Letizia Adorno, SIFI + 2
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Message from Letizia
I have experience in working with grief, loss, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, life transitions, PTSD, complex PTSD, dissociation, dissociative identity disorder and compassion fatigue. I also have worked with people with a wide range of trauma histories that include: vicarious traumatization, interpersonal trauma, narcissistic abuse, domestic violence, physical/emotional/sexual/psychological abuse, assault, religious trauma, ritual abuse, bullying, discrimination and “othering.” I also enjoy working with various types of healthcare providers as a psychotherapist in addition to providing clinical supervision to other psychotherapists. I enjoy working with energy workers who often refer to themselves as “empaths.” I have been providing psychedelic integration to clients who have had Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and will soon be a KAP provider. Please ask about this.
About Letizia's practice
Weekdays 9am - 5pm
$$$
Sliding scale
Reflective
Body-based
In-person available: No
Virtual available: Yes
Codependency
Anxiety
Self-Esteem
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Grief and Bereavement
Out of network providers
NY + 1 more
Why state matters
Get to Know Letizia
"I have known Miss Adorno for the last 20 years in the capacity of colleague and esteemed friend and can attest to her knowledge of psychotherapeutics, her sensitivity and caring in doing the work. She manages very complex cases with awareness of dynamics and with ease and results. She is invested in the growth of her knowledge base and the growth of her clients."
Colette Pycha, NP, Colleague
"I am happy to speak on behalf of Letizia Adornio. As a colleague I know her to be a clinician of great skill, compassion and creativity. She is also a teacher and clinical supervisor of other psychotherapists who are in the process of learning their craft. I also know her to maintain impeccable ethical standards. I recommend her highly without reservation."
Neil Elson, LCSW, Colleague
From your perspective, what is therapy?
I see therapy as a space we choose to set aside to explore stress and other problems. We might be trying to cope better with anxiety, sadness, loss, life changes, traumatic events or just want to feel better. When we set a scheduled time to slow down and unpack what bothers us, we open up a possibility for change. The routines of our daily lives don't always allow us to slow down enough to explore problems in a way that can bring on change. A professional, a therapist, can help us understand the roots of these problems. This understanding is the start of making change in our lives so that we feel better and heal. Mind-body approaches, grounding techniques, trauma processing techniques and cognitive-behavioral skills can help enhance insight and understanding. Therapy is a place to find this transformation with the help of a nonjudgmental professional who is trained to be attuned to each person’s needs. This space is co-created between the client and therapist. Therapy is a collaborative experience.
Where did you work before going into private practice?
After obtaining my Masters of Science in Clinical Social Work, I was of service to families and individuals involved in the child welfare system and in various mental health clinics. I began my private practice in 2004 while I was employed full time at the Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center.
What led you to become a mental healthcare practitioner?
I enjoy working with others on a more personal level that impacts upon their emotional wellbeing.
What is unique about the work you do, or how have you found your work to be different than your colleagues'?
I work with many people who have experienced abuse, discrimination, neglect and other adverse life situations that can be traumatic. I also help clients who have had less common, intense traumas. Some have survived childhood trauma and abuse that have led to dissociative symptoms. Some have been subject to ongoing, ritual abuse and find that they have different personality styles that show up at different times. They might lose track of time, feel as if they aren’t fully there, feel like they are disconnected from situations, forget things, etc. Given the contributions from neuroscience, clients can benefit from understanding how their minds and bodies have learned certain patterns that can be evident in our beliefs, behaviors, relationships, how we view the world and ourselves. Our minds and bodies reflexively respond to both daily and bigger stress by what many know as the attach, fight, flight or freeze responses. I help clients understand that these responses and different types of dissociation are their system’s responses to whatever has happened whether their traumas are intense or less intense. This knowledge is helpful for trauma survivors to make sense out of what happened. I use this education along with coping skills, therapeutic techniques and trauma processing to help people regulate their fight, flight, freeze and other responses.
