Anna Velychko, LCSW
Message from Anna
Hi, I’m Anna (she/her), a trauma-informed therapist who supports people feeling stuck between who they’ve had to be and who they long to become. You might look like you’re managing fine—high-functioning, thoughtful, responsible—but inside, there may be an ongoing sense of tension, guilt, or emotional exhaustion. You may struggle to ask for what you need, feel a pull to care for others before yourself, or find it hard to trust your own intuition. In our work, I help you untangle the patterns that formed when you had to disconnect from your body, your wants, or your voice. These patterns often show up as anxiety, perfectionism, chronic self-doubt, and difficulty with boundaries or connection. We’ll explore the forces that shaped you—family dynamics, early relationships, internalized roles—and how they continue to live in your nervous system and body today. How I Work My style is warm, grounded, and attuned. I integrate somatic and psychodynamic approaches to help you not just understand your patterns, but feel your way into new ones. That might look like slowing down in session to notice a tight jaw when talking about work, or a collapsed posture when recalling a conversation with someone important. Together, we’ll: – Build awareness of how stress, fear, or old roles show up in your body and relationships – Practice relating to yourself with more compassion and less urgency to “fix” – Explore where you're holding back or overriding your own needs – Loosen patterns of self-silencing, over-giving, or emotional shutdown – Strengthen your ability to trust your timing, boundaries, and desires I draw from Somatic Experiencing, psychodynamic therapy, and body-based practices like breath, posture, and mindfulness. I offer a space that is collaborative, nonjudgmental, and paced to honor both your insight and your nervous system’s rhythm. Ultimately, therapy with me is about helping you feel more at home in yourself—able to show up with more clarity, connection, and vitality.
About Anna's practice
Weekdays After 5pm
Weekdays 9am - 5pm
Weekdays Before 9am
$$$
Sliding scale
Directive
Reflective
Body-based
In-person available: Yes
Virtual available: Yes
Anxiety
Codependency
Depression
Family Dynamics
Trauma
Artist-Related Stress
Dating
Immigration
Out of network providers
NY
Why state matters
Get to Know Anna
What is the best part of the work for you?
For me, it’s those quiet, sacred moments when something shifts—not because we forced it, but because we created enough safety for it to emerge. When a client softens into their own experience instead of overriding it. When someone realizes they have more choice than they thought. When what once felt unbearable becomes something we can hold together. It’s not always dramatic. Sometimes it’s a fuller breath, a change in posture, a moment of real contact in the room. But those moments carry a kind of aliveness that’s deeply meaningful to me. It’s a privilege to witness someone return to themselves—gently, bravely, and in their own timing.
How do you approach diversity in the room or working with clients who may come from a different background than you?
I approach cultural and identity differences with humility, curiosity, and care. I don’t assume sameness, nor do I expect you to educate me—but I remain open to learning how your lived experience has shaped your relationship to safety, connection, expression, and survival. I pay close attention to the ways power, belonging, and adaptation show up in the room—both overtly and subtly. Whether it’s code-switching, self-censoring, or feeling like you have to earn your right to take up space, I view these as intelligent responses to larger systems and early environments. Rather than placing you in categories or interpreting through my own lens, I work relationally: slowing down together to notice how identity, context, and nervous system states are playing out in real time. My goal is to support you in reclaiming a fuller range of self-expression—one that’s not dictated by how others perceive you, but by what feels authentic and alive for you.
How can you tell if I am feeling stuck, unseen, or unheard?
Often it shows up in subtle yet powerful ways: a slump in posture, a sudden stillness, or a sense that you've "left the room" even if you're still talking. You might start rationalizing something painful instead of feeling it, or default to self-blame or helplessness—saying things like “I guess that’s just how I am” or “There’s no point.” Sometimes it looks like anger turning outward, or a sudden urgency to figure things out and fix something quickly. One way of thinking about it – these are expressions of earlier adaptations—ways you learned to survive when connection, choice, or expression didn’t feel safe. In the moment, it can feel like there's no way out or like your reactions are the only possible truth. In those moments, I’ll gently help us slow down. We might get curious about what just shifted—whether your breath changed, your shoulders tensed, or your gaze dropped. Rather than pushing through, we pause to feel into what your body might be communicating beneath the words. Together, we create space to reconnect with what’s actually happening now—not the past. And from there, we can begin to access something different: a sense of choice, movement, and even agency in places that once felt shut down or foreclosed.
Do you have experience (5-10 years+) working with any types of obstacles or people in particular?
With over 6 years of experience as a therapist and a background as a first-generation Ukrainian American immigrant, I specialize in helping individuals navigate the complex emotional landscapes that life often presents. I understand firsthand the challenges of cultural transitions and identity formation, and I'm here to support you through your unique journey. Whether you're grappling with persistent feelings of inadequacy, pervasive uncertainty about your life's direction, or symptoms of anxiety and depression, I'm here to listen and help. I work with clients who struggle to reconcile multiple identities, those who find it difficult to fully engage with life or form meaningful connections, and individuals dealing with the physical manifestations of trauma, such as chronic pain or dissociation. My experience extends to supporting those facing challenges related to systemic oppression and marginalization. If you're seeking a space to explore these deeply personal experiences and work towards healing and growth, I'm here to offer empathetic, culturally sensitive support tailored to your individual needs.
From your perspective, what is therapy?
Therapy is about me facilitating the environment for your self-discovery and healing; it's not about me fixing you. It's a space for you to think together with me to create awareness of your true needs and feelings, and the possibility of expressing them, maybe for the very first time. Therapy is a relationship that takes commitment, consistency, authenticity to help uncover your fears and aspirations. With time, this relationship can become a reflective mirror of the patterns from the past that kept you stuck. And above all, therapy is about bringing a sense of vitality – the freedom to experience spontaneous feelings, not just happy and beautiful, to reflect the entire range of human experience.