all about Banks
Banks approaches therapy with curiosity, authenticity, and compassion, offering a collaborative space for self-discovery and growth. They work with individuals, couples, families, and groups, tailoring their approach to meet each client’s unique needs. As a psychotherapist and researcher at Columbia University, Banks combines a passionate commitment to understanding life’s complexities with the latest developments in psychology, providing a thoughtful and informed therapeutic experience.
Banks is deeply attuned to the themes of storytelling, attachment, pleasure, meaning, and purpose. Their work invites clients to weave together the threads of their experiences, cultivating richness, depth, and well-being.
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Areas of exploration with clients: Anxiety, depression, complex trauma, personality disorders, life transitions and adjustment, identity and self exploration (LGBTQ+, spiritual/existential, self esteem and confidence), interpersonal and relational issues (couples therapy and alternative relational dynamics, family conflict and dynamics, codependency, attachment, boundaries and communication), physical and emotional wellness (sleep disturbances, stress management, fatigue and burnout, mindfulness and relaxation techniques), coaching for personal growth and development (emotional regulation, goal setting and achievement, exploring meaning and purpose), sexual health and intimacy issues, and psychedelic integration.
Modalities used: Psychodynamics, positive psychology, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), neuroaffective relational model (NARM), internal family systems (IFS), existential and psychospiritual approaches, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) & Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)​
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how she works
Banks’ therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing from modalities such as positive psychology, psychodynamic, existential, mindfulness, and narrative therapies. They believe that symptoms are the psyche's way of communicating with us, guiding clients to explore and nourish their inner selves. Banks fosters acceptance and understanding, even of the parts of ourselves we may find difficult to embrace, helping clients move toward wholeness.
In therapy, Banks works to clarify values and identify character strengths, supporting clients in living intuitively, with greater clarity and peace. Whether addressing acute stressors, identity development, or multigenerational traumas, their work is grounded in reflection, acceptance, and courage. Banks also challenges clients to establish healthy cognitive and behavioral patterns, empowering them to navigate life’s complexities with resilience and insight.
By exploring the depths of their clients’ experiences, Banks helps uncover the inherent complexity and mystery that enriches life. Their ultimate goal is to guide clients toward a more expressive, meaningful, and aligned life.
Bank's Library
Education
Degree M.A. & ed.M.
University Teachers College
Banks holds a Masters of Education in Mental Health and Counseling from Teachers College and a limited permit license in the State of New York.
Certificates and Trainings
Banks completed an advanced certificate program in Sexuality, Women, and Gender, as well as specialized training in Positive Psychology at Columbia University in 2023. Additionally, they completed the workshop How We Change and Why We Don't: The Art and Science of Transformation at the Esalen Institute in 2023 and is currently training in the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) under the supervision of Chandler Winter. Banks has also conducted research on consensual non-monogamy (CNM), alternative sexualities, and minority stress at Columbia University, presenting her findings at the American Psychological Association (APA) conference.