American Institute for Cognitive Therapy

American Institute for Cognitive Therapy AICT is an internationally recognized group of clinical psychologists

🛑 Stop believing everything your emotions tell you. These simple mindset shifts can transform how you experience and pro...
08/28/2025

🛑 Stop believing everything your emotions tell you. These simple mindset shifts can transform how you experience and process feelings.

The key? Non-judgmental awareness. When we stop fighting our emotions and start viewing them as temporary messengers carrying important information, everything changes.

✨ Name it, don’t shame it
✨ Remember emotions always pass
✨ Listen to the data, not the drama

Whether it’s anxiety giving you data about your needs, sadness reminding you of your humanity, or anger highlighting your boundaries – every emotion has something valuable to teach you.

Ready to build a healthier relationship with your emotional world? Our CBT therapists are here to guide you on this journey.

📞 Call (212) 308-2440 to schedule your intake.
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Enrollment is now open for our graduate DBT group, led by Dr. Susan Paula. This four-week group is for individuals (ages...
08/27/2025

Enrollment is now open for our graduate DBT group, led by Dr. Susan Paula. This four-week group is for individuals (ages 18+) who have completed a full cycle of DBT skills work. Each week covers essential skills from DBT modules. This is a VIRTUAL group—making it convenient to join. Group starts on September 18th, secure your spot now! Questions? Call us at (212) 308-2440.

Instead of letting worry consume your entire day, try containing it with the Worry Time Technique. 🕐This evidence-based ...
08/26/2025

Instead of letting worry consume your entire day, try containing it with the Worry Time Technique. 🕐

This evidence-based approach (featured in Dr. Robert Leahy’s “The Worry Cure”) helps you take control of your worries instead of letting them control you.

Here’s how it works:
🔹 Schedule just 15 minutes daily for worry
🔹 Write down worries as they pop up during the day
🔹 Save them for your designated worry time
🔹 During worry time: problem-solve what you can, accept what you can’t

The magic? You’re not avoiding your worries—you’re containing them. This creates boundaries around anxious thoughts so they don’t hijack your whole day.

💡 Try it this week: Set a daily 15-minute “worry appointment” and see how it feels to postpone worry rather than eliminate it.

What’s one worry you could save for your worry time today?
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When emotions feel overwhelming, sometimes you need to step back and get some perspective. The “Looking Down from the Ba...
08/22/2025

When emotions feel overwhelming, sometimes you need to step back and get some perspective. The “Looking Down from the Balcony” technique is a powerful CBT tool that helps you create psychological distance from intense thoughts and feelings. Instead of being trapped inside the emotion, you become the observer. Here’s how it works:

🌟Step 1: When overwhelmed, pause and imagine stepping onto a balcony high above your current situation

🌟Step 2: From this elevated view, look down at yourself with curiosity, not judgment - you’re no longer IN the emotion, you’re observing it

🌟Step 3: Ask yourself: “What would I see if this were someone else’s life?” Notice how different the situation looks from this new perspective

🌟Step 4: Describe what you see neutrally - facts, not interpretations. Instead of “I’m failing at everything,” try “I see someone having a difficult day”

🌟Step 5: Gently return to your life with this fresh perspective, remembering you are the observer of your thoughts, not defined by them

This technique helps you see beyond emotional tunnel vision and builds your “observer muscle” - a key skill for managing anxiety and overwhelming emotions. With practice, you can access this balcony view whenever you need it most.
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Not every worry deserves a ticket! Dr. Robert Leahy’s train station metaphor is a game-changer for managing anxiety. Pic...
08/20/2025

Not every worry deserves a ticket!

Dr. Robert Leahy’s train station metaphor is a game-changer for managing anxiety. Picture yourself at a busy station - each departing train represents a different worry racing through your mind. “What if I mess up?” “What if things go wrong?” “What if, what if, what if...”

Anxious thoughts can feel like endless trains pulling into the station—each one tempting you to hop on board. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to ride every worry train.

Next time anxiety strikes, ask yourself: “What train just arrived? Do I really need to board this one?” Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply stay put and watch it leave.

Learning to be selective about which worry trains you board is a skill that takes practice - but it’s one that can truly transform how you experience anxious thoughts. CBT can teach you how to stop boarding every worry and start reclaiming peace of mind.
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It’s , and today we’re tackling catastrophic thinking with a powerful technique: Climbing Down The ‘What If’ Ladder. 🪜H...
08/19/2025

It’s , and today we’re tackling catastrophic thinking with a powerful technique: Climbing Down The ‘What If’ Ladder. 🪜

Here’s how it works:

🔍Notice when that “what if” thought pops up
❔Ask: “Then what would happen?”
🔁Keep going until you reach the bottom of your worry
📊Rate how likely each step really is (0-100%)
💭Create a coping plan for each step

Most “disasters” are way less likely and much more manageable than our anxious brain wants us to believe.

When you break down your worst-case scenario step by step, you’ll often discover that: The odds are lower than you thought. You have more coping skills than you realized. Even if something did happen, you’d figure it out.

Try this: Next time you catch yourself catastrophizing, grab a pen and work through this ladder. You might be surprised by what you discover!
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Struggling to connect, feeling burned out from dating, or having trouble building lasting friendships? You’re not alone—...
08/18/2025

Struggling to connect, feeling burned out from dating, or having trouble building lasting friendships? You’re not alone—and real change is possible.

Join our Women’s Skills Group led by Dr. Allison Funk, a licensed psychologist with advanced training in CBT, DBT, and ACT. This 6-week virtual group is designed to help you strengthen your relationships—starting with the one you have with yourself.