What is the best part of the work for you?
That each person is unique and taking an important step in sharing their story.
Please share 2-3 anonymized examples of how the work can play out and/or look in the room so that I can form a visual or narrative of what to expect.
A client who I will refer to as Sarah is a 40 year old, newly-divorced woman who came to see me three years ago after having been discharged from a psychiatric hospitalization. She grew up in Connecticut in a family where her parents were both professionals and had family histories involving some traumatic events. At the start of our work, Sarah reported that she had a problem with OCD, a history of ADHD since childhood and was recently hospitalized because she heavily relied upon prescribed medication to cope with life stressors. She often described herself as if she were the problem in her household and did not complain about her marriage. She reported that she had mental problems since she was young and that she was lucky that a stable, good provider had married her. Sarah reported that she married young and had hoped that forming a “Catholic marriage” would lead to a happy home life for herself and the family she and her husband planned to have. Eventually, Sarah was able to return to work, feel emotionally stable with a new medication regimen prescribed by her new psychiatrist and use coping skills to manage her anxiety. Still, Sarah felt depressed and her obsessive thoughts persisted. After having time to reflect upon the misguided beliefs she formed about herself and about family life, she realized that she was involved in a marriage wherein she was the object of narcissistic abuse. She realized that even though her husband did not hit her and was a “good provider,” that he was emotionally abusive. Much of Sarah’s therapy involved traditional therapy wherein she explored the roots of her thought distortions and her formative years, behavioral therapy with homework, strengthening interactions with supportive family and friends, advancing her career, regaining her self esteem, finding her sense of self and her voice and understanding the effects of trauma on her body. Sarah would have “sudden breakthroughs” and was able to stand up to her husband. With support from her church and loved ones, she got divorced. Sarah realized that had been misguided in thinking that marrying a man who looked “good” for her was the formula for happiness. Sarah has also realized that she had magical thinking in that she believed by being a “good girl” who followed rules, she would have a happy life. She is still working on various problems in therapy but has relocated with her children to a new home. Her identity as a Cathollic woman is still critical to her life but she has found that there are more ways in which she can have a happy life for herself and her children. A client who I will refer to as Shannon is a 24 year old woman who grew up in a San Francisco in a working class, family. She reports having had “anxiety” since she was very young and grew up being the “sensitive” child, the youngest of five children and the only girl. She had psychotherapy and medication starting in high school and throughout college. Shannon moved to NYC after graduating from college and is an actor. She has been seeing me for two years and has learned that her family has a history of panic attacks and “anxiety.” She has also remembered a repressed memory of having been sexually abused during childhood. Our work has included identifying catastrophic thinking and using some cognitive behavioral techniques to help cope with ANTS (“automatic negative thoughts”), identifying the triggers of her panic attacks, identifying the themes of negative self-talk, grounding techniques to help keep Shannon centered and out of fight and flight mode, EMDR “tapping in” of resources (times when Shannon was in control, when she successfully coped with panic attacks, etc), the Flash Technique to help reduce the level of distress, DBT skills to help regulate emotions and EMDR to process present events and past traumas. Shannon has become more confident and assertive. She still struggles with acknowledging that she experiences “anxiety” because she is alive and that this is not indicative of pathology or weakness. She also realizes that she grew up believing in herself in an unrealistic way and is replacing this with realistic thoughts that feel true and go along with her more confident identity. A client who I will refer to as Ben is a 30 year old male who immigrated to Southern California from Mexico at a very young age. He moved to NYC to begin culinary school. He is the youngest of two children born to the same parents who are working class and self-identifies as “queer.” Ben began seeing me a year ago after his medical doctor arranged for our first appointment. He described having been bullied by children in school and that he had romantic partners that were physically abusive. He lives with roommates and works as a chef. At first, Ben found it hard to open up to me but he consistently returned to appointments. He often stated, “I don’t know what to say,” and we explored how Ben wasn’t used to identifying and naming his feelings. We explored mindfulness skills and Ben began noticing what thoughts, feelings and body sensations occurred when he was feeling overwhelmed. He also explored what events might be linked to feeling “numb.” Ben worked on coping skills and stress management in his therapy. Eventually, Ben revealed that he self medicates with alcohol, has love-hate relationships, is in a verbally abusive relationship, has nightmares about being persecuted (increased by political climate regarding Mexican immigrants) and depending on what happens, seems to have different selves. Ben began speaking up about these selves in the past few months. He reports that he didn’t know how to make sense of this and was worried that he’d appear “crazy” if he told me. His “hyper self” drinks alcohol to cope with stress and fights with his partner, another self is complacent and feels “sad” and then there is his “central self.” Ben has also revealed moments of feeling like he is not fully present and sometimes is “forgetful” of shared events others seem to remember easily. We have been reviewing the biology behind how trauma is linked to these parts developing and the different types of dissociation. We have been discussing how each of the parts has a role and how his central self can better cope with these parts and the stress he experiences.
