About Dr. Sachs

I am a licensed psychologist practicing telehealth in CA and NY. I specialize in trauma, occupational stress, depression, anxiety, and adjustment issues. I grew up in rural New York, have supported clients in urban environments from the NY housing projects to Silicon Valley, and lived abroad while conducting human rights research.

In addition to my private practice, I am Program Director of the Journalist Trauma Support Network (JTSN), a program of the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma. My previous positions include staff psychologist at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, adjunct professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, and research coordinator at the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture.

MY THERAPY APPROACH

I rely on treatments that are active, present-focused, and informed by research. I have advanced training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness training, and trauma-focused therapy. I trust these treatments because I have seen my clients make profound changes in weeks or months, instead of years.

It takes courage to ask for help making personal change.  As a partner in wellness, I am committed to providing a safe, respectful and comfortable space for individuals of all races and genders to explore difficult feelings and try out new strategies.

WHAT IS CBT?

CBT is an approach to treatment that helps clients understand how thoughts and feelings influence their actions. When we become aware of our "automatic" thoughts and beliefs, we begin to see that certain emotional and behavioral patterns are just one option for reacting to stress - and we can learn new ones. In many cases, research has shown CBT to be as effective or more effective than drug therapy or other approaches to psychotherapy. It is a collaborative, goal-oriented, and generally time-limited approach. CBT involves work both in therapy and between sessions, so clients can practice new skills.

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention to the present moment. When we are practicing Mindfulness, we are observing our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and environment without judging them as "good" or "bad." This allows us to recognize that our thoughts and emotions are transient and do not define us - an insight that can free us from destructive patterns. Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist meditation, but has become an integral part of many secular Western therapies. Clinical research suggests that regular practice improves focus, increases positive emotions and decreases negative emotions and stress, and enhances relationships, among other health benefits.

Education and Training

I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fordham University and my B.A. in Sociology from Lewis & Clark College. I completed a Predoctoral Internship and a Postdoctoral Fellowship in trauma and Primary Care Psychology at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

I have been honored to receive additional training from:

University of California, San Francisco Dept. of Psychiatry

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center Department of Psychiatry

Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture

St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Child and Family Institute

Bellevue Hospital Intensive Personality Disorders Program

In my own research, I have investigated human adaptation across diverse settings, from a cancer center in NYC to a refugee settlement in Northern India. I share my findings in scientific journals and at international conferences. Click on the links below for a sample:

On Sinking and Swimming: Hope, Hopelessness and Acceptance in Terminal Cancer. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Trauma and Coping among Tibetan Refugees in India. Journal of Traumatic Stress.