Also providing therapy across NY virtually and in person in NYC as well as virtual therapy across Texas.
Virtual Trauma and Relationship Therapy in Florida
Sometimes, healing from trauma begins with understanding who you had to become to feel safe, and realizing you can learn new ways of relating to yourself and others.
Trauma isn't only about what you experienced. It can also be about what you needed but never received.
When we talk about trauma, we often focus on painful experiences caused by something that happened to us. This can include harm, mistreatment, or experiences that left us feeling unsafe. Sometimes, though, the impact comes from the absence of something essential.
Trauma by commission refers to harm caused by something that was done, while trauma by omission refers to the impact of what was missing, especially when the care, protection, and emotional support we needed weren’t there. Maybe no one comforted you when you were hurting. Maybe your feelings were minimized, your needs went unnoticed, or you were left to navigate overwhelming emotions without support. You may have learned to stay quiet, rely only on yourself, or hide what you were feeling because no one seemed able to meet you there.
These experiences can be harder to recognize because they’re often defined by what didn’t happen. But the absence of care, safety, and connection can also shape us, influencing how we see ourselves and relate to others. When our needs go unmet, we may develop ways of protecting ourselves from further hurt, rejection, or disappointment. Over time, these patterns can become part of how we treat ourselves, navigate relationships and respond to vulnerability.
Ways we may learn to protect ourselves and feel safe after trauma include:
Doubting yourself. You learn to question your feelings, decisions, or perceptions, making it harder to trust yourself and feel secure in your relationships.
Putting others first. You learn to prioritize others’ needs, keep the peace, or hide parts of yourself to maintain connection and avoid rejection.
Keeping your guard up. You learn to hide your emotions, stay in control, or handle things on your own because relying on others doesn’t feel safe.
Keeping people at a distance. You learn to protect yourself from hurt by avoiding vulnerability, struggling to trust, or finding it difficult to let others get close.
Shutting down when things feel overwhelming. You learn to disconnect from your feelings or withdraw during conflict, intimacy, or moments when you feel exposed.
Taking responsibility for everyone else. You learn to monitor others’ moods, manage their emotions, or adapt to their expectations to feel safe and maintain connection.
Therapy can support you in:
✔ Feeling more at home in yourself instead of constantly second-guessing who you are.
✔ Recognizing what you're feeling, understaning what you need, and expressing it without guilt.
✔ Staying connected to yourself, even when emotions feel overwhelming or relationships become difficult.
✔ Letting go of the pressure to please others, anticipate their reactions, or abandon your needs to maintain connection.
✔ Experiencing relationships where vulnerability, honesty, and differences are welcomed.
✔ Responding to familiar situations in new ways rather than feeling pulled back into old patterns.
Therapy Services 
You may have moved on from what happened, but that doesn't necessarily mean its impact has disappeared. Past experiences can shape the way you relate to others, interpret situations, and protect yourself, sometimes in ways that no longer reflect who you are or how you want to live. Our work will focus on understanding these patterns, making sense of the experiences behind them, and helping you move beyond old ways of coping so you can feel more confident, connected, and in control of your life.
Trauma and PTSD
Grief isn't just about missing someone or something; it's also about navigating the life, identity, and future that may look different because of your loss. Sometimes, the hardest part is figuring out how to move forward when a part of you is still holding on to what was. In therapy, we'll explore the many layers of your experience, including the emotions, memories, and changes that may feel difficult to share with others. There is no expectation to find closure or have everything figured out. Our focus will be on helping you feel supported as you find your own way through this experience.
Grief Therapy
Figuring out who you are and how you want to move through the world isn't always straightforward, especially when your experiences haven't always been met with understanding or acceptance. Perhaps you're navigating questions about your identity, working through complicated family relationships, or trying to find a sense of belonging in spaces where you haven't always felt seen. Our work together will center your experiences, explore how they've shaped the way you relate to yourself and others, and help you build a life that feels more aligned with who you truly are.