Is there ever a time when you would encourage me to leave or graduate? Or how do I know when it's time to end or move on, or time to stay and explore more?
There are times when we have reached our goals in therapy. For example, we might have found peace and acceptance after experiencing loss, processed a trauma to the point that the trauma no longer interferes with our present lives, found our true and authentic selves, learned to be more assertive and confident, etc. We might not need further therapy or we might take a break from therapy. We might continue therapy on a biweekly basis for an open-ended amount of time. Clients might end therapy with me and return for some “booster” sessions after several months. They might even return for weekly therapy or biweekly therapy.
If I have never been to therapy before, what should I expect? How do I know if I should go, and how do I start?
Why not try it? When we think that our problems are solved by a better salary, job, etc and somehow things don’t really change, then maybe it’s time to explore what else is happening. When we just don’t feel good, then why not try speaking with an unbiased professional who is not part of your day to day life?
How will our relationship be different than relationships I have with friends/loved ones?
We can turn to trusted friends or family for advice and comfort when needed. A therapist can offer expert guidance drawn from years of training and practice. Many people find that speaking with someone outside of their personal life provides an objective, unbiased view of their concerns. Therapy is confidential and the therapist is there solely for the help of the client. A therapist has an ethical responsibility to maintain professional boundaries in order to optimally help the client.
How should I prepare for my first session with you?
The first visit is about me getting to understand what you’d like to work on and you getting to know me. If you’d like to prepare a list of life events or anything you think you’d like me to know, then please feel free to bring that in.
How participatory are you during sessions?
I am interactive and at times, ask what clients call “helpful questions.” The questions can often help clients look at situations from a different perspective. The questions often model to clients how they can be curious about themselves, events and others. When I sense that a client needs space to speak without being pressured, then I might hold back from being as interactive. Sometimes we need this space in our sessions to reflect on situations instead of rushing ourselves to find quick answers.
How much do you share about yourself during our time together and why?
When I do share something about myself with a client, it’s about making a point that could be helpful to the client. I usually preface this sharing with, “Is it okay if I share something about myself with you?” For example, I might share a situation that I encountered and learned from one of my classmates in Social Work school. I was mistaken about and misinterpreted what this classmate did and shortly afterwards learned from that same person that they were also misinterpreting my actions. Had this classmate not opened up a discussion about this, we wouldn’t have learned from each other. I often use this particular example as a way to describe how easily we can misinterpret both ourselves and each other. This situation was key for me to see the value of being curious about the other person and myself in addition to the importance of opening up communication with someone else in a non-threatening way, versus relying on my old habits of relating to others and old ways of thinking.
How long should I commit to being in therapy, at least in the beginning?
I usually inform clients to try therapy for two to three months to see how it is working for them. Therapy is a process and at times, we might not see results in less than two months.
