Helen Bird is a holistically oriented Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Greenwich Village, New York City. She specializes in trauma recovery, including recovery from sexual abuse and assault, substance use and addictions, anxiety, depression, and binge eating disorder. She has a deep understanding of 12-step programs, and is dedicated to supporting individuals through the recovery process. She has been in private practice for over 25 years.
Helen's work is guided by the understanding that each person has their own deep inner perfection of being. Clients may have lost touch with this, or feel they cannot access it enough to let the best parts of us run their lives; Helen is trained to guide clients back to this wonderful part of them, and in helping them regain it, along with their truth and joy. She offers a safe, authentic relationship, and a warm, sensitive, and engaged style of therapy.
Helen is enthusiastic about using humanistic psychotherapies and integrating mind, body, and spirit to work with clients as a whole person, not a diagnosis. Her eclectic treatment approach focuses on finding one’s truth and happiness and using the best intervention to help her clients. She combines Gestalt therapy, Internal Family Systems, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychodynamic therapy in her practice.
Helen received her Masters in Social Work from NYU, where she trained in developmental and ego psychology, and attended Hampshire and Hunter Colleges as an undergraduate where she focused on creative writing, comparative religion, and psychology.
Substance use recovery - Reducing and preventing the negative impact of drug and alcohol use and addictions on physical, emotional, and relational health
Trauma - Coping and healing after threatening or scary events, such as witnessing accidents or experiencing sexual, verbal, emotional, or physical abuse
Codependency - Support around understanding and connecting with one's own feelings, wants, and voice; detaching from the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of others
Depression - Providing support and promoting healing through hopelessness, low motivation and energy, sadness, irritability, sleep disturbance, and loss of interest and pleasure in life
Relationships - Understanding one’s wants and needs in relationships; exploring patterns of interaction, addressing concerns, and strengthening satisfaction in relationships and dating
Life transitions - Coping with difficult or impactful life changes, such as moving to a new area, relationship transitions, child rearing, or career changes; learning self-care to better manage resulting stress
This provider can support you in getting reimbursement from your insurance company if you are seeking out-of-network reimbursement. Here are the out-of-network billing options they provide:
Frequency of sessions this provider offers to see clients once you are an established client.
I can only accept Medicare clients within New York State.
Years of Experience: 30 years
Private Practice, 1993 - Present
Fifth Avenue Center for Psychotherapy and Counseling, Psychotherapist, 2000 - 2002
Red Cross, 9/11 Mental Health Volunteer, 2001 - 2002
Catholic Charities Woodside Mental Health Clinic, Clinical Social Worker/Supervisor, 1998 - 2000
Teachers College, Columbia University, Practicum Instructor/Supervisor, 1997 - 2000
Community Counseling and Mediation, Senior Clinical Social Worker/Supervisor, 1993 - 1998
Gestalt Associates for Psychotherapy Clinic, Psychotherapist/Clinical Fellowship, 1993 - 1997
Gestalt Associates For Psychotherapy, Clinical Fellowship in Gestalt Therapy, 1992 - 1996
Brooklyn Psychiatric Centers, Clinical Social Work Intern, 1992 - 1993
Elmhurst Hospital Outpatient Mental Hygiene Clinic, Psychiatric MSW Intern, 1991 - 1992
Cabrini Hospice, Hospice Volunteer, 1989 - 1991
Center for Self Leadership, Training in Internal Family Systems, 2005
Ackerman Family Institute & the Children’s Advocacy Center, Training: Children & Trauma, 1997
Columbia University, Seminar in Field Instruction, 1995
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Training: Trauma, 1995
NY Open Center & Institute of Core Energetics, Integrative Therapy Training (Jungian, Freudian, NLP, Psychosynthesis, and Gestalt), 1992
New York University School of Social Work, MSW, 1992
Hunter College, BA, 1989
New York: RO46069
English