Welcome
Many traumatized people suffer alone for a very long time before reaching out, in part because they think (or have been told) that trauma is a permanent condition they need to learn to live with. This is not correct. Treatments are available that may alleviate or resolve trauma symptoms and enhance resilience.
As a solution-focused therapist, my goal is to help you resolve past traumas so that you can lead a life that is worth celebrating. By utilizing cutting-edge therapeutic approaches and techniques, we can not only resolve big traumatic events, but can alter and heal long-standing behavior patterns and negative perceptions that may be interfering with your capacity to experience a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
All treatment goals are arrived at collaboratively, with an emphasis on building somatic resources prior to exploring traumatic experience.
Please call or email me for an individual, couples or family therapy consultation today. Most sessions are being conducted via HIPAA compliant telehealth except for intensive, extended EMDR sessions.
About
Eva J. Usadi, MA, BCD, CGP, specializes in the assessment and treatment of PTSD, Complex PTSD (attachment and developmental trauma) and Combat Trauma. In her private psychotherapy practice in Manhattan she treats New York City firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians and warriors (active duty, reserves and veterans) as well as civilians.
Advanced Practice:
- EMDRIA-approved Consultant
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute Approved Consultant
- Certified Group Psychotherapist (AGPA and EGPS)
- Equine Assisted Psychotherapist
- Yoga Teacher – 500 hours-trained through the Himalayan Institute
- Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Center in Boston, Mass
In 2007-2008 Ms. Usadi spent 7 months treating traumatized soldiers and their families at Ft. Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army and in 2010 provided weekly Equine Assisted Psychotherapy sessions for warriors enrolled in a DoD funded Military Wellness Program, located at an inpatient psychiatric facility in New York City.
She is an approved provider for Tricare, a Military Family Life Consultant, a contract therapist with the FDNY, a Preferred Provider for Doctors Without Borders and an affiliate trauma clinician with CiC, providing trauma training and support to war correspondents.
Ms. Usadi has taught courses and presented at numerous public conferences in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, as well as providing advanced clinical trainings on the topics of PTSD, Complex PTSD, Combat Trauma and Moral Injury. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Trauma and Resiliency Resources, Inc., the Clinical Director of TRR’s Warrior Camp® program, and the Clinical Consultant to the NYC TRN (trauma recovery network).
Education
Masters Degree in Existential Phenomenological Psychology, Seattle University 1987
Masters Degree in Social Work, New York University 1992
License
Licensed Clinical Social Worker R-045519-1 NY since 1992
Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work since 2001
Additional Training
Trained in Traumatic Stress Studies
Trained in Critical Incident Stress Management
Registered 200-hr Yoga Teacher
Trained in Structural Family Therapy
Professional Activities and Memberships
APA (American Psychological Association) AGPA/EGPA
APGA (American Group Psychotherapy Association)
EGPS (Eastern Group Psychotherapy Association)
Consultations
CONSULTATIONS OFFERED ARE THE FOLLOWING:
CERTIFICATION IN EMDR: As an EMDRIA Approved Consultant I am able to consult with EMDR therapists who wish to become certified in EMDR. Consultations are in packets of 10 and are either group or individual, online or in person. Group consultation sessions meet once each month for 2 hours, for 5 months. I can provide all 20 hours required for Certification.
CONSULTATION IN SENSORIMOTOR PSYCHOTHERAPY: As an SPI-Approved Consultant I am able to work with Level 1, 2 and 3 students and therapists who have completed their training. Consultations can be individual or in group. I can provide as many consultation hours as needed to enhance expertise in this therapy model.
INTEGRATION OF SENSORIMOTOR PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH EMDR: Many EMDR clinicians find they get stuck when body sensations arise during EMDR processing, or are absent, or when clients say “nothing is changing” or “I don’t feel anything.” Utilizing sensorimotor techniques can help stabilize the client as well as facilitating utilizing the wisdom of the body to process traumatic memories.
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT: Many therapists are not familiar enough with techniques such as grounding, centering and other methods of somatic stabilization, or how to develop and strengthen internal resources. These skills can be learned and then taught to clients.
DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING: Traumatized clients tend to breathe into their upper chest which activates the sympathetic nervous system. It is not possible to process trauma with this type of breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, is necessary to activate the parasympathetic nervous system so that trauma can be safely processed.
MINDFULNESS AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION: These ancient skills can enhance any psychotherapeutic practice.
USING EMDR TO REPAIR MORAL INJURY IN MILITARY VETERANS: Many EMDR therapists now understand that Moral Injury is a key component of Combat Trauma but may not know the best way to integrate Moral Injury repair during EMDR processing.