How can you tell if I am feeling stuck, unseen, or unheard?
I ask clients from time to time how their experience in therapy is. I validate that feeling stuck, unseen or unheard can happen in therapy and ask if this might be the case at times in their work with me. Also, there may be times when I pick up that a client might have a slight reaction to something I may have said or done. For example, they might have a slight change in facial expression and I will ask if they have a reaction to something that may have happened.
Have you received any particular training beyond your post-Bachelor's training?
My first career was in the sciences. I worked in medical research and later took some advanced science classes, including gross anatomy. I eventually graduated with a Master of Science in Social Work in 1998. Since then, I have been lucky to have had a variety of post masters training that includes talk therapy, supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques and training in trauma studies from the Inst. for Contemporary Psychotherapy. I combine more traditional therapy with trauma techniques from EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
Do you have experience (5-10 years+) working with any types of obstacles or people in particular?
Since I am bilingual in English and Spanish, I have provided services to clients in both Spanish and English. I have experience in working with grief, loss, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, medical diagnoses, life transitions, PTSD, complex PTSD, dissociation, dissociative identity disorder and compassion fatigue. I also have worked with people with a wide range of trauma histories that include: vicarious traumatization, interpersonal trauma, narcissistic abuse, domestic violence, physical/emotional/sexual/psychological abuse, assault, religious trauma, ritual abuse, bullying, discrimination and “othering.” I also enjoy working with various types of healthcare providers as a psychotherapist in addition to providing clinical supervision to other psychotherapists. I enjoy working with energy workers who often refer to themselves as “empaths.” I have also been an instructor at the Trauma Program at The Inst. for Contemporary Psychotherapy and have provided workshops for mental health workers on topics that include: Microaggressions in Working with Latinx Families, Microaggressions in Working with Minority Clients, and Psychotherapy Through a Neurobiological Lens.
Do you assign homework, activities, or readings for me to do between sessions? Why or why not?
If a client is in agreement, then I assign “homework,” activities, or readings between sessions. I sometimes encourage clients to read books that may be of help to them. For example, I might encourage a client to read Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy by Francine Shapiro as a way to better understand the ways I can help them reinforce positive memories, positive people, etc. in their lives before even working on traumatic memories. This book provides examples of why EMDR is a wonderful therapy to treat all sorts of trauma and how there are more subtle forms of trauma that we might not realize we can work on. Some clients seek me out for EMDR therapy and with one client, she started reading the book while we were discussing her general life history in addition to major life traumas. We were able to identify emotional strengths, memories of supportive/nurturing/protective/wise figures in their life, memories in which they felt personal pride, etc. These memories were strengthened by what is known as “tapping in,” a way to make these memories already in our brains/bodies stronger. The homework is a way for the client to take charge of their situation in a practical way, not an intellectual way.
Are there any philosophies or values that inform your work that I should know about?
Everyone is resilient. No matter what we have been through. Resilience is the capacity to bounce back from adversity. We sometimes don’t realize this when we are in the middle of problems. There are times that we are trying to cope the best that we can and a supportive therapist can help us look at different ways of coping with life’s challenges. I believe in reinforcing the strengths each person has in addition to making changes such as adding new behaviors, changing unhelpful coping strategies and beliefs, etc. I am nonjudgmental and curious about people in order to better understand them. Trauma therapy approaches include the interaction between the mind, body and brain. For example, when we still wonder why something is still not quite right after identifying the roots of our problems and trying to think in a more positive way, we might need to see how a mind-body approach can make a difference. For example, a trauma treatment such as EMDR won’t change a traumatic event from having happened but it can help us relate to that event in a way so that it doesn’t feel as if it’s occurring in the present. We don’t have to feel as if we are still reliving the memory. We can also feel as if the positive beliefs we’d like to have about ourselves feel true instead of just wishful thinking. We can have what is called a “felt sense” in our bodies that something positive is indeed true.