PRISCILLA CHIN, LCSW (she/her)

Priscilla Chin

Hi, I’m Priscilla.

You’re realizing the past still hurts. Painful experiences in your childhood colored your inner world gray… Lingering wounds like childhood trauma, narcissistic parents, enmeshment in your family, and betrayal trauma impact how you see yourself and interact with others. You want to break free of old pain but don’t know where to start. You are not alone. 

Many high functioning adults deal with the hidden aftereffects of dysfunction in their family of origin. They inhabit roles of perfectionist, people-pleaser, or high achiever attempting to compensate for deeply internalized self-blame, shame, or inadequacy.

You want more than just surviving – you want to thrive and be less burdened by the past. This is completely possible, even if it doesn’t feel like it now. 

Providing Virtual Therapy in New York, New Jersey, and DC.

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Working with me

Oftentimes, the reason that led you to seek therapy is just the tip of the iceberg. 

My approach is to help you address the core issues underlying your struggles. Using a blend of brainspotting and psychoanalysis, we can tap into the connection between your body, brain, and emotional experiences to work through stuck points in your inner world

I am interactive and collaborative, which means that I won’t sit and stare at you quietly for the whole session. In fact, we will work together in this journey towards self-discovery, healing, and growth.

Even though there are no quick fixes or easy answers when it comes to healing, people can experience growth and development as they work through past traumas. Successful professionals struggling with high-functioning anxiety and depression can finally move toward clarity and fulfillment in their inner world. 

I also invite you to bring all the nuanced and diverse parts of your identity to this process. As an Asian American therapist, I am sensitive to the ways that our genders, racial-ethnic identities, countries of origin, sexual orientations, personal and family immigration histories, religions, abilities and body sizes can shape our inner thought and emotional life. Often, our psychological issues have some history in inherited pain or trauma that has been passed down for decades. Together, we can work through those experiences to help you develop a more cohesive sense of self.

About Me

I believe that our self-awareness is vital to overcoming emotional pain and living a meaningful life. Growing up  in an immigrant Chinese family,  I’ve always been fascinated by the mental and emotional world of people around me. The human psyche is so complex! 

Although mental health was not spoken about within the different communities I belonged to growing up, I had a gnawing sense that whenever someone was labeled ‘“lazy”, “selfish”, or “attention-seeking” by the media, people in my school, or communities I belong to, it was simply not enough. I wanted to understand others and how they came to be. When I became a therapist, this passion solidified; I witnessed the changes and possibilities clients experience as they grow to understand themselves on a deeper level. There is so much more to everyone, you included, if you are willing to do the work and look within. 

The journey of self-discovery, self-exploration, and healing is by no means easy or quick but it’s one of the best gifts you can give to yourself. 

My Approach

Education

Four -Year Psychoanalytic Training, Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy (2022)

Brainspotting Phase 1 (2024)

Master of Social Work, Silberman School of Social Work a Hunter College (2017)

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Magna Cum Laude, New York University (2014)

2-Day: Trauma Conference: The Body Keeps Score-Trauma Healing with Bessel van der Kolk, MD (2020)

SPECIALTIES

ADD/ADHD

Anxiety

Attachment wounds related to dating, codependency, peer relationships, relationships

Autism

Codependency

Cultural Adjustment

Dissociation & emotional numbing

Enmeshment

LGBTQIA & Sexuality

OCD

Self-harm

Racial & cultural identity

Religious trauma

POPULATIONS

Teens

Young Adults

Adults

Couples

Prioritize your mental health and self-care from the comfort of your home.

Schedule a phone consult here. We’ll chat about any questions you might have, and it’ll be an opportunity for me to learn more about you and what you’re going through.

Testimonials

M.R.
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I tried two Betterhelp therapists before I came here.. wow the difference between the quality of therapy is notable. Quality therapy is different. My therapist isn't distracted. She remembers what I tell her and notices patterns. I'm glad I didn't just give up on therapy when it didn't pan out the first two times.
A.P.
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I originally had some anxiety about therapy but it's been helpful to talk through that along with other childhood issues I've been dealing with.
S.L.
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I've met Priscilla through our supervision group through the years. As a therapist myself, I can tell she is very punctual, empathetic, compassionate and an excellent listener. She also is resourceful and has wonderful clinical training especially in trauma and working with first generation American adults. You are in good hands, I highly recommend her!
A.B.
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After working alongside Priscilla for several years, I can confidently say that she is a highly competent psychotherapist. She is knowledgeable, empathic, self-aware, respectful - qualities that make for the best therapists! Priscilla has advanced training in psychodynamic therapy and specializes in treating, among other conditions, high-functioning anxiety, complex PTSD, unresolved childhood trauma, and difficulties related to self-esteem. Her approach to therapy is one that goes beyond teaching coping skills to assist her clients in their journey toward emotional wellness and self-discovery...
S.S.
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Priscilla is a wonderful colleague. She is a kind, insightful, and attentive therapist who is committed to her patients’ growth and who will support them throughout their journeys.
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What should someone know about working with you?