WORKING WITH FIRST RESPONDERS, MILITARY VETERANS AND HUMANITARIAN AID WORKERS: Working with these populations necessitates an understanding of their cultures and the best way to engage them (and keep them) in treatment.
For consultation on any of the above please contact me on the Contact page.
PRESENTATIONS
2022 EMDRIA Conference, Healing the Heart and Soul of Our Nation’s Warriors: EMDR Therapy for Moral Injury, Virtual, September 11, 2022
2020 Suicide Prevention Summit, with Alejandra Lara, Warwick, NY, January 24-26, 2020
2019 Hidden Wounds for Military Members. Parallel Panel, IVAT 24th International Summit on Violence Abuse and Trauma Across the Lifespan, San Diego, CA, September 7, 2019, with J.R. Martinez, Ken Noyes, Cpt. Glenna Tinney, Steve Thorp and Col. Don Christensen
2019 Six Words That Can Save A Life, IVAT 24th International Summit on Violence Abuse and Trauma Across the Lifespan, San Diego, CA September 6, 2019
2019 All the Way Home: Healing Our Nation’s Warriors Through Moral Injury Repair, IVAT 24th International Summit on Violence Abuse and Trauma Across the Lifespan, 3-hour workshop, San Diego, CA, September 5, 2019
2019 All the Way Home: Healing Our Nation’s Warriors Through the Power of the Herd, with Alejandra Lara, Warwick, NY, May 4-5, 2019.
2018 JJ Peters VA Medical Center Summit on Veteran Transitions Putting the Pieces Together, invited panelist on suicide prevention, Bronx, NY, September 13, 2018.
2018 Veterans Mental Health Coalition Meeting, invited panelist on “Exploring the Spectrum of Treatment Options for Veterans” New York, NY, June 22, 2018
2018 Trauma and Resiliency in the Borderlands Conference, “All the Way Home: Moral Injury Repair in Our Nations Combat Veterans” 4-hour workshop, with Alejandra Lara, El Paso, TX, June 2, 2018.
2018 ISSTD Conference, “My Soul is Lost -Working with Moral Injury: Soul-loss as an Aspect of Combat-related Dissociation in Military Veterans” 3.5 hour invited workshop, Chicago, IL, March 26, 2018
2017 Panel Discussant at performance of TECMESSA, a project of Theatre of War, November 9, 2017
2016 EMDRIA Conference EMDR Therapy: Transforming Adversity into Health, Minneapolis, MN, “No Healing Without Truth II: Moral Injury and EMDR at TRR’s Warrior Camp®” with Fr. Sean Levine, (MAJ) U.S. Army, August 28, 2016.
2015 Omega Institute Conference, Veterans, Trauma and Resilience, New York City, Panel Discussion chaired by NYC Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, Brig. Gen. (Ret) Loree Sutton, November 21, 2015
Horses and Trauma-Informed Treatment Conference, Horse Sense of the Carolinas, “Treating Moral Injury at Warrior Camp®” Marshall, NC, June 12, 2015
2014 EMDRIA Conference, Celebrating 25 Years of Healing Trauma, Denver, CO, “No Healing Without Truth: Treating Moral Injury” (EMDR at Warrior Camp) with Fr. Sean Levine, (CPT), US Army, September 19, 2014
Theme Day Denmark, “The Impossible We Do Everyday: Miracles Take a Bit Longer” July 3, 2014
EMDR Europe Conference, “The Impossible We Do Everyday ~ Miracles Take a Bit Longer: Consecutive Days EMDR at Warrior Camp” Edinburgh, Scotland, June 28, 2014
Horses and Trauma-Informed Treatment Conference, Horse Sense of the Carolinas, June 15, 2014
21st Combat Stress Conference, “The Impossible We Do Everyday: Miracles Take a Bit Longer,” Calsbad, CA, May 15, 2014
PATH Region 1 and 2 Conferences, March and April 2014, “TRR’s Warrior Camp®” with George Stolz, Garrett Stacy, Boo Martin
Presenter at PATH, Intl. Conference, Keynote speaker, “Boots in the Arena II: The Use of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Combat Trauma” November 6, 2013.
Presenter at EMDRIA Conference, “My Soul is Missing – Working With Moral Injury: Soul Loss as an aspect of Dissociation in the Treatment of a Combat Veteran” Austin, TX, September 27, 2013.
