Experiential Psychotherapy
for Individuals & Couples
Contemporary Attachment, Emotional, and Somatic-Oriented Therapy
Christopher J Russo, LCSW
Licensed in New York and Connecticut
“I am not afraid of storms,
for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
Louisa May Alcott
“Please take a moment to navigate through the content and gain insight into my approach to addressing various aspects of mental health, including trauma, anxiety, depression, relationships, motivation, parenting, and capacity,
In brief, my therapeutic approach integrates contemporary attachment, emotional, and somatic treatment methods to evoke and amplify transformative experiences during our sessions. My commitment is to design a treatment path specifically for you—one that is affirming and tailored to your individual goals and unique experiences.
Feel free to explore further. I look forward to the possibility of working together on your journey in thriving.”
- Christopher J. Russo, LCSW
What is Experiential Psychotherapy?
What sets experiential psychotherapy apart from traditional talk therapy? This may be likened to the distinction between talking about a bicycle and riding one. While the former identifies thoughts, the latter engages you in a dynamic process where you feel supported, find balance, and actively experience energy, movement, visual cues, emotion, posture and more. Experiential therapy leverages neuroplasticity to help cultivate deeper and longer-lasting change.
Experiential psychotherapy centers on cultivating corrective and reparative experiences in a secure and supportive setting. My role as therapist is active and emotionally engaged, collaborating with you rather than remaining passively distant. Together, we'll focus on perceiving, receiving, and expressing a range of emotional, cognitive, and somatic experiences.
Our goal is to safely process material that may have been avoided or stuck, to re-associate and repair from what was dissociated, and to offer love, warmth, and safety to parts of you that were unseen, cast away, or in pain.
This approach is centered on revealing the authentic you… the you beneath protective barriers that often contribute to suffering, functional difficulties, and relationship challenges.
We aim to unlock your core self by addressing these barriers, fostering balance, intimacy, creativity, and overall satisfaction with your unique desires and feelings.
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Therapy for Individuals
In our journey towards transformative change, I go beyond traditional talk therapy to facilitate profound and enduring results. Together, we will venture into the realm of experiential exploration, fostering new and corrective experiences that invite your moment-to-moment conscious attention across various facets of your being.
Throughout this process, my approach is centered on recognizing and harnessing your strengths and needs. Through collaboration, we'll craft a distinctive therapeutic path tailored to your goals and the vision of your self-at-best. Our focus extends beyond mere conversation, aiming to enhance your emotional regulation, raise awareness of both adaptive and maladaptive patterns, and empower you to cultivate more effective and meaningful relationships.
Body-oriented therapy through the lens of attachment theory and affective neuroscience can be a journey of self-discovery and growth, transcending the boundaries of conventional therapy for a more comprehensive and impactful experience.
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Therapy for Couples
Discover the art of loving more deeply. In contrast to the often adversarial nature of couples therapy, envision a collaborative journey where you and your partner transcend the dynamics of two opposing teams with a referee. My aim is to guide you both away from the pitfalls of disconnection, redirecting towards the innate instincts to heal, repair, love, and connect.
With a body-oriented approach that is rooted in attachment theory and affective neuroscience, I facilitate a transformative experience for couples. Together, we work towards establishing a foundation of security, finding common ground, nurturing mindful expression, addressing underlying trauma, and meeting each other in a harmonious relational core state.
Couples often find solace in our therapy as it helps them shift away from patterns of criticism and punitive dynamics, steering towards a rediscovery of the love and longing they share. Couples may redefine their connection, in fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for each other.
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Trauma-Informed Therapy
Welcome to trauma-informed therapy, where the modalities I practice are grounded in cutting-edge neuroscience research that incorporates evidence-based techniques and with burgeoning new methods to target trauma and promote healing.
Explore the resources below for more insight into the research supporting these modalities:
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Research
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) Research
