Clinical Psychologist
For a free 15-minute discovery session
Dr. Samstag’s Services
“To me, the person is always an individual first, regardless of psychological disturbance.”
-Nick Samstag
Dr. Samstag is a psychoanalyst as well as a clinical psychologist. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and a certificate of psychoanalysis from the William Alanson White Institute. He also has advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples. A strong background in the classics and literature richly informs his work.
Dr. Samstag joins his patients in helping them to discover their own historical narratives.
Getting to the Unknown
(and Understanding It)
While continuing to be respectful of the patient’s presenting problem, he encourages discussion on what lies underneath the problem. Nick works with patients to get down to the bottom of what is not known. In other words, he uses his skills and expertise to get to the patient’s unconscious. This is because it is the struggles of our unconscious that often interfere with our daily function in living, loving, and working.
The pathway to recovery and relief of psychological ailments or life challenges is definitely not a linear one. Dr. Samstag uses the techniques of free association, unstructured discussion, and dream analysis to assist his patients in moving forward with their own winding progression of self-discovery. Oftentimes, he may encounter resistance or avoidance to progress. Nick asks thoughtful questions and shares his observations about the situation until the patient starts to gain insight.
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
Dr. Samstag’s Areas of Expertise
A few areas of expertise are:
Depression
Anxiety
Borderline Personality Disorder
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Dissociative Disorder
Cognitive Disorder
Physical and Emotional Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Irrational Fears and Phobias
Problems with Authority
Substance Abuse
Anger Management
Internet Addiction
Panic Attacks
Dr. Nicholas Samstag is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and psychotherapist living and working in New York City. In addition to individual therapy, Dr. Samstag treats couples, consults, and offers supervision to doctoral psychology students, psychoanalytic candidates, and psychiatry residents.
Contact Dr. Samstag to learn more.
Testimonials
-
![]()
Working with Dr. Samstag has changed my life.
He is smart, funny, compassionate, and insightful. I am much better able to understand and communicate how I feel after working with him. Together, I learned how to pay attention to my feelings, draw boundaries, advocate for myself, and value my own subjectivity in a way that has vastly improved my life.
-C.R. Langston, Senior Partner, N.Y.C, Big Law
-
![]()
Dr. Samstag is a student of culture.
As an artist, finding a psychoanalyst at home in the world of ideas was essential. We talk a lot about dreams — both the nighttime and daytime kind. So it has been interesting to see how both kinds have changed during my time in treatment. His intellectual rigor and genuine curiosity have helped me grow personally and professionally. 11/10 would recommend.
- A. Thomas, Writer / Director
Book online
Feel free to contact Dr. Samstag to learn about the many types of human difficulties he treats.
Dr. Samstag’s Extensive Clinical Experience
As human beings and members of a complex society, we are currently experiencing immensely trying times. Although we live in a free and open society in which all kinds of information are literally at our fingertips, there can be definite downsides. Collectively and individually, we are besieged by the effects of COVID-19, harrowing local, national, and international events, environmental crises, and the impact that social media have on ourselves and our children. In addition to formal psychological and psychiatric diagnoses,
Dr. Samstag has extensive clinical experience in the following areas:
Life skills coaching
Failure to launch
Divorce
Change of career
Couples conflict resolution
School issues
Gay and Lesbian couple issues
Financial challenges
Blended families
Who Should Seek Clinical Psychology or Psychotherapy Services?
Dr. Samstag offers services to those who feel they could have a greater sense of engagement in both love and work. People seek out therapy for several different reasons. These can include relationship issues, financial stress, or perhaps a sudden medical diagnosis. Perhaps you have a childhood history of medical or mental health problems and feel that they are interfering too much with your current daily life.
Sometimes a change in life events, even happy ones such as becoming a parent, can awaken some feelings that you had not noticed previously. It's a sign of strength and resolve (not of weakness) to ask for help when you need it.
During these times it is important that you trust your instincts and not only seek out help from a licensed healthcare professional but from someone who has achieved the highest level of clinical research and clinical training. Dr. Samstag holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and a certificate in psychoanalysis from the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, and Psychology representing precisely that standard.
The Science Behind Psychotherapy and Clinical Psychology Services
The goal is not simply to understand those repressed thoughts and hidden fears but to be able to reexperience them in a safe environment and thereby begin to separate what happened in the past from what is happening now. With these insights, patients are more able to crystalize their relationships with themselves, their loved ones, and the world.
The therapeutic techniques that lead to the best treatment outcomes are briefly described below:
An unstructured, free-flowing open dialogue between patient and therapist.
The identification of recurring themes throughout the life cycle.
The linking of feelings and emotions to past experiences
Helping the patient identify feelings that s/he feels are unacceptable and revealing how the patient may avoid those feelings.
Focusing on the present therapy relationship and drawing connections between that and other relationships.
It is very interesting to note that the same types of interventions above have numerous similarities to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment.
Key Points to Remember
You are a person first, regardless of psychological disorder.
Psychotherapy addresses how unconscious processes can impact our daily lives.
The practice of psychotherapy has evolved significantly since the early 20th century.
People who seek psychotherapy and clinical psychology services do not necessarily need to have a formal psychological diagnosis.