Hey, I’m Hilary
& I know the NYC high-functioning anxiety thing
You’re used to managing a lot and doing it well. Your life is solid, and you have a lot to be grateful for. You’re thoughtful, capable, and intentional about how you move through the world. And still, your mind rarely turns off. There’s a constant tracking, anticipating, thinking ahead. You function well, but it doesn’t feel as calm or steady as you’d like.
You may also notice how much you orient around others, anticipating needs, keeping things running, staying attuned to everyone else, while your own needs get pushed to the side or second-guessed. Whether you’re working, raising a family, or both, you’re often the one others rely on.
For over 20 years, I’ve worked with adults in New York navigating overthinking, pressure, and the need to stay one step ahead. I know that experience from growing up in New York in a community where excellence was expected. That same pressure carried through highly competitive environments, including Ivy League schools and high-level athletics, where it can become internalized and feel like nothing is ever enough. As a parent, I understand the mental load, the pressure to optimize, and the pull to get everything exactly right.
That perspective shapes how I work. I focus on helping you understand what’s driving those patterns, while also giving you practical ways to feel more steady.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and a somatic therapy called Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. I bring both clinical depth and a grounded, practical approach to the work. Clients often describe me as steady, thoughtful, and someone who helps them feel both understood and clearer about what to do next.
We’ll use a blend of cognitive and somatic approaches to help you understand the mental noise, regulate your nervous system, and relate to yourself differently, so the shifts you make actually last. Therapy with me is a space where you don’t have to manage everything or try to get it exactly right. We can slow things down and begin to understand what’s keeping you in the same patterns.
This is where things can start to feel different. More calm. More steady. More trusting of yourself and your own needs.
If you’d like to learn more, you’re welcome to reach out for a consultation, a simple way to start a conversation about what’s been going on and the kind of support you’re looking for.
MY APPROACH
-
![Outline of two hands holding a brain inside a circle]()
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps you notice and shift unhelpful patterns of thinking that drive stress, perfectionism, or self-criticism. Together we identify these cycles and practice new ways of thinking and acting that support balance and well-being.
-
![Minimalist illustration of stacked stones or pebbles outlined in white on a black background.]()
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you build flexibility with your thoughts and feelings, so you don’t have to fight them or let them run the show. We focus on clarifying what truly matters to you and taking steps toward a more values-driven, fulfilling life.
-
![White neon outline of two hands holding a heart against a black background.]()
Internal Family Systems Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy offers a way to understand the different “parts” of yourself, like the inner critic, the achiever, or the perfectionist. By learning to relate to these parts with curiosity and compassion, you can reduce inner conflict and feel more grounded.
-
![]()
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, a somatic practice, brings the body into the healing process. Stress can show up physically, in tension, posture, or breath. Becoming aware of these signals and experimenting with new ways of responding, you expand your capacity to regulate & feel calmer in daily life.
-
![Outline of a human head in profile with a gear inside the head, symbolizing thinking or mental processes.]()
Trauma-Informed
Trauma-informed care ensures all your life experiences are considered, respected, and incorporated into our work. Together, we’ll notice how your body and nervous system respond and use that awareness to support healing.
-
![]()
Cognitive-Processing Therapy
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) helps people make sense of traumatic experiences and how those experiences may influence the way they think about themselves and the world. By exploring and shifting unhelpful beliefs, clients can begin to feel less stuck and regain a greater sense of control.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OUR WORK TOGETHER
Evidence-Based,
Mind-Body Focused
I integrate evidence-based cognitive and somatic approaches so we’re not just talking things through. We’re helping your mind settle and your body feel more steady, so the shifts you make actually hold.
Personalized
Support
I work with a limited number of clients so I can stay closely attuned to your experience and thoughtful about how we approach the work. Therapy is tailored to you, responsive to what’s unfolding, and paced in a way that feels steady and manageable.
Rooted in Your
Strengths
Even when your mind is pulling you in different directions, there’s a steadier part of you that knows what matters. Together, we’ll reconnect you with that clarity, so you can trust yourself more, ease the self-criticism, and move through your life with more steadiness and intention.
Anxiety & Trauma Therapy in New York
WHAT WORKING WITH ME FEELS LIKE
Therapy with me is collaborative, thoughtful, and practical.
We’ll look at what’s working in your life, what feels overwhelming, and where things tend to get stuck, so we can begin to shift them in a way that holds over time.
My style blends cognitive-behavioral tools, like learning to step back from self-critical thoughts and set clearer boundaries, with somatic approaches that help you tune into your body and feel more steady in the moment. I also incorporate practical skills and psychoeducation, so you have a clearer understanding of what’s happening and tools you can use outside of sessions, where the change really begins to take shape.
For over twenty years, I’ve worked with people who are used to holding a lot together, while second-guessing themselves or staying overly attuned to others. I bring a steady, grounded presence to the work, along with a clear sense of how to help you begin to center your own needs with more calm and clarity.
This is about slowing things down, understanding what’s underneath those patterns, and helping you feel more at ease and more trusting of yourself in your day-to-day life.
License & Education
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), New York State, 07737
Dartmouth College, Bachelor’s of Arts, Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude
Columbia University, Master of Science in Social Work
Training &
Certification
Postmaster’s Certificate in Advanced Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, New York University
Internal Family Systems Institute, Level 1, complete June 2026
Internal Family Systems Counseling Association, Stepping Stones
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Level 1
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Levels 1 and 2
Cognitive-Processing Therapy for PTSD and Related Conditions
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
SIFI-certified; Supervised over a hundred Master’s level and Undergraduate Social Work Students
Over two decades of professional experience in schools and non-profits
Ongoing coursework and self-study in evidence-based, somatic, and trauma therapies
Speaking, Writing & Leadership
New York University Silver School of Social Work/Unmute, Community Advisory Board Member, Asian Mental Health
One Social Worker in Every School, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Panelist, Virtual Town Hall
Press Conference at City Hall, School-Based Social Work, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Speaker
Opportunities and Challenges: Chinese and Other Asian Students Studying Abroad in the U.S-East Meets West, Supporting Chinese Students in NYC Public Schools, New York University, Panelist
Columbia University School of Social Work Annual School Social Work Conference, Immigrants in NYC Public Schools, Speaker
Kopple, Hilary. (2019). Are Your Students Ready to Learn? Why Schools Need Social Workers. Prism Magazine; International Network’s Journal
MORE ABOUT ME
