Online in New York
(Online Only)
I am a specialized trauma- & attachment-oriented group therapist committed to helping adults heal, grow and cultivate more fulfilling relationships and lives. In my groups, healing happens in the context of a safe therapeutic community of fellow travelers who can relate, help each other feel less alone, and support one another in making the changes needed to get more out of life. I also use a liberation psychology lens to help group members explore the intersection of cultural and identify factors and mental health and feel more confident and empowered in their lives.
Group therapy can help you find deeper meaning and connection through the practice of authenticity: "letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are" (Brené Brown). By helping you bring your full authentic self into connection, Group can help you transcend loneliness to find more fulfilling relationships. Group can help you lean into your life with more courage, compassion and vulnerability. Group can support your unique journey as you find your way home to where you belong, and to the relationships that sustain you.
Client Focus
Session Format: Group, Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult, Senior, Young Adult
Demographic Expertise: Asian, Black / African American, Buddhist, Jewish, LGBTQ+, Men, Native American, Pacific Islander, Women clients.
Treatment Approach
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) Builds skills in self-kindness and compassion toward others. It is especially helpful for people who struggle with shame or self-criticism.
- Contemplative Psychotherapy Combines mindfulness and meditation practices with modern psychology. It encourages awareness and compassion as part of the healing process.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Drama Therapy Uses role-play, storytelling, and theater techniques to explore problems and emotions. It helps people practice new ways of relating to others.
- Eclectic Therapy Draws from different therapeutic methods based on what fits each client best. It is flexible and personalized rather than following one single model.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Focuses on strengthening emotional bonds in couples or families. It helps people identify negative cycles and create more secure connections.
- Existential / Humanistic Therapy Encourages people to explore meaning, freedom, and authenticity in their lives. It focuses on personal growth and living in alignment with one’s values.
- Experiential Therapy Involves hands-on activities to bring emotions into the present moment. It helps clients process feelings more deeply than through conversation alone.
- Family Systems Therapy Looks at problems within the context of the family as a whole. It aims to improve communication and balance in family relationships.
- Feminist Therapy Addresses how gender roles, power, and social inequality affect mental health. It empowers clients to challenge limiting beliefs and systems.
- Gestalt Therapy Encourages awareness of thoughts, feelings, and actions in the present moment. It helps people integrate different parts of themselves for wholeness.
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy Based on decades of research, this method gives couples tools to improve communication, manage conflict, and strengthen intimacy.
- Imago Relationship Therapy Helps couples understand how childhood experiences influence adult relationships. It teaches communication techniques to deepen connection.
- Integrative Therapy Combines techniques from multiple approaches into a customized plan. It adapts to each client’s unique situation and needs.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) Helps clients heal by working with different ‘parts’ of themselves, like inner critics or wounded children. It fosters harmony within the self.
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) A short-term approach focused on improving relationships and social support. It is often used for depression and grief.
- Intersubjective Therapy Explores the shared emotional experience between therapist and client. It emphasizes connection and mutual understanding.
- Jungian Therapy Draws on Carl Jung’s ideas about archetypes, dreams, and the collective unconscious. It helps people explore deeper layers of meaning.
- Multicultural Therapy Acknowledges the role of culture, race, and identity in mental health. It values diversity and adapts treatment to each person’s background.
- Narrative Therapy Encourages people to view problems as separate from themselves and reframe their life story. It helps build resilience and self-identity.
- Object Relations Therapy Focuses on how early caregiver relationships shape current relationships. It aims to improve patterns of attachment and trust.
- Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) Emphasizes empathy, unconditional positive regard, and authenticity. It provides a safe space for self-discovery and growth.
- Psychoanalytic Therapy Based on Freud’s theories, it explores unconscious conflicts and past experiences. It seeks to bring hidden issues into awareness.
- Psychodrama A group therapy that uses role-play and dramatization to process emotions. It helps clients gain perspective and release tension.
- Psychodynamic Therapy Explores unconscious thoughts and patterns that influence current behavior. It builds insight into how the past impacts the present.
- Psychoeducational Therapy Provides education and coping tools about mental health conditions. It empowers clients with knowledge and practical skills.
- Psychosocial Therapy Looks at how social and environmental factors affect psychological health. It emphasizes relationships, community, and resilience.
- Relational Psychotherapy Emphasizes the healing power of the therapist-client relationship. It uses trust and safety as a foundation for change.
- Self Psychology Explores the development of self-esteem and identity. It emphasizes the importance of empathy in healing.
- Social Constructionist Therapy Looks at how social and cultural context shapes identity and problems. It helps clients create new narratives of meaning.
- Somatic Therapy Helps clients notice how emotions are stored in the body. It uses breath, movement, and awareness for healing trauma and stress.
- Transpersonal Therapy Integrates spirituality and higher states of consciousness with psychology. It encourages growth beyond the individual self.
Fees & Insurance
Fees
- Average Session Fee 75
- Affordable sliding scale therapy: apply if you may be eligible.
- I offer sliding scale based on ability to pay, privilege, and reparations/social justice considerations. I will work with you to ensure that fee is not an obstacle to participating in high quality group therapy.
- Accepts Insurance
- United Healthcare (UHC); Oxford; Harvard Pilgrim; UMR; Oscar
Education & Credentials
Dr. Erica Gardner-Schuster PhD
- Female
- License # 024130
- Licensed in New York
- Practicing Since 2010
Education: Columbia University, New York University, Harvard University, & The New School for Social Research
Dr. Erica Gardner-Schuster Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available Online for residents of New York
- Online Therapy Details: Working through HIPPA compliant Zoom format
Beginning Group means joining a supportive therapeutic community to practice emotional honesty and authentic connection. My groups integrate specialized group therapy, attachment, and trauma training and relational, existential, and spiritual traditions. Group offers a social laboratory to learn more about how you impact others and how others impact you.
I invite you to reach out to talk about joining one of my therapy groups. Group can accompany you on your journey as you heal wounds, find where you belong, and cultivate honest relationships that bring more meaning, connection, play, and love to your life. Are you ready to realize your vision for relationships that nurture and enliven you? If so, I look forward to hearing from you.