Susan Walker, PsyD
I live and work in New York City where I grew up. I received my B.A. from Tufts University and my Psy.D. in Child Clinical Psychology at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. I completed Post-Doctoral Adult Psychoanalytic Training at the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health. I am a licensed Psychologist in the States of New York and California and have been in private practice continuously since 1987.
I specialize in the treatment of adults and adolescents coping with a variety of life stresses. Within a psychodynamic framework I provide individual therapy, parent guidance and couples therapy. I am dedicated to helping my patients understand the issues that are affecting them and, equipped with that understanding, to live in the world with more happiness and freedom.
Most people I treat want to improve the quality of their life, work on their relationships and career issues, and adjust to the transitions of life such as high school to college and college to work; moving; career shifts; intimacy, marriage and commitment; parenthood; and relationship choice and dissolution. These transitions of life present great challenges but also opportunities for personal growth. I also work with patients experiencing low self esteem; loss, trauma and grief; maternal adjustment; infertility; eating disorders; mood fluctuations; concerns regarding sexuality and gender identity; feelings of aloneness; and a variety of other patterns and behaviors that can be self-defeating.
I offer a collaborative approach and work with each patient to understand the presenting issues, the underlying conflicts and the general challenges and disappointments of everyday life. I believe that there can be no real change without a cognitive and emotional understanding of the underlying issues.
I believe in the therapeutic relationship and process to help you understand the unconscious conflicts that are holding you back, to work toward the alleviation of anxiety and depression, and to improve your self-esteem. While this is challenging in many ways, I seek to create a warm, compassionate and safe environment for our work.
My work is different with each patient as it is always a collaboration with the goal of better understanding your own unique issues, allowing a more free and satisfying life.