✨ Inside the group, you’ll learn how to:

◆ Recognize patterns that block deeper connection
◆ Refresh your dating mindset and approach
◆ Form authentic, lasting friendships
◆ Set boundaries without guilt
◆ Communicate and resolve conflict more effectively

Whether you’re navigating dating fatigue, feeling isolated, or craving deeper social bonds, this group is for you.

📅 Starts Sept 30th
🕖 Tuesdays, 7–8 PM (Virtual)
👥 Women 18+ welcome

Take the next step toward stronger, healthier relationships—DM “WOMEN” or call (212) 308-2440 to join us.
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Understanding the difference between productive and unproductive worry can transform how you manage anxiety and stress.U...
08/15/2025

Understanding the difference between productive and unproductive worry can transform how you manage anxiety and stress.

Unproductive worry tends to:
▪️Focus on “what if” scenarios beyond your control
▪️Seek absolute certainty (which rarely exists)
▪️Create mental loops without solutions
▪️Generate anxiety that leads to avoidance

Productive worry, on the other hand:
▪️Addresses specific, actionable problems
▪️Leads to concrete steps you can take
▪️Accepts reasonable uncertainty
▪️Motivates effective problem-solving

🔍 A simple self-assessment can help:
▪️Is this worry specific or vague?
▪️Can I actually do something about this?
▪️Am I planning solutions or just ruminating?
▪️Is this worry helping me take meaningful action?

🌟Learning to distinguish between these two types of worry—and redirecting unproductive patterns—is a core component of cognitive behavioral therapy. It’s a learnable skill that can significantly reduce anxiety while improving your ability to handle real challenges.

Our therapists specialize in helping clients develop these healthier thought patterns through evidence-based CBT techniques.

📞 Ready to learn more? Call (212) 308-2440 to schedule a consultation.
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When your child has another meltdown over bedtime, homework, or transitions, it’s easy to think, “Why won’t they just li...
08/13/2025

When your child has another meltdown over bedtime, homework, or transitions, it’s easy to think, “Why won’t they just listen?”

But what if we shifted our question from “What’s wrong with this child?” to “What’s getting in this child’s way?”

Dr. Ross Greene’s Collaborative Problem-Solving approach offers a research-backed alternative to punishment and rewards. Instead of trying to control behavior, we focus on building the skills our kids are missing—like flexibility, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.

👆 Swipe through to see the 3-step process in action with a real bedtime scenario. You’ll get exact scripts you can try tonight!

This approach isn’t about being permissive—it’s about working WITH your child to find solutions that work for everyone. And the results? Fewer meltdowns, stronger relationships, and kids who develop the skills they need for life.

Read more in our August Newsletter (link in bio)!
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Meet Dr. Allison Funk! Dr. Funk is a New York State-licensed psychologist who brings extensive training in CBT, DBT, and...
08/12/2025

Meet Dr. Allison Funk! Dr. Funk is a New York State-licensed psychologist who brings extensive training in CBT, DBT, and ACT to our practice.

Her specialty areas include:

▪️Anxiety & depression
▪️Trauma & PTSD
▪️Work/school stress
▪️Perfectionism & procrastination
▪️Life transitions & challenges

What sets Dr. Funk apart is her collaborative, individualized approach. She believes that therapy should be a collaborative effort between therapist and client, working together to identify contributing factors, set meaningful goals, and achieve lasting change.

Dr. Funk is currently accepting new patients! She’s also enrolling participants for her specialized Women’s Skills Group — a supportive space to build strategies alongside other women, with a focus on relationships and social connection. Ready to transform your relationships and invest in yourself? Call (212) 308-2440 to schedule your intake!

Ready to take the next step in your mental health journey? Call (212) 308-2440 to schedule with Dr. Funk.

Many of us have been conditioned to fix, change, or push away difficult feelings. But what if the real healing comes fro...
08/12/2025

Many of us have been conditioned to fix, change, or push away difficult feelings. But what if the real healing comes from learning to say “This feeling makes sense”?

Before trying to ‘fix’ your emotions, try this 4-step approach:

🔹 ACKNOWLEDGE: “I notice I’m feeling...”

🔹 NORMALIZE: “It makes sense I’d feel this way because...”

🔹 VALIDATE: “This feeling is giving me information about...”

🔹 ACCEPT: “I can feel this and still take care of myself.”

This simple framework helps you work WITH your emotions instead of against them, creating space for healing rather than fighting.

REMEMBER: All emotions are valid messengers, even uncomfortable ones. The goal isn’t to eliminate difficult feelings, but to honor them as part of your human experience. 🌱

Save this post to come back to when you need a reminder that all feelings are valid messengers.
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Back-to-school nerves are completely normal. But for some children, those worries can feel overwhelming. That’s where ev...
08/08/2025

Back-to-school nerves are completely normal. But for some children, those worries can feel overwhelming. That’s where evidence-based CBT tools—like the Worry Ladder—can help.
At AICT, we work with children and families to gently break down big fears into manageable steps. 🪜 The Worry Ladder is a CBT technique that helps kids face what feels scary gradually, and with growing confidence. Here’s how you can start at home:
💬 Step 1: Help your child name their worries.
Use open, nonjudgmental questions like:
• “What part of school feels the hardest?”
• “What are you nervous about?”
💡 When children can identify their fears, they’re already on the first rung of the ladder.
👣 Step 2: Face fears slowly—one step at a time.
With support, children can begin working their way up the ladder, trying small challenges, building success, and gaining confidence as they go.
📞 If your child is struggling with back-to-school anxiety, we’re here to support you both. Call us at (212) 308-2440 to schedule an intake. . .

Address

150 East 58th St, Fifth Floor Annex
New York, NY
10155

Opening Hours

Tuesday 8am - 9pm
Wednesday 8am - 9pm
Thursday 8am - 9pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 9pm

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