Find your peace

Therapy for Chronic Stress & Trauma in NY/CA

A boutique, individualized approach to healing anxiety, depression & dissociation

Available in-person in NYC and virtually throughout NY State and California

book a free consultation

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How You Might Be Feeling

To the world, you might present like you’ve got it together, but internally, it feels like you’re running on adrenaline and willpower alone.

Maybe your days feel like this:

Your mind is constantly scanning for what might go wrong
You struggle to relax, even when you want to
Your body is tense, tight, buzzing
You feel overwhelmed by small tasks that “shouldn’t” feel overwhelming
You’re easily startled, exhausted or flooded
You hold yourself together for everyone else, then fall apart alone
General feeling of numbness, like you’re just drifting with feeling

Chronic stress and trauma-related anxiety often show up in subtle, cumulative ways: difficulty making decisions, emotional reactivity, irritability, health symptoms, numbness, shutdown, fear of being “too much” or feeling disconnected from yourself and the world around you.

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Trauma isn’t only a single catastrophic event. It’s also prolonged overwhelm—those seasons in life when your system learned it was safer to stay on guard, stay small and stay prepared for the next shock.

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How Do I Know If It’s Time for Therapy?

Your body is telling you something’s wrong.

You’re experiencing chronic tension, headaches, gut issues, panic symptoms, sleep disruption or a sense that your body is “always on.” Stress has become physical, not just emotional.

Your mind feels hijacked.

Intrusive thoughts, looping worries, fear of the future or difficulty concentrating—even when nothing “bad” is happening—have become part of your daily life.

You’re functioning, but not thriving.

You’re technically getting things done, but it requires a level of effort that feels unsustainable. You might feel disconnected from joy, relationships, creativity or yourself.

Old wounds keep getting triggered.

Even if you’ve “moved on,” parts of you still react as if the past is happening right now, whether that’s from childhood trauma, a relationship rupture, a threatening experience or years of chronic pressure.

You’ve tried managing it alone, and it’s no longer enough.

You’ve read the books. You’ve exercised more. You’ve meditated. You’ve pushed yourself harder. And still, something inside doesn’t feel safe.

What We Do

At Atlas, we offer a boutique, trauma-specific and evidence-based approach to therapy. Our office is designed to feel like a sanctuary — a place where your nervous system can finally exhale and our staff are extensively trained to support you.

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What makes us different:

Boutique & limited caseload — we take on only a small number of clients to ensure depth, availability and presence.
Individualized treatment planning — not one-size-fits-all. We co-create your roadmap, shifting direction as you evolve.
Therapies that work — integrative, evidence-based modalities such as EMDR, somatic therapy, internal family systems, mindfulness-based therapies and psycho-education.
Transparent care — we lay out your treatment goals, expected pace and how we’ll measure progress.
Warm, safe environment — our office feels like a sanctuary, not a sterile clinic. Soft lighting, cozy furnishings and intention in every detail.
Ongoing feedback & adjustment — you’re involved in every step. If something isn’t working, we pause, assess and recalibrate.

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Specialized Modalities for Deep Healing

We believe therapy should feel collaborative, structured, and transparent. You’ll always know what we’re working on and why. Together, we create a treatment plan that adapts as you grow. We’ll create worksheets that are specific to the issues coming up for you and that support you in building the skills that you need.

This is highly individualized therapy that is grounded in the latest neuroscience, trauma research and experiential modalities.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a widely practiced therapeutic approach that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. It operates on the principle that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and by altering our thinking, we can positively influence our emotions and actions.
CBT is particularly beneficial for patients dealing with anxiety, depression, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It equips individuals with practical skills to challenge irrational beliefs, manage distressing emotions, and develop healthier coping strategies. CBT empowers patients to take an active role in their recovery, offering structured techniques and exercises to promote lasting change and improve overall well-being.
IFS is a compassionate, evidence-based approach that helps you understand and heal the inner parts of yourself — the anxious part, the overachiever, the caretaker, the protector, the one who dissociates.
Rather than trying to “get rid of” parts of you, IFS helps you build a relationship with them. This process leads to profound self-compassion, integration and emotional balance.

IFS is especially effective for trauma survivors, chronic illness and those who struggle with shame or people-pleasing patterns.
When you befriend your inner world instead of fighting it, healing becomes possible.
EMDR is one of the most well-researched trauma treatments available. It helps your brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer trigger the same emotional or physical reactions.

