Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
For a free 15-minute discovery session
Bringing the Unconscious into the Conscious
Dr. Nicholas Samstag is a licensed clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and psychotherapist who lives and works in New York City. As a contemporary psychoanalyst, Dr. Samstag incorporates many diverse approaches to help his patients explore and overcome current mental health and interpersonal challenges.
These free associations can be the springboard to discovering things that “we didn’t know we knew.” Once we become more aware of our deep-rooted feelings, fears, or misgivings, we can better understand our actions and behaviors. With this increased understanding, comes an increased ability for meaningful transformation.
Welcoming Past and Present Lived Experiences
Our past experiences have a significant impact on how we experience people, places, and situations in the present. Even the experiences that we have during infancy can influence our personality as adults. Nick collaborates, partners, and learns with you about your previous and present attachments, separations, and losses.
Our current experiences as adults in terms of our jobs and our relationships have a major influence on judgement that we pass upon ourselves. If those behaviors and self-judgements seem counterproductive, then Nick will strategize and offer alternative ways of viewing an issue. Essentially, he assists you in “re-cognizing,” that is, trying to look at something in a new way.
Helping You Understand from the Inside
Dr. Samstag has some questions that have proven useful when life situations become problematic.
Am I using external events to impulsively justify my actions? Or am I making better-informed or conscious decisions?
How am I talking about what is happening? Am I getting caught up in panic and group hysteria? Or am I trying to understand the facts and draw thoughtful conclusions?
How much of my media consumption is feeding my sense of unease and making it harder to manage? What am I going to do about it?
By gaining an understanding of how our past impacts our interpretation of the present, we can potentially be more thoughtful and make decisions that will create more stability and better outcomes.
Contact Dr. Samstag to learn more.
What Do Nick’s Patients Say?
“…our sessions have instigated a sort of revolution in my life, an accelerated evolution in my thinking, my feeling, and my being. He has a very feet-on-the-ground, non-woo woo approach that tends to cut straight to the heart of what's going on. He then offers very simple yet effective strategies and ways of viewing issues that have had such a positive effect on my life this review is the least I could do. Whatever you may be struggling with, I would highly recommend Dr. Samstag."
— Anonymous
“Nick Samstag is an extraordinarily gifted psychoanalyst. I’ve worked with him for many years and my life is inexorably improved for it. He is effortlessly empathetic, incisive, and passionate about his work”.
“5 stars doesn’t seem adequate, somehow".
— MS
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Feel free to contact Dr. Samstag to learn about the many types of human difficulties he treats
About Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Dr. Nicholas Samstag is a private practice clinical psychologist and psychotherapist who lives and works in New York City. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in New York State. As a contemporary psychoanalyst, Dr. Samstag incorporates many diverse approaches to help his patients explore and overcome current mental health and interpersonal challenges.
Psychotherapy has evolved significantly since the days of Sigmund Freud and is much more applicable to the complex world that we live in today. The psychoanalytic training, beliefs, and techniques of Dr. Samstag are based on the research and teachings of not only Freud, but numerous other leaders of mental health care, including D.W. Winnicott, and Wilfred Bion.
We invite you to keep reading and learn more about the present-day psychoanalytic psychotherapy that Nick Samstag offers to his patients. It is an underestimation that events in our daily lives and of our world today pose many challenges. You are not alone in feeling overwhelmed, confused, and frustrated. Nick’s collaborative and illuminating form of treatment will help you connect more productively with the myriad of challenges of what it means to be human.
On the Importance of Psychotherapy in Mental Health Care
Psychotherapy has a long history as an integral part of psychiatric treatment. Many tend to equate this form of treatment strictly with Sigmund Freud. Admittedly, Freud’s contributions are substantial. However, the passion and dedication of many researchers and clinicians have created an evolution in traditional psychoanalytic theory. Evidence-based research has demonstrated that psychotherapy can be efficacious as well as cost-effective.
Psychotherapy can be a key intervention for patients who are depressed. Although anti-depressant medication has been shown to alleviate symptoms, many people, such as pregnant and nursing mothers, might not be able to take such medication. This may also be the case for some elderly patients, and those with accompanying medical illnesses.
Certain concepts of psychotherapy have been accepted in most areas of psychology. One of these is the determination that a great deal of our awareness occurs outside of our consciousness. Another is the behavior of selective attention, which has been adopted by teachings in cognitive psychology.
In summary, many of the current psychological interventions can trace their roots back to the research and teachings of psychoanalytic training and treatment.
Getting the Help that You Need
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy has been instrumental in helping countless people successfully navigate through the extremely complex challenges of living, loving, and working in the world (and with the people) of today. After working with Nick, you will notice a transformation in your thinking that will improve your connection with your loved ones and pursue a productive and content way of thinking.
Contact Dr. Samstag today to get the help that you need. Book Now for an online or in-person appointment.
More About Nick Samstag
Dr. Samstag holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Adelphi University in New York State as well as a Certificate of Psychoanalysis from the William Allison White Institute. In addition, he was awarded a fellowship with the Payne Whitney Clinic. As a clinical supervisor, Dr. Samstag mentors and trains others in pursuing their master’s degree or Ph.D. in mental health and psychological counseling.
“There is nothing deep down inside us except what we have put there ourselves”