Personal statement

I have a longstanding interest in people’s stories; how personal experiences impact how people engage with others and the world around them. My clinical practice, where listening is intentional and people are taken seriously, is a natural extension of this interest. Being entrusted with people’s stories during their most vulnerable moments is a responsibility I deeply value. I approach my clinical work with humility, compassion, and genuine, nonjudgmental curiosity. As a clinician, I am most focused on providing care dedicated to supporting clients in developing their sense of self and cultivating feelings of self-compassion and empowerment. Whether it be in direct therapy or psychological/neuropsychological assessments, my work is grounded in collaboration.

I believe that psychological care, particularly when integrative, can support people in not only minimizing distress, but also developing a more robust understanding of themselves. I continually center clients as experts on their own lives and emphasize the therapeutic alliance to provide structured, empathic, client-defined care that utilizes evidence-based practices and skill building to provide a foundational emotional safety necessary for engaging in emotional exploration. I also value the role of humor—used thoughtfully and at the right moments—to foster connection, lighten the emotional load, and remind us that healing can include laughter as well as tears.

Qualifications

Hanna completed her bachelor’s degree at UCLA. While earning her bachelor’s degree, Hanna was mentored in clinical and research work by the late Dr. Michael Strober (PhD, ABPP); following her graduation, Hanna and Dr. Strober continued to work as collaborators in both clinical work and research projects on neurobiological correlates of eating disorders and developmental psychopathology. Hanna cites Dr. Strober as someone who played a great role in shaping the clinician she is today.

Before starting her PhD in Clinical Psychology, Hanna earned her MSW in Clinical Psychiatric Social Work from Columbia University. She chose to ground her clinical experience and education in social work to ensure her clinical foundation would be rooted in a truly biopsychosocial approach and to be able to serve her clients in multiple ways, whether that be assisting them in navigating insurance, advocating for their voices to be heard in treatment planning meetings, or providing evidence-based treatments. Steeping herself in the practice of advocacy has been essential to how she operates as a clinician today. While earning her MSW, Hanna worked with high-acuity psychiatric patients at the outpatient (Grand Concourse Counseling Center) and inpatient (Westchester Behavioral Health Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital) levels of care.

Hanna is now a fourth-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology. Over the course of her doctoral training, she has served patients in the community mental health setting, inpatient setting, and supported forensic clinical cases. She has also taught multiple doctoral level clinical psychology courses in therapeutic intervention and assessment.

My Toolbox

My primary theoretical orientation is integrative, grounded in a psychodynamic, relational, trauma-informed framework with strong influences from cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and acceptance-commitment therapy. I regularly use the following modalities:

• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Trauma-Focused CBT
• Exposure Therapy (e.g. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), in vivo exposure, imaginal exposure)
• Play Therapy
• Art Interventions
• Mindfulness-Based Approaches
• Psychological/Neuropsychological Testing