Barrie Sueskind, MFT
Welcome. I'm Barrie Sueskind, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Los Angeles and New York, working with people throughout California and New York via phone and video sessions. I support adolescents, adults and couples on the path to increased happiness and fulfillment. If you want to make a change in your life, I will offer curiosity and compassion as we define your goals. We will determine what is already working well, build on those strengths and develop strategies to help you move toward the rich and meaningful life you deserve.
My areas of specialization include relational challenges, codependency, anxiety, depression and life purpose. I utilize a holistic approach, incorporating talk therapy, mindfulness and somatic techniques, resulting in a therapeutic methodology that treats the entire person. My emphasis is an integration of mind, body and spirit with the goal of total well-being.
When appropriate, I utilize EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an innovative, evidence-based technique for trauma processing. People who have experienced trauma often feel stuck in survival mode, unable to move beyond a perpetual state of crisis. EMDR helps people to reclaim their power and get “unstuck,” freeing them to live the lives they choose.
I earned my B.A. at Brandeis University and my M.A. at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I studied at the EMDR Institute and completed advanced training in EMDR at the Parnell Institute for EMDR. I obtained Trauma Resiliency Model certification from the Trauma Resource Model Institute. I received certification in Group Crisis Intervention from Cedars-Sinai. I completed my internship training at the Southern California Counseling Center, where I served as a Community Counselor Certification program supervisor and trauma consultant. I conducted individual counseling and facilitated LGBTQ and Anger Management groups at John Burroughs Middle School and Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. I currently serve as a supervisor for therapists in training at the Southern California Counseling Center.
I am dual licensed in California and New York and work with people throughout both states. If you would like to learn more about working together, please request a free consultation. I look forward to connecting with you.
Treatment
Adolescents
The teen years are a wondrous minefield, filled with exciting new experiences and challenges for which teens (and their parents) may not be prepared. It is useful for teens to have someone outside of their immediate circle of friends and family with whom to discuss life questions in a judgment-free environment. I provide a setting in which teens can be themselves without worrying about pleasing their parents or impressing their peers – a safe space for them to discover who they are as they move from childhood toward adulthood. This forum for exploration of whatever they may need results in greater confidence and better decision-making.
Young Adults
As people transition from adolescence to adulthood, they often find themselves grappling with questions about work and relationships. Launching into the real world, but perhaps not yet fully independent, you may find yourself searching for career direction or life purpose. You may be trying to figure out what you want in your relationships and how to go about making it happen. On your own, these questions may occur in a scattered and even chaotic way, creating distress and confusion. Working together, we can begin to organize and make sense of your values and goals to help you set out to create the life you want.
Adults
If you are in the midst of a crisis or have recently experienced a significant change, you may be looking for help. If you struggle with depression, anxiety, find yourself unsatisfied, seeking connection or something more meaningful, I will support you in building on what is already working in your life and beginning to work toward positive changes. We will explore how your experiences have contributed to your worldview and experiment with new ways of engaging, allowing for greater joy and fulfillment. Our strength-based work will allow you to take charge of your life like never before, preparing you to manifest your deepest desires.
Couples
Couples
Many couples experience issues with trust, communication and differing needs. Navigating the needs and desires each member of a couple brings to the relationship can be difficult, as you each possess your own preferences and triggers, shaped by your unique history. Disagreements can bring about tension, frustration and distress.
If you are at a critical crossroads in your relationship, unsure how to proceed, I will work with you to develop tools to improve your conflict management and build intimacy. We will address the factors contributing to areas of disconnection, ensuring that you really hear one another, working toward creating understanding and deepening satisfaction within the relationship.
EMDR
For the Treatment of Trauma
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is an evidence-based
technique for addressing issues beyond the scope of talk therapy. Many of the clients who come to me for EMDR have been in talk therapy for years, even decades. Despite all of their efforts, they continue to struggle with depression, anxiety, phobias, addictions and maladaptive behaviors. They have made progress in understanding their issues, but find they are still triggered by old traumas, many having occurred in childhood.
Trauma affects the brain in a powerful and lasting way. The nervous system has no sense of time, so traumatic events get stored in the brain, as if they are continually recurring. People affected by trauma live their lives as if they are always in danger. The bilateral stimulation utilized in EMDR bio-physiologically activates the part of the brain where the trauma lives and allows for it to be processed as an event that took place in the past, removing its power to create distress in the present.
EMDR is not hypnosis and it does not make people forget traumatic events. It simply allows people to mentally and emotionally file these events in their rightful place, creating the freedom to enjoy life with a renewed sense of safety. EMDR fosters a reevaluation of harmful core beliefs about oneself, relationships with others and the world, an integral step in alleviating persistent anxiety and depression. It is an effective tool in combating symptoms of trauma, as it puts people back in control of their lives.
Contact
Or send a message:
Currently offering Teletherapy Sessions throughout California and New York
Barrie Sueskind, MFT
8425 W. 3rd St. #309
Los Angeles, CA 90048
© 2024 Barrie Sueskind, MFT - All Rights Reserved
CA: LMFT #89095
NY: LMFT #1566-1