Therapy is an investment in yourself and your self-care.

Even though there are no quick fixes or easy answers when it comes to healing, people can experience growth and development as they work through past traumas. Successful professionals struggling with high-functioning anxiety and depression can finally move toward clarity and fulfillment in their inner world. 

I believe that your self-awareness is vital to overcoming emotional pain and living a meaningful life.

Cultivating and deepening your self-awareness is a journey towards recognizing and understanding all aspects of yourself, the things that trigger you, your inner dialogues, your emotions, including difficult ones such as shame, jealousy, and anger.

Without understanding yourself, you may inadvertently remain stuck in patterns of thinking, feeling, and being that stifle the quality of your life.

There is so much more to everyone, you included if you are willing to do the work and look within.

Deepening your self-awareness and helping you heal from past pains is my aim in therapy.

Click here to learn more about what makes our practice different.

FAQs

Meeting consistently and stably on a weekly basis will help build safety and trust, which is essential for the work to progress on a deeper level. Biweekly sessions impact the effectiveness of therapy. 

Often, meeting less frequently results in a ‘catch up’ type of session and does not allow for the time, space, and emotional capacity needed to address what goes on beneath the surface.

Depending on the level of our work, there are also times when meeting two or more times a week is appropriate, and that will always come from us talking and making that decision together.

Therapy can last any time between a year to many more, as long as you are still progressing from our work. The length of therapy depends on what you want and need, and what you want/need can be fluid and dynamic. 

Healing and personal growth is not strict or predictable. You can start off by wanting to address something very specific (e.g. “I want to feel less anxious”), but through our work together could realize a deeper meaning to these anxious symptoms (e.g. “I feel anxious because I am terrified of intimacy” to “I’ve had very familiar experiences of being emotionally suffocated when I was close to people”). Realizing these deeper long-standing issues may then shape the focus and length of treatment. 

Regardless of why you are seeking therapy and how long you hope to be in treatment, it is important to remember that your thoughts and input are invaluable to us, and the pace and length of treatment will always be a collaborative discussion.

No information will be released without your written consent unless mandated by law. Possible exceptions to confidentiality include but are not limited to the following situations: child abuse; abuse of the elderly or disabled; criminal prosecutions; situations where the client is a danger, physically or emotionally, to themselves or another person. 

Anyone who wants a space to explore and discover more about themselves can benefit from therapy. If you’re unsure, try asking yourself these questions:

  • Am I content with the way I live my life?
  • Is the way I live myself and relate to others congruent with what I authentically value , feel, and want?
  • Are there areas of my life or self-development that I feel stuck in?
  • Have I been trying the same things over and over again to feel better, expecting different results, but still feeling stagnant?

You may not need to know the full answer to these questions to try a few sessions. Sometimes, mulling this over aloud with a therapist can help you sort out your thoughts and answers. That’s also part of the therapy process!

A 45-minute session for individual therapy is $250 and 60-minute session for couples therapy is $330. Limited sliding scale slots are available depending on financial need.

We are out-of-network providers for all major insurances, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, and United Health Care. 

Out-of-network psychotherapy coverage varies by carrier and policy. If you have out-of-network coverage, you can get reimbursed approximately 50-80% of each session after the deductible is met. It can be confusing if you don’t know the right questions to ask. Here is some guidance below.

Here are 3 simple steps.

Therapists, like all humans, have different personalities and ways of working. Naturally, not everyone will be a match for each other. That being said, we are still happy to have been a part of your journey and want to help in any way we can by offering recommendations for your therapist search as well as reaching out to our networks to see if anyone offers the kind of therapy you are looking for 🙂 

Therapy at our practice is not a passive process or a quick solution. People seeking a quick fix without having to do much work themselves may not be a good fit. Therapy is a gradual and ongoing process. It involves self-discovery, exploration, and developing coping mechanisms over time. Meaningful change often requires time and consistent effort.

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Psychodynamic Therapy

Interested in a therapeutic approach that goes beyond surface-level symptom relief and dives into the underlying roots of your challenges? In this blog post, we will geek out (in detail!) on all the aspects of psychodynamic therapy, a therapeutic approach that helps you uncover the underlying patterns, unresolved conflicts, and unconscious processes that may hold you back.

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