LGBTQI+ Therapy
Sometimes, the ways we learned to protect ourselves become the very things that keep us from feeling connected or free to be who we are. You may recognize certain reactions or behaviors that feel difficult to control, even when they no longer align with what you want for yourself. Through Internal Family Systems (IFS), we'll explore the experiences and emotions beneath these patterns, making space for the parts of you that have learned to stay guarded, take control, or push difficult feelings away. The goal is to understand what parts need and create a different relationship with it.
IFS Therapy
Sometimes, the hardest part of a relationship isn't the conflict itself, but what happens underneath it. The fear of not being heard, the need to protect yourself, or the feeling that you're somehow missing each other can create distance even when you both want connection. Our work will focus on understanding these underlying experiences and how they shape the way you relate to one another. As you begin to recognize these patterns, you'll have the opportunity to move beyond familiar cycles and develop a relationship where both partners feel valued, understood, and emotionally safe.
Couples Therapy
Family Therapy
Every family develops its own way of communicating, navigating conflict, and responding to one another. Over time, certain roles and expectations can become so familiar that it's difficult to recognize how they affect the people within the family. Our work will focus on understanding these dynamics, exploring the experiences and emotions that often go unspoken, and making room for different perspectives. Rather than assigning blame or deciding who is right, we'll work toward creating greater understanding and new ways of relating that allow each family member to feel valued and connected.
Meet your Trauma and Relationship Therapists in NYC
Alexandra Askenazi Marcus
(LMHC & LPC)
She/her/ella
I'm a trauma and relationship therapist who believes that reconnecting with yourself is an important part of building meaningful relationships. As an EMDRIA-certified and IFS/IFIO-informed therapist, I help clients work through past experiences, understand old patterns, and develop greater self-trust.
I provide LGBTQ+ affirming therapy in English and Spanish, welcoming people of all identities and relationship experiences.
Above all, I want therapy to feel like a space where you can be yourself, feel understood, and explore what matters most to you without judgment.
A little about me: I'm a dog lover, chocolate enthusiast, pilates fan, dancer, bookworm, and someone who loves learning languages and listening to songs on repeat.
If you're thinking about starting therapy, reach out for a free consultation. I'd love to connect!More Team Members
Coming soon…
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions?
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Out fee is $220 for individual therapy and $275 for couples and family therapy.
We provide sliding scales depending on financial needs and BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ clients will be prioritized. -
We are currently out of network providers. We provide super bills for clients paying out of pocket, getting reimbursed through their work, or using their out-of-network insurance benefits (if you are unsure if you have these, you can ask your insurance directly). We also provide sliding scales depending on financial needs.
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Yes! At the moment we are only in person in NYC (The office is located in the Upper West Side of Manhattan). We also offer virtual therapy throughout New York State, Florida, and Texas.
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You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation call by clicking here!
During our call, we’ll talk about what’s bringing you to therapy, I’ll answer any questions you may have about the process, and we’ll discuss scheduling and other logistics to determine what feels like the right next step for you.
We look forward to connecting with you!
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Individual sessions are typically 45–55 minutes once a week, depending on what works best for clients and the approach we’re using.
Couples and family sessions are 60 minutes and typically meet weekly at first, with sessions becoming less frequent as needed and as progress is made.
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Starting therapy can feel vulnerable, especially when you’re meeting someone new and sharing parts of your life that may be difficult to put into words. We’ll take time to get to know one another, understand what’s been bringing you in, and begin to identify what you’re hoping will feel different. You don’t need to come in knowing exactly what you need or where to start, we’ll figure that out together. As we move forward, we’ll continue to check in about what feels helpful, what doesn’t, and how we can make therapy work best for you.
In therapy, we can explore the protective patterns you’ve developed, what they’ve helped you navigate, and how they may be affecting your life and relationships today. Whether you're navigating personal struggles, working through challenges as a couple, or hoping to strengthen family relationships, therapy offers a supportive space to better understand these patterns, discover new ways to feel safe and connected, and build relationships rooted in trust, communication, and mutual understanding.