Presenter at NIP (National Institute of the Psychotherapies) Colloquia, “Combat Trauma and the Rules of (Therapeutic) Engagement” New York, NY November 29, 2012.
Presenter at PATH Intl. Conference (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship), “Boots in the Arena: The Use of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Combat Trauma” Bellevue, WA, November 2, 2012.
Presenter at Central Connecticut State University Conference on Mindful Education, “Mindfulness Practice in the Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress” with Steven Southwick and Ryan Carlson, New Britain, CT, October 19, 2012.
Presenter at Fordham Conference, “Combat Trauma,” Fordham University School of Social Work, New York, NY, with Bob Raphael, June 6, 2012.
Presenter at “Boots in the Office: the Assessment and Treatment of Combat Trauma,” Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, New York, NY, April 27, 2012.
Presenter at EAGALA 12th Annual Conference, “Boots on the Ground II: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Combat Trauma”, Layton, Utah, March 12, 2011
Presenter at EAGALA Europe Annual Conference, “Boots on the Ground: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Combat Trauma”, Kilmarnock, Scotland, Sept. 29, 2010.
Presenter at EAGALA 11th Annual Conference, “Boots on the Ground: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Combat Trauma”, Layton, Utah, March 5, 2010.
Presenter, “A Warrior Returns: Integrative Therapeutic Approaches to Support Transition from Battlefield to Community”, The New York Open Center, November 8, 2009
Presenter, “Combat Trauma and EMDR at Ft. Drum,” EMDR Regional Meeting, Long Island, NY, October 9, 2009
Guest lecturer on “Working with Military Families”, Family Therapy class at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy Trauma Studies Program, New York, NY, May 6, 2009.
Presenter on panel at the New York Association for Marriage and Family Therapy conference on “War and the Family”, Mercy College, New York, NY, November 21, 2008.
Presenter on “Trauma and Resiliency…2 1/2 years later” at the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York Delegate’s Seminar, Atlantic City, NJ, May 6, 2004
Presenter on “When Best Interests of the Child Conflict with the Child’s Wishes” and “Two Contested Custody Cases” at the Continuing Legal Education seminar, The Use of Mental Health Professionals in Contested Child Custody Cases, for the First and Second Judicial Departments and New York City Family Court, Brooklyn, NY, January 21, 2004
Presenter on “When Best Interests Conflict with the Child’s Wishes”, at the New York Women’s Bar Association sponsored First Department Matrimonial Law Guardian Training, Supreme Court of the State of New York, November 14, 2003.
Presenter on “The Long-term Mental Health Consequences of 9/11” at the Beyond September 11th: Environmental and Public Health Policy Working Conference, The Graduate Center, CUNY, May 9, 2002.
Presenter on “Sportsmanship” at Athletic Issues in the Schools Conference, February 6, 2002
Presenter on “Exercise over Forty: Sports Injury Prevention”, The New York Methodist Hospital, April 18 and June 6, 2001.
Guest Lecturer at New York University School of Social Work MSW Program, “Structural Family Therapy”, October 11 and 25, 2000 and October 24, 2001.
Guest Lecturer at the Advanced Practicum Seminar, New York University School of Social Work PHD Program, “Structural Family Therapy and Forensic Evaluations”, March 30, 2000
Presenter at Grand Rounds, Gouverneur Hospital, New York, NY, “Forensic Evaluations When a Parent is Mentally Ill”, September 16, 1999.
Co-author and presenter of paper, “Self-Forgiveness: A Phenomenological Study of Experiencing Forgiveness” at Fifth Human Science Research Conference, Berkeley, CA, May 30, 1986.
Publications
TRR’s Warrior Camp®: An Intensive Treatment Program for Combat Trauma in Active Military and Veterans of All Eras, Steele, E. MSW, MAJ Wood, D. MS, ARNG, Usadi, E.J., MA, BCD, Applegarth, M.D., BSW, Journal of Military Medicine, 183, 3/4:403, 2018 https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/183/suppl_1/403/4959937
Why We Don’t Ride: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Military Veterans and Moral Injury, Usadi and Levine, J Trauma Treat 2017, 6:2 https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/why-we-dont-ride-equine-assisted-psychotherapy-military-veteransand-moral-injury-2167-1222-1000374.pdf
Working With Horses on the Ground: Case Studies, Usadi and Levine, J Trauma Treat 2017, 6:2 https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/working-with-horses-on-the-ground-case-studies-2167-1222-1000377.pdf
Yoga and Moral Injury article
Contact
If you are interested in a professional consultation or to make a therapy appointment please fill out this form or email me at eva@evausaditherapy.com.