Do you accept medical insurance for psychotherapy sessions?

Yes, I'm out-of-network with most insurance plans. You pay at the time of session, and I'll give you a superbill which you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement. It's worth calling your insurer to ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits — many people are surprised by what's covered.

Are your psychotherapy sessions available online or in-person?

Yes — both in-person in Astoria and mostly online via a secure platform. We can figure out what works best for you.

What should I consider when determining if I am the right therapist for you?

Honestly, the relationship matters as much as the method. I'd say give it a few sessions and pay attention to whether you feel heard and comfortable being honest.

Tamar Kipnis, LP – Somatic Psychoanalyst & Trauma Specialist,IFS, EMDR

For over 30 years, I've been helping people in New York work through things that feel stuck — old patterns, painful memories, anxiety that won't quit, relationships that keep going sideways. My approach draws mainly on Psychoanalysis, IFS, and EMDR, which together allow us to understand why you're feeling the way you are, and actually do something about it. Sessions are thoughtful and collaborative, and grounded in the belief that real change happens when we tend to both the mind, the body (and our spirit).

Your Path To Calm

About

My Journey to Supporting Yours

I'm a Licensed Psychoanalyst with training in Relational psychoanalysis, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR. What that means in practice: I don't just talk about what's happening — we work to understand it at a deeper level, and then actually shift it.

My background is a little unusual. I started out as a dance/movement therapist, which gave me an early appreciation for how much the body holds — stress, grief, old experiences that never fully got processed. That sensibility runs through everything I do, even in sessions that are mostly conversation.

Over the years I've worked with people dealing with anxiety, depression, complex trauma, and the quieter kinds of suffering that are hard to name but very real. I have offices in Astoria and mostly work online.

Services

Psychoanalysis & Relational Work:
Sometimes what's most useful is slowing down and really looking at the patterns — in relationships, in how you see yourself, in the stories you carry about who you are. This is longer, deeper work, and for the right person, it changes things in a lasting way. We get to know and understand our multiple self-states and develop new internal connections.

IFS (Internal Family Systems):

Most of us have parts of ourselves that seem to be working against us — the part that shuts down, the part that lashes out, the part that's never satisfied. IFS is a way of getting to know those parts without judgment, understanding what they're protecting, and helping the whole system work better together.

Trauma & EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing):
Some experiences leave a mark that doesn't fade just by talking about them. EMDR is a way of revisiting those experiences so the memory loses its charge; it tends to work faster than traditional talk therapy for this kind of thing, and the results tend to stick.

Executive Burnout & Chronic Stress:
High-functioning doesn't mean fine. A lot of people who come to see me are holding a lot together on the outside while something's quietly fraying on the inside. We work on both the symptoms and what's driving them.

Testimonials

"Tamar Kipnis is one of the most compassionate, brilliant, creative and knowledgeable therapists I have ever encountered. I feel safe, heard, cared for, and hopeful for the future in one of the darkest times in my life."

- MR

"Tamar is smart, professional & caring. She really helped me to think about things in a way I never could have on my own. I feel so lucky to have worked with her. I have seen many positive changes in my life since working with her and can’t recommend her highly enough!"

- EA

"Psychotherapy and Authentic Movement with Tamar changed my life and empowered me to create wonderful career, secure and wholesome relationships with my partner, family and friends."

- ET