Edw. M. Steen, PhD

ADDICTIONS

I first trained in the treatment of addictions at the Growth & Recovery Program at North Central Bronx Hospital as an intern, then went on to work at its sister program at Jacobi Medical Center as a staff psychologist.  I found myself particularly drawn to this work, and later was promoted to Program Coordinator of the Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Program, also at Jacobi.  After I left Jacobi to build my practice, I took on a part time supervisory position at Beth Israel Medical Center, coordinating the addictions component of the doctoral psychology internship program.

In my private practice, I work with clients who are working a 12-step program, and those who are not.  Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, I can work towards either harm reduction or abstinence goals (this would be discussed in more detail during the consultation).  

I am also able to provide referrals to high-quality rehabs, IOP’s, experienced psychiatrists, sober coaches, therapy groups, acupuncture, and can assist in finding 12-step support groups as necessary.

LIFE TRANSITIONS

I have been able to help with a number of key life transitions that have been troubling to my clients.  Transitions can affect us profoundly, and often in counter-intuitive ways (e.g., a job promotion can give us the blues for a variety of reasons; moving to a city you love can do the same). 

GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE and moving into the workforce:  Young adults are having a particularly difficult transition from late adolescence into early adulthood.  Our current culture does not have useful structures in place to help with this transition.

JOB CHANGES & PROMOTIONS: Sometimes job changes are explicitly stressful (getting laid off, forced changes), but even positive job changes such as promotions are usually very stressful, bringing new responsibilities, the need for new skill sets, and new business relationship challenges.  I have found that using the lens of systems dynamics (the roles that get played out, the power games that are going on nearly all the time) can be immensely helpful, both to understand the new job situation and also to help craft new strategies to be effective and fulfilled in the new position.

PARENTHOOD: Once again, there have been so many changes in family and work life that there are few reliable guidelines to refer to after the birth of a child.

RETIREMENT: For countless generations, the transition into our “golden years” marked a passing into a highly esteemed and respected community of elders.  It has been widely acknowledged that our culture overlooks our elders.  This makes this extremely important life transition fraught with anxiety.

EXPATRIATES

New York has long been a magnet for expatriates. But even if you come from Montana or Tennessee, you can think of yourself as an expatriate of sorts, since New York can feel like a country of its own, and sometimes like a force to be reckoned with as well.  If you have come here to part of something, then you are a member of the group that E.B. White referred to as "the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something,” the people who give the city its passion.  Moving to New York, especially in the last 10 years or so, can feel like a culture shock, and, unlike the days when Greenwich Village was an affordable neighborhood for poets and musicians, the cost and pressure of living in the city is profound and there are few guidelines or resources to assist with this transition.  This is where I can be of help.

Over the years I have worked with clients who grew up, or whose parents grew up, in Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Romania, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, South Africa, India, China, Japan, Australia, Brazil, and Cuba, as well as from many states from all over the US.  Different cultures have different traditions around emotional expression, pride and humility, confrontation, and family roles.  My clients have told me that I have been able to help them navigate the cultural differences between their homelands and New York, and that they feel that I have been able to help them hold onto their heritage and be a "real New Yorker" as well.

NEWCOMERS

I was taught early in my training that there is nothing magical about psychotherapy.  It is just a conversation.  A unique kind of conversation, to be sure, but a conversation that should be accessible to anyone.

I work with many people who have never been in therapy before.  I work with a lot of men who never thought they would set foot in a therapist's office.  Almost to a person, these "newcomers" have settled into the therapeutic process quickly and easily, and frequently find themselves discussing aspects of their lives they never thought they would talk about to anyone, and feel relief in doing so.

I try to keep the conversation straightforward and transparent.  I have always found that this is the best way to develop a strong partnership with my clients.

PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT

I practice a form of personality assessment developed by Dr Stephen Finn in Austin, Texas, called Therapeutic Assessment, which is a highly collaborative form of testing in which the client, referring clinicians and I work together to define the pressing testing questions.  I only make use of tests that have a high degree of empirical validation, and pay careful attention to choosing tests that will provide the maximum clinical information without exhausting the client.

See this brief interview about my assessment consulting work with the Freedom Institute.