WELCOME TO GROUNDWORK THERAPY
Take a seat.
Our Brooklyn-based team of licensed clinical psychologists and therapists serve adults, teens, and couples throughout Brooklyn, Manhattan, and greater NYC, offering in-person therapy at our Brooklyn office and virtual therapy across New York State.
We welcome individuals of all genders, sexualities, and cultural backgrounds.
We’re ready to meet you, whether in our comfy offices or on your computer. Let’s do what works best for you.
OUR SERVICES
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We provide active, depth-oriented, collaborative therapy.
Our therapists work from a contemporary, relational psychodynamic perspective and incorporate techniques from CBT and DBT when helpful.
We are trauma-informed and gender-and-sexuality-affirmative.
Read more about individual therapy at Groundwork.
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At Groundwork Therapy, we create a safe, supportive space where teens feel heard and understood. We're here to help you make sense of it all—stress, relationships, school, family, identity—whatever you're facing. This is your space to talk, vent, ask questions, and figure things out with someone who listens without judgment. We work together to help you feel more in control, more confident, and more you.
Read more about our approach to Teen Therapy.
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At Groundwork Therapy, our interpersonal process therapy groups focus on real, in-the-moment connection. Our group leader will guide you in exploring how you relate to others, gain insight into patterns, and practice new ways of connecting in a supportive, authentic environment. It’s a powerful space for self-discovery, emotional growth, and building deeper, healthier relationships.
We currently offer both virtual and in-person groups.
Learn more about Therapy Groups at Groundwork.
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Groundwork Therapy offers supportive, thoughtful supervision and consultation for therapists of all degrees and experience levels. We provide a collaborative space to reflect on clinical work, deepen therapeutic skills, and explore professional development.
Our Supervision Group is held on a weekly basis and led by Dr. Melissa Johnson, who has over 15 years of clinical experience and specializes in relational psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Read more about our Supervision & Consultation Group.
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Our couples therapists are active, engaged, and flexible Our therapists are trained in a variety of couples therapy approaches, including Gottman, EFT, psychodynamic couples therapy, and narrative relational sex therapy.
We believe that effective couples therapy requires that the therapist assess each partnership according to its specific needs and goals - no rigid, one-size-fits-all approach here. And no worksheets.
Want to learn more about Couples Therapy?
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We provide a semi-structured premarital counseling program for couples preparing for marriage or long-term commitment.
Our therapists guide couples through focused conversations about communication, conflict, sexual intimacy, finances, family relationships, values, and future goals.
This program helps couples identify strengths, anticipate challenges, and build a stronger foundation for their life together.
Read more about premarital counseling at Groundwork.
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We provide family therapy for parents, adult children, siblings, and other family members seeking to strengthen relationships and navigate challenges together.
Our therapists help families better understand patterns of communication, conflict, caregiving, and connection.
Family therapy can support families through life transitions, mental health concerns, relationship strain, and periods of change while creating space for more productive and meaningful conversations.
Read more about family therapy at Groundwork.
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We provide comprehensive, collaborative evaluations for ADHD and autism in teens and adults.
Our assessment process integrates clinical interviews, standardized measures, and a thorough exploration of developmental, educational, and psychosocial history.
These assessments can help clarify diagnoses, support requests for academic or workplace accommodations, and guide treatment planning and self-understanding.
We offer neurodiversity-affirming evaluations designed to provide clarity, deepen self-understanding, and identify meaningful next steps.
Read more about ADHD and autism assessments at Groundwork.
Therapy For Everyone
Therapy For Everyone
Our therapists have extensive education, training, and clinical experience in gender and sexual diversity.
We are that safe, comfortable place to explore your gender or sexuality no matter where you fall on the spectrum. Our clients are straight couples and queer couples, monogamous and poly, cisgender, non-binary and transgender, and every experience in between.
We use an affirmative approach to therapy, which means we use only those labels and pronouns that you use.
And, while you may identify as trans, queer, gay, sexually fluid, poly, asexual, or simply in love with someone of the same gender, we also recognize that these identities and relationships may have nothing to do with your reasons for seeking therapy. Your sexuality, gender identity, and relationships are only the focus for therapy if you want them to be.
MEET THE TEAM
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![A woman with long black hair, light skin, and hazel eyes smiling outdoors in front of a background of multi-story brick buildings and stairs.]()
MELISSA JOHNSON, PSYD
Co-Director & Licensed Psychologist
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![A woman with long, straight brown hair smiling outdoors on a city street with trees and brick buildings in the background.]()
PHILICIA RUBIN, PSYD
Co-Director & Licensed Psychologist
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![A woman with long dark hair, glasses, and a small nose piercing, smiling outdoors with greenery and blurred buildings in the background.]()
EMILY CAPPELL-SCHULTZE, LMSW
Therapist
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![Close-up of a smiling young woman with long dark hair, wearing hoop earrings and a green sweater, standing outdoors in front of a brick building.]()
ANA LOMIDZE, PSYD
Postdoctoral Psychologist
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![Close-up of a young woman with short brown hair, blue eyes, and a friendly smile outdoors with blurred buildings and stairs in the background.]()
CORINNE LYKINS, PSYD
Licensed Psychologist
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![Portrait of a smiling woman with shoulder-length curly brown hair and blue eyes, outdoors with greenery and stairs in the background.]()
HANNAH GARTNER, LMSW
Therapist
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![Close-up of a smiling woman with long brown hair wearing tortoiseshell glasses and a black shirt, outdoors with a blurred background of a brick building and potted plants.]()
ABBEY MAXBAUER, LMSW
Therapist
How do I choose a therapist?
Therapists come in many varieties—all sorts of combinations of theoretical orientations, techniques, methods, personalities, individual styles, letters after their names, tissue box sizes and office decors. Knowing how to pick one and what matters most when doing so can feel overwhelming. And the internet has as many opinions about what kind of therapy is “best” as there are options.
Well, we delight in answering this question simply: The right therapist for you is the one that is your best fit.
Your relationship with your therapist is probably the most important factor in determining whether your therapy will be effective. (Seriously, the research shows it.) The initial fit is about chemistry. The ease with which you can open up. Feeling seen and understood. Feeling safe and supported, yet still empowered and in control. Feeling that your therapist meets you where you are. Feeling that they are genuinely invested in your growth and wellbeing. Feeling that you can show up in whatever state you are in and that it will be embraced. Feeling that they get you.
Sometimes knowing whether you found the right fit happens only after meeting with more than one therapist. Don’t be afraid to try a few out. Trust your intuition.
Meet our Therapy Pup, Apollo.
Licensed Psychologists and Therapists in Brooklyn
Groundwork Therapy is a team of licensed clinical psychologists and therapists providing in-person therapy at our Brooklyn office and virtual therapy for clients across New York State. We also work with individuals, couples, and teens living in Manhattan who choose to commute to Brooklyn for care or engage in virtual therapy.
Our Brooklyn office serves clients from neighborhoods including Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, and Downtown Brooklyn.