Riana Justusson, LMSW
I believe that strong and sustainable therapeutic relationships must have a foundation of trust and understanding. I appreciate that finding a new therapist or perhaps entering therapy for the first time can be daunting. We will spend the first few sessions getting a sense of what working with one another would feel like, and setting goals for our time together. You will also be given a safe and supportive space to begin to share your story with an understanding that we are all made up of different parts of ourselves - some that are easier to share than others. As the therapeutic partnership continues, I will play an active role in our sessions.
I strive to cultivate a strong working relationship that is based in trust and understanding.
I have worked with diverse populations in four New York City hospitals, including two Veterans Hospitals. In these settings, I worked on a bone marrow transplant team, on an Alzheimer’s Disease research project, in a Victim Services Program, and in an outpatient Mental Health and PTSD clinic serving veterans of the wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I am skilled in supporting individuals and their family members in navigating and processing some of the most challenging experiences and transitions in their lives.
I am trained in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy through the American Institute for Psychoanalysis, and use my extensive personal and professional experience to support individuals in their late teens through older adulthood who are looking to gain a deeper understanding of themselves. I work with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, stressful life transitions, chronic illness, end of life care, dangerous relationships, and the effects of trauma. My treatment draws on techniques from psychodynamic psychotherapy and relational therapy.
On a personal level, I was born and raised in the Hudson Valley. I have lived in Costa Rica’s central valley, in New England, and in New York City. I am happy to be back home in the Hudson Valley where I enjoy lifting weights, practicing Spanish, and being outdoors with my husband and two children.
Riana's Specialties
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Grief
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PTSD
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Trauma
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Abusive Relationships