Meet Danielle
Danielle Berg, LMHC
Brooklyn, New York
Capricorn
she/her
I became a therapist in my mid-thirties, though I had wanted to be one since I was a teenager. I thought that I needed to wait until I was mentally...perfect? In the meantime, I wrote and taught writing, drawn (not surprisingly) to memoir. This partly informs my work now, showing up as appreciation of metaphor to help us make sense of our minds and the world. My history of perfectionism also informs my work with clients: I deeply enjoy working with others' perfectionist or critical parts, with the hope of easing the suffering they cause.
My approach to therapy is to bring warmth, care, and curiosity to you and whatever you’re bringing in to work with. We look together at what your current needs and wishes are, as well as whatever barriers show up, both internal and external. I tend to balance a psychodynamic approach with a behavioral one: at times it’s important to explore how our beliefs and patterns have formed, and it can be equally important to consider what we can do right now to help us lead a life more in line with our values. I enjoy using parts work/IFS (because we contain multitudes!), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and where applicable, Exposure and Response Prevention. Most importantly, I value our relationship, as safety and trust are the foundation of all the other work that can happen in our sessions together. To that end, I like to regularly check in and see how our time and process together is feeling. Sometimes, for those of us who have a hard time connecting to and/or expressing our feelings and needs, this practice itself can be deeply helpful.
My ideal client is motivated to learn about themself and enjoys slowing down and giving themself room to do so. I have a soft spot for creative people and young adults/adults who are experiencing a life transition—and those who want to :) I also love working with clients exploring gender and sexuality. I identify as queer & ace-spec and have lived experience.
Other areas of experience and passion: anxiety, people-pleasing, OCD, communication skills (I’m trained in Nonviolent Communication), and attachment theory.
Outside of therapy, I spend my time trying to walk all of NYC, petting all the pets, dancing, trying to make my loved ones laugh, and appreciating everyone and everything that makes me laugh.
danielleberglmhc@gmail.com / (732) 708-3068