally sought after scientific speaker. He has significant consulting experience in various aspects of psychedelic research and practice, having trained hundreds of study therapists for multiple companies who have achieved FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation in their drug development programs.

Let's get started on your journey to wellness!

I understand how life’s journey can get overwhelming, where you just want to quit. My goal is to help one navigate the ups and downs of their life, including anxiety, trauma, abuse, housing, addiction or other mental health challenges one may be facing.

It can often feel like you’re alone, but please know that you’re not alone. I’m here to help you get back to feeling better and living a healthier, happier more manageable life. This is an open invitation - please consider it. You’ve taken the first step. We can take more steps forward, together. You deserve this!