Nathaniel Smith

Nathaniel Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who welcomes couples, families, and individual clients across the lifespan to his practice in New York. He often works with clients for such issues as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and anger management.

Nathaniel has advanced training in adult group psychotherapy, which he uses either independently of – or in conjunction – with individual therapy. Group has been shown to be just as effective or more effective than individual therapy in most situations; an individual therapist can tell you that you are not alone in facing difficulties, but group members can ground you in the experience of it. Learning the manner in which different members see you opens up new possibilities for the way you view yourself. Listening to other group members can create a sense of permission to say what you might otherwise be uncomfortable to say alone in an individual session. The differing dynamics of group therapy can access issues that aren’t reached as effectively in individual therapy. When undertaken at the same time they can often enhance the work being done in the other format. This can a be a very effective approach for sticky issues that don’t seem to progress well enough in individual therapy.

In his work with children and teens, Nathaniel integrates play and talk therapy with parent and family meetings as indicated. Less verbal kids or teens (aged 4 and older) discover a wide range of toys and activities in his office, facilitating the language of play in communicating their struggles. Parents receive guidance on the important emotional talk or play themes emerging in sessions while often learning to utilize behavioral or parenting strategies that can support their child. Family sessions are implemented with families more inclined to work together on problems or to help ease the pressure of focus on one family member, among other uses. Problems with attention, socialization, trauma, divorce, oppositional or aggressive behavior, substance abuse and academic performance are among the many typical problems addressed in his practice.

Child and adult play is sometimes referred to as a “transitional space” – a place where problems can be sorted through more freely outside of the pressures of reality. Central to Nathaniel's approach to adult individual, group, or couples psychotherapy is an effort to build such an atmosphere of shared creative exploration. Adults and couples with whom he works grow in accepting a wider range of their thoughts, feelings and experiences. In so doing, they put more of them into the words that become the vehicles for self-understanding, growth and healing.

Nathaniel's office is located in downtown Pleasantville, NY immediately across from the Jacob Burns Film center. It is convenient to access from the train as well as the Saw Mill and Taconic Parkways. He looks forward to speaking to explore the possibility of working together!