Ida

Ida Hammer, MSW

Clinical Social Worker

“Compassion-minded therapy for trans and nonbinary people, women and femme well-being and liberation. Letters for gender affirming care.”

About Me

I'm an intersectional trans feminist-based therapist who is compassion focused, well-being centered, and liberation oriented. I've been working in solidarity with our communities for two decades. As a queer femme trans woman, I understand the value in seeing a therapist with a shared identity. I'm trained in Compassion Focused Therapy, a holistic biopsychosocial model that recognizes the impact our social context has on our mental distress.

Approach

Compassion for our personal and collective suffering has the ability to change our lives, the lives of others, and the world. This requires the courage to open to the suffering of ourselves and others, along with the motivation to take actions to prevent and alleviate it. Well-Being means shifts away from a pathologizing focus on treatment of disorders and trauma towards nurturing individual and collective transformation that promotes greater possibilities for overall physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being. Liberation guides the transformative process of addressing intersecting power dynamics of privilege and oppression among individuals and groups. The personal and social are interdependent, therefore personal and collective liberation are mutually related.
Contact Ida

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

Online Only

Services

Individual weekly therapy. Letters of support for gender affirming surgeries and procedures.

Services Offered:

  • Free Consultation

    A no-cost initial session to meet the therapist, discuss needs, and decide whether they are the right fit before committing.

  • Mindfulness

    The practice of paying deliberate attention to the present moment without judgement, used to reduce stress and increase awareness of automatic reactions.

    Learn more about Mindfulness
  • Psychotherapy

    In-depth therapeutic work that explores patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships to produce lasting psychological change.

    Learn more about Psychotherapy
  • Individual Therapy

    One-on-one therapy sessions between a client and a therapist, focused on that person's specific concerns and goals.

    Learn more about Individual Therapy
  • Online Therapy

    Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.

    Learn more about Online Therapy
  • Counselling

    A form of talk therapy providing a safe, confidential space to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviours with a trained professional.

    Learn more about Counselling
  • Supervision & Training

    Combined clinical supervision and professional development for mental health practitioners building their skills and expertise.

    Learn more about Supervision & Training
  • Individual Psychotherapy

    In-depth one-on-one therapy that explores the deeper roots of a person's difficulties, often drawing on psychodynamic or psychoanalytic models.

  • Online Counselling

    Counselling conducted via video, phone, or secure messaging, providing professional support remotely.

    Learn more about Online Counselling
  • Wellness Support

    Holistic support focused on overall well-being, including stress management, lifestyle balance, and building sustainable healthy habits.

Works With:

  • Adults
  • Individuals

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Anxiety

    Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

    Learn more about Anxiety
  • LGBTQI+ Support

    The unique psychological experiences of LGBTQI+ individuals, including identity exploration, coming out, discrimination, minority stress, and relationship dynamics.

  • Online Therapy

    Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.

    Learn more about Online Therapy
  • Self-Esteem

    A person's overall sense of their own worth and value. When chronically low, it can drive self-doubt, avoidance, and difficulty in relationships.

    Learn more about Self-Esteem
  • Shame

    A deep, painful emotion involving the belief that one is fundamentally flawed or unworthy, which can affect self-perception and relationships.

    Learn more about Shame
  • Stress / Burnout

    The body and mind's response to prolonged or excessive demands. When sustained, it can lead to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced functioning (burnout).

    Learn more about Stress / Burnout
  • Depression

    A mood disorder marked by persistent low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, and changes in energy, sleep, or appetite that impair daily functioning.

    Learn more about Depression
  • Gender Identity & Self-Image

    A person's internal sense of their own gender, which may or may not align with the sex assigned at birth, and the distress or exploration that can accompany this.

  • Identity & Self-Image

    A person's sense of who they are, including their values, beliefs, roles, and self-perception, and the distress that arises when this sense is unclear, fragmented, or negative.

  • Self-Care

    Deliberate actions taken to maintain or improve one's own mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

    Learn more about Self-Care

Professional Title:

  • Clinical Social Worker

    A social worker trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions through therapy, often in healthcare or community settings.

Credentials

Registrations

Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)

LCSW

Verify License

Qualifications

Master of Social Work

Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)

Year: 2014

Service Areas

Ida Hammer

Online Only

New York

United States