Therapy with

Dr. Rakhel Shapiro

Experiential psychotherapy for people who want to release the constraints of the past, and live freely — free to want what you want, and free to be who you are.

Many of the people who come to therapy with me are thoughtful, capable, and highly attuned to others. They may have learned early in life to be responsible, accommodating, or emotionally self-sufficient.

And on the inside, they often feel:

  • Unsure what they truly want

  • Disconnected from their own pleasure in life

  • Anxious about making decisions

  • Self-doubt

  • Constrained by old relational patterns

  • Pulled toward people-pleasing or caretaking roles

  • Burnt out

  • Weighed down by emotions from the past

  • Not fully alive

  • Like something is blocking them from fully expressing their gifts in the world

Therapy offers a space to explore how these patterns formed, and to loosen their hold so you can live with more freedom and self-trust.

Schedule a Free 25-Minute Intro Call

If you resonate with any of this, you can schedule a free, no-pressure conversation with me to explore whether this work is a good fit.

I specialize in working with:

  • Developmental and attachment trauma

  • Children of emotionally immature or inconsistent parents

  • People navigating the impact of early relational dynamics

  • Those wanting to move from “false self” toward a more genuine self

  • People seeking deeper self-trust

  • People who have experience with meditation and are looking for additional support

  • People who want to build lives shaped by desire rather than constraints from the past or demands from others

Many of my clients have already done personal growth or have prior experience in therapy. They found that talk therapy and solitary meditation and self-reflection to be helpful, but there are still stuck places they would like support to move through.

My work is grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and relational psychotherapy.

In therapy, we:

  • Explore the different parts of who you are, and develop a more intimate relationship with all the parts of yourself

  • Develop a compassionate relationship with your inner world

  • Witness how early relationships and experiences shaped current patterns

  • Gently unburden parts carrying shame, fear, loneliness, unworthiness, and any other feelings and beliefs that are constraining you

  • Support the emergence of a more authentic, grounded sense of self

  • Support changes in action and behavior so your life really shifts

  • Strengthen your ability to trust yourself

Through our work, clients often notice:

  • Greater clarity about what they want

  • More self-compassion

  • Increased ability to set boundaries

  • Less guilt around prioritizing themselves

  • More access to creativity, desire, and pleasure

  • A steadier sense of internal security and trust

  • Feeling lighter and less burdened by the past

  • Freedom to try things they want to try, even if it might mean making a mistake

  • Freedom to make life choices based on what they want and enjoy, rather than fear or obligation

  • A feeling of becoming more fully themselves

  • Enjoying their lives more

What sessions with me are like:

  • Experiential rather than purely analytical. We’ll be with the different parts of you, not just talk about them

  • Integrating somatic awareness. We’ll practice being with sensations in your body, and integrate that with talking and meaning-making

  • Client centered. I take your lead about what’s important to you, and respect that you are the leader in your life

  • Trauma informed. We’ll set the pace intentionally based on listening to what facilitates growth and healing, and what feels like too much

  • Non-pathologizing. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you! I think you had experiences that were harmful, and experiences where you didn’t get what you need. We can now provide the care that was missing.

Practical details:

  • Location: Virtual therapy for folks throughout New York State

  • Length: 60-minute sessions

  • Fee: $250 per session

  • Insurance: Superbills available for out-of-network reimbursement. I work under the supervision of Dr. Daria Chase

  • Sliding scale: A limited number of spots are reserved for those with financial need

This is a self-pay practice designed for people seeking specialized, depth-oriented care.

Introductory Call

Your free 25-minute intro call is a chance to:

  • Share what you’re hoping to work on

  • Ask questions about the process

  • Get a feel for our fit

  • Schedule a first session, if it feels like a good fit!

    This is a free, no pressure call. If you’re curious, you’re welcome to schedule an intro call and we can talk through your questions and desires together.

    Book your intro call here

I’m looking forward to getting to know you, and exploring how our work together can support you!