Emily Stern, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Life can get heavy in ways that are hard to put into words  whether you're grieving a loss, adjusting to new parenthood, processing trauma, or simply feeling like you've lost your footing somewhere along the way. Whatever brought you here, you don't have to carry it alone. This is a space where your full story is welcome, and where finding steadier ground is always possible. I'm Emily Stern, LMHC and PhD candidate in Mental Health Counseling, and I work with adults navigating grief, anxiety, trauma, postpartum challenges, chronic illness, and major life transitions. My approach is warm, humanistic, and evidence-based  meaning I bring both genuine care and clinical precision to every session. I draw from EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and specialized grief therapy, tailoring the combination to what you actually need rather than applying a fixed formula. Here's what that looks like in practice: if you're struggling with intense emotions or distress tolerance, DBT gives us concrete, practical skills to work with. If unhelpful thought patterns are keeping you stuck, CBT helps us identify and shift them. If you're carrying trauma or painful memories that feel unresolved, EMDR offers a proven path for processing them at a deeper level. And for new and expecting parents, I offer dedicated postpartum and perinatal therapy  because the identity shift that comes with caring for a new baby deserves its own focused, compassionate support. I believe in your capacity to heal. My job is to walk beside you through both the pain and the growth, with encouragement and without judgment, every step of the way.

I work with individuals in NY, NJ, FL, and ME experiencing grief and complicated loss, postpartum anxiety and depression, trauma and PTSD, anxiety, chronic illness, psychosocial oncology, and life transitions. I hold advanced certifications in EMDR, grief therapy, and DBT  and bring a trauma-informed, humanistic lens to all of our work together. Reaching out is the hardest part. Schedule a consultation today and let's connect  I'd love to hear your story and explore how I can support you. On a personal note when I am not in session you might find me rating the latest NYC restaurant find. I love tracking down the best pasta or soup dumplings in the city.