What to Expect As The Partner of A Childhood Trauma Survivor
What to expect in a relationship with a trauma survivor who may be beginning treatment.
Johanna Dobrich
Licensed Clinical Social Workers
“An experienced psychoanalytic psychotherapist treating a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues from a relational lens.”
About Me
This experienced psychoanalytic psychotherapist helps individuals unravel complex emotional and behavioural patterns. By working through a relational lens, sessions explore how past experiences shape present struggles and relationships. Clients seeking to understand the deeper roots of their difficulties will find a supportive space to navigate their inner world. The therapeutic relationship itself becomes a valuable tool for growth and insight.
Approach
Sessions move between careful listening and gentle interpretation, following patterns that surface in how you feel and relate. In my New York office or via English-language online sessions I aim for steady pacing—sometimes slow and reflective, sometimes focused and exploratory—so adolescents, adults and couples can track shifts between sessions. I use psychoanalytic tools alongside trauma-informed attention to safety, helping clients name repeating dynamics, process grief, or make different choices in relationships. This approach often suits people ready to explore deeper roots and everyday changes.
Contact Johanna
Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.
Basic Information
Services
Services Offered:
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Child Psych & Diagnostic Assessment
Formal assessment of a child's psychological, cognitive, or emotional functioning to identify conditions and guide appropriate support.
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Trauma Counseling
Counselling specifically for people affected by traumatic events, focused on processing what happened and reducing symptoms like flashbacks and hypervigilance.
Learn more about Trauma Counseling - •
Psychoanalysis
An in-depth therapy that explores unconscious patterns, early experiences, and inner conflicts to produce lasting psychological change, typically involving frequent sessions.
Learn more about Psychoanalysis - •
Online Therapy
Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.
Learn more about Online Therapy
Works With:
- •Adolescents
- •Adults
- •Couples
Area of Expertise
Scope of Practice:
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Abuse
Emotional, physical, or sexual mistreatment by another person that causes lasting psychological harm and disrupts a person's sense of safety.
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Life Transitions
Major life changes, such as relocation, retirement, parenthood, or career shifts, that disrupt routine and require psychological adjustment.
Learn more about Life Transitions - •
Anxiety
Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about Anxiety - •
Relationship Issues
Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.
Learn more about Relationship Issues - •
Grief & Loss
The emotional, physical, and psychological response to the death of a loved one or another significant loss.
Learn more about Grief & Loss - •
Mood Disorder
A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.
Learn more about Mood Disorder - •
Trauma
The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.
Learn more about Trauma
Professional Title:
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Licensed Clinical Social Workers
A social worker licensed to provide clinical therapy, diagnosis, and treatment for mental health conditions.
Qualifications
Rutgers University, New York University
Registrations
New York State Education Department; Office of the Professions
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
