Jennifer Kaiser Mental Health Counseling, PLLC

Your Therapist

I have been working in the field of Psychology for well over a decade and have been in private practice in NYC for eight years. My therapeutic experience spans from crisis intervention settings, to in-home family and couples counseling, community outreach, hospital settings, and private practice.

I bring a unique experience through the use of my innate empathy, intuition, and highly sensitive nature. As a highly sensitive person, I understand how to help you to feel less overwhelmed and/or anxious. I am also a mother to a toddler and have learned through experience that despite how wonderful motherhood is, it is also a very scary and emotional time.

I combine my curiosity, empathy, experience, and passion for helping people to make your life better. I can help you to manage so you do not feel stuck, overwhelmed, or overloaded with anxiety.

I want you to know that you do not have to struggle or suffer alone. I am honored to be a part of your therapeutic process.

How Do I Work?

The main modality that I work from is Gestalt Therapy. Gestalt Therapy is a client-centered therapy that focuses on the present. This allows me to help you gain awareness of what is getting in your way so that you can live a happier life. As a Gestalt Therapist I offer a holistic, mindful, and integrative experience so that you can feel better and implement positive changes.

Another main focus that I have is working with trauma. I utilize EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to alleviate the distress that is associated with traumatic memories. Some are small traumas during our lifetime, others are larger traumas over our lifetime, and some traumas are a single event that has changed the course of our life.

Additionally, I see women who are dealing with infertility, miscarriage, anxiety of pregnancy, the baby blues, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (these include mood or anxiety disorders that occur during pregnancy or postpartum), and Perinatal Grief & Loss (including neonatal death or stillbirth), or adjusting to becoming a new mother.

I am also trained as a Multicultural Counselor. This has given me the the skill set to understand how all aspects of your identity are informing how you see and engage with the world, how the world has informed your experience, and ways to have a healthy relationship with all parts of your self. I work with individuals from diverse ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.

Due to my years of experience, various work settings, and continued training I utilize my knowledge of Grief and Loss Counseling (including Complicated Grief), Family Systems, Internal Family Systems for Couples Counseling, and Strength Based Counseling. With my use of multiple approaches to therapy I am able to provide services that are individualized to your specific needs. We will work together to see what works best for you. My main goal is to provide you with a safe space to allow you to reach your therapeutic goals.

I work with all types of people and issues, however below are my main areas of focus:

Highly Sensitive People

Are you someone who feels very overwhelmed by emotions (yours and/or others)? Do friends and family tell you that you are too emotional or too sensitive? Do you feel overstimulated often? Are you hard on yourself, maybe to the point of perfectionism? If some of this sounds familiar it is possible that you are a Highly Sensitive Person. If so, I can help you to understand and manage overwhelming feelings, and to establish healthy boundaries. I will teach you to have a better relationship with your sensitive self so that it works for you and not against you.

Reproductive and Pregnancy Related Issues

After becoming a mother I have a new appreciation for everything that women go through from trying to get pregnant, through birth and beyond. I have seen quite a few women in my practice who have struggled through this huge life transition. It can be an exciting time but also a scary and anxiety provoking one. If you are struggling with anything from deciding whether or not you want to become a mother, to infertility, Perinatal loss (such as miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death), the anxiety of pregnancy, baby blues, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (these include mood or anxiety disorders that occur during pregnancy or postpartum), or adjusting to becoming a new mother then I can help.

Trauma

Are you feeling stuck, or constantly triggered by unresolved trauma? Are you noticing that you are having big reactions to things that you think should not warrant those reactions? Have you become hyper-vigilant? Trauma comes in all forms. Some are small traumas during our lifetime, others are larger traumas over our lifetime, and some traumas are a single event that has changed the course of our life. When left unresolved, our traumas continue to impact us. I utilize EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to alleviate the distress that is associated with these traumatic memories. We can work together to reduce the intense experiences you may still feel, and help you to feel less triggered.

Anxiety

Do you notice a tightness in your chest or throat that always seems to be there? Do you constantly think the same thoughts over and over and feel stuck? Do you constantly worry or have excessive stress? If so, it’s possible that you are experiencing anxiety. I can help you to understand where your anxiety stems from and how it has impacted your daily experience. I will give you tools so that you can manage and reduce your anxiety, and feel more in control.

Grief & Loss

Grief

Have you lost a friend or family member due to death? Have you had a miscarriage? Are you grieving but not sure if your experience is normal? Maybe your grief doesn’t look like what you thought it should or doesn’t look like those you are close to you. I can provide a safe and non-judgmental space for you to explore your grief, understand it, and to help you to experience some relief.

Loss

Loss comes in many forms such as loss of a job, loss of a relationship, or loss of an expectation that you had for yourself. We often do not give these life losses enough credit. I can help you to allow yourself to create the space you need to grieve your loss or losses.

Life Transitions

Life transitions come in all forms. You might be starting a job or leaving a job, starting or ending a relationship, becoming a parent or a caregiver, or starting a new business. No matter the transition it can be scary, uncomfortable, or overwhelming. I can provide you with support while you go through a life transition and help to reduce any anxieties or fears that you may have.

Identity

Sometimes in life we do not feel like we have a strong sense of self, we do not know who we are, and we feel lost. Often when we experience identity issues we feel depressed or hopeless, or anxious. I can help you to cope with any struggles that you may face in dealing with your identity and help you to discover who you are. Identity issues may be seen in many forms such as gender, sexuality, race, spirituality, as well as motherhood, or career. If you are working through white privilege and addressing anti-racism, I can also support you in this process.

Credentials

Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York

Post Graduate Certificate as a qualified Gestalt therapist from the Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training in New York

Master of Art and Master of Education in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University in New York

Maternal Mental Health Intensive training from the Seleni Institute

Member of the American Counseling Association

Certified as a Reiki Practitioner

Completed EMDR training with the Parnell Institute, an EMDRIA approved Institute

$225 to $275

Payment

Cash, check, or payments via Zelle or Venmo. Payment is due at the beginning of each session.

Insurance

I am an out-of-network provider and will provide you with a monthly statement that you can submit to your insurance company for any reimbursement to which you are entitled.

Please check with your insurance and ask:

• Do I have out-of-network mental health insurance benefits?
• What is my out-of-network deductible and has it been met?
• What is the coverage amount per therapy session?

Cancellation Policy

If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy session and do not notify me at least 48 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the session.