Through bilateral stimulation (gentle eye movements, tapping, or tones), EMDR allows your nervous system to “digest” old experiences that were once overwhelming.
Clinical research consistently shows EMDR’s effectiveness in reducing symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and chronic stress by helping the brain complete its natural healing process.
EMDR helps clients feel calmer, less reactive, and more emotionally present — even in situations that used to feel unbearable.
For clients whose nervous systems have been locked in chronic distress — often after years of traditional therapy — KAP can accelerate deep emotional healing.
In collaboration with Journey Clinical, we offer a safe, medically supervised KAP model that combines low-dose ketamine sessions with integration therapy to help process trauma and reset patterns of anxiety and depression.

KAP helps reduce avoidance, reconnect you to your body, and access insight that can feel blocked in talk therapy.
KAP has shown remarkable promise in helping clients move through trauma, depression, and chronic stress that previously felt “stuck.”
Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Polyvagal Therapy emphasize the connection between mind and body in healing trauma. Developed by Dr. Peter Levine and influenced by Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory, these modalities focus on releasing stored trauma energy from the body and restoring nervous system regulation.
SE and Polyvagal Therapy are particularly effective for patients struggling with unresolved trauma, including but not limited to PTSD, developmental trauma, and chronic stress. By gently exploring bodily sensations and tracking autonomic nervous system responses, individuals can gradually discharge the overwhelming energy trapped in their bodies from past traumatic events. These approaches offer a safe and supportive space for clients to reconnect with their innate resilience, restore a sense of safety, and cultivate greater well-being, empowering them to live more fully in the present.

Learn more

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Client Testimonials

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Janine has been the most spectacular therapist. She’s always provided a safe and open space for me to speak my thoughts.

I have made leaps and bounds in my progress in my work with her. I would recommend anyone to try therapy with her. She has helped me so much. I’m constantly astounded by how much better my life has gotten since I’ve started working with her.

Virtual therapy with Janine Cheng changed my life in the most beautiful way. She helped me connect with my inner-most self, learn to trust my intuition, cultivate gentleness, and build confidence in my ability to support myself through challenging situations.

I highly recommend Janine if you are looking for therapy that will move you towards supplying your own "therapy" in the long term. I use the skills she taught me on a daily basis, especially when life throws its curveballs. It feels so good to know that everything I need to live a full, grounded life was present within me all along. Working with Janine helped me to uncover that, and I will be forever grateful.

Working with Natalie has been a very meaningful experience. She made me feel understood and helped me learn what self-validation truly means, that my emotions matter and what I feel is real. I came in with a lot of anxiety, ruminations, and compulsive thoughts and behaviors. At first, I sometimes worried about what I should prepare or say in a session, but I quickly realized that I didn’t need to. Natalie taught me the importance of being present in the here and now, and through that I’ve gained real skills to bring myself back, regulate, and find balance. It was always easy to be in the room with her, and I felt safe and supported as I worked through difficult emotions.

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FAQs

Every person’s path is unique. Some clients begin to feel relief within 4-6 months. Others need 6–12+ months for deeper integration. We frame treatment in phases (stabilization, processing, integration) and revisit your plan regularly, so you always know where you're headed.
We offer private-pay therapy. If you have out-of-network benefits, we can provide superbills. Pricing is transparent — you’ll receive a clear fee schedule before committing to sessions. In-person sessions begin at $260/hr.
Depending on your needs, we draw from EMDR, somatic/experiential therapies, brain-based regulation techniques, internal systems work, parts work, mindfulness, and more. We rarely rely solely on “talk therapy”— we aim to work at body, nervous system and relational levels.
Yes. Emotional distress often interacts with physical conditions, intensifying symptoms. We work collaboratively (when desired) with your medical team, help you build self-regulation and resilience and integrate mind/body strategies into your care.
Your safety is foundational. We build trust and stabilization first, pacing the work so that you are supported. We use grounding, titration, pause and renegotiation when you feel triggered. We work together to manage distress, not push past your limits.
Yes. While we prefer in-person sessions for deep somatic and nervous-system work, we offer telehealth or hybrid options when needed (for scheduling, illness, or when you live far away).
We set periodic check-ins (every 4–8 weeks) to assess symptom tracking, subjective experience (how you feel), goals achieved and ask for your own feedback. If something isn’t working, we adjust. Progress is rarely linear, but you’ll always know where you are.
Begin with a free 20-minute consultation call. Your therapist will listen to your story, explain how we work and you’ll decide together whether it is a good match.