Joe Cohen, LCSW-R

I am a psychotherapist and certified psychoanalyst in private practice in Manhattan with more than 15 years of experience helping people work through anxiety, depression, substance use, relationship difficulties, and other emotional challenges.

I believe therapy is first and foremost a helping relationship. My aim is to create a thoughtful, nonjudgmental environment where you can speak openly, including about things you find embarrassing, confusing, or difficult to admit. I take your suffering seriously and remain curious about aspects of your experience that neither of us may yet recognize. Our work is directed toward meaningful changes in your emotional life and relationships.

Listening and early experience

Before becoming a psychotherapist, I trained as a classical pianist and taught piano to children for many years. My experience as a musician sharpened my ability to listen closely: to what is being said, to tone and feeling, and to what may be difficult to put into words. My years of working with children also inform my understanding of how early experiences continue to shape us as adults, particularly for people who have experienced developmental trauma.

Personality, identity, and relationships

I have a particular interest in personality and personality disorders. I completed specialized training at Columbia University’s Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research in Transference-Focused Psychotherapy, an evidence-based treatment developed for people whose difficulties are rooted in enduring patterns of personality and relationships.

As a psychoanalyst, I am also especially interested in questions of identity, gender, sexuality, sexual orientation, and the ways personality, sexuality, relationships, and culture intersect. I welcome open, thoughtful, and nonjudgmental conversations about all aspects of your life, including concerns related to sex and sexuality.

Training and clinical experience

I received my MSW from New York University and completed my psychoanalytic training at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy. I subsequently completed a two-year postgraduate program in Transference-Focused Psychotherapy at Columbia University’s Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research.

Before entering private practice, I provided psychotherapy in community mental health, a methadone maintenance clinic, a psychoanalytic training clinic, and New York University’s Counseling Center.

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