Therapist Profile

My Approach to Helping

I specialize in the treatment of women. My patients and I work together to help them develop the courage to stand behind their intelligence and creativity, while also enjoying intimate relationships in which they feel loving and vulnerable. The women I see find ways of figuring out their lives and embracing their capacity to live fully, whether they're in a relationship or single. To me, the main goal of therapy is the development of inner freedom--freedom to be yourself, to love genuinely, and to do your best and most creative work. I think women's lives are extremely complicated. We face the tasks of being parents, workers, lovers and we're supposed to make it all fit together somehow. But inside us there may be conflicting voices: You're taking on too much. You're not doing enough with your life. When will you get it together? Why aren't you satisfied with your life the way it is? Incessant self-questioning and self-doubt can be exhausting. What I have to offer comes from a lifetime of experience, as well as training that allows me to help my patients get underneath what they already know about themselves to a deeper truth.They then become stronger, better able to cope with the challenges they face, and better able to express their innermost desires and talents. Together we work toward finding solutions to a wide range of life challenges and psychological issues. Sometimes the effects of trauma make it hard to trust others. Sometimes depression drains us of emotional energy. I am trained to treat both. The patient's ability to feel safe in my office comes first. We work together in an atmosphere of warmth and calm. This is the patient's journey. I will do everything I can to hear your words and feelings and perceptions, and to help us both toward a deeper understanding of who you are. Blending conventional and alternatives approaches to therapy, I draw on a variety of styles and techniques, incorporating what is most helpful to the individual. Supplementing my clinical expertise is a long career in research and writing. In addition to THE CINDERELLA COMPLEX, some of my other books are: WOMEN'S HIDDEN FEAR OF INDEPENDENCE, YOU MEAN I DON'T HAVE TO FEEL THIS WAY?: NEW HELP FOR DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND ADDICTION, RED HOT MAMAS: COMING INTO OUR OWN AT FIFTY, and THE FRAILTY MYTH: REDEFINING THE PHYSICAL POTENTIAL OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. For a consultation, or for more information, I can be reached at dowlingcolette@earthlink.net Or, you may call me at 718-594-0201 OFFICE: 138 W. 25th St. New York, NY 10001

More Info About My Practice

Excerpts from my books can be found on my website, http://www.colettedowling.com My articles on women's mental health issues can be found at http://www.womens-wellbeing-and-mental-health.com For further information, or to arrange a consultation with me, e-mail dowlingcolette@earthlink.net, or call 718-594-0201.