Jane Dorlester

About

“My approach to Bereavement is based on attachment theory, because the loss of a significant person in adulthood will evoke the same feelings that accompanied separation from an attachment figure in childhood. I use somatic techniques including breath work to help self regulate yourself during this challenging time. I am a body oriented psychotherapist. Feelings live in the body. I not only listen attentively from a psycho-dynamic approach, I also observe how your body is expressing emotions and make you aware somatically. My practice derives from a long-held professional belief in the value of body-oriented therapeutic work and group environments for finding safe, effective ways to heal. Body-oriented psychotherapy takes the approach that the mind and body are not separate, and that mental or emotional problems are often physically manifested. I specialize in grief counseling, couples counseling, relationship issues, dissociative disorders and general anxiety. I use both a somatic approach and a psycho-analytical approach in my sessions. I begin my sessions by discussing what made you decide to pursue therapy. After I identify your reasons, I explore where you feel your discomfort in your body. From this perspective, I suggest you breathe into those spaces and may offer assistance through touch using the Alexander Technique to help assist you. My listening is organized around not only what you are saying but how you express yourself and the possible disparity between the two. For example, if you say you are sad while you are smiling, I might inquire about what the smile is expressing. I feel that it is crucial to look at the whole person while searching for the roots of emotional and physical distress. Clients find themselves leaving sessions feeling like they are stripped of old defenses and more available to make new attachments.”

I am a psychotherapist and certified Alexander Technique teacher with extensive experience in individual and group counseling. I received my training at the Center for Character Analytic Studies, the Brooklyn Institute of Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, and the Gottman Institute. I also have a certificate from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute. I have offered bereavement group counseling through the Metropolitan Hospice of Greater New York, New York Methodist Hospital, and the Jewish Center for Healing, as well as privately. My desire to work with both individuals and groups coping with grief has come from my own personal experiences of loss and from a long-held professional belief in the value of body-oriented therapeutic work and group environments for finding safe, effective ways to heal. I have been in private practice as a therapist for over 30 years. My desire to work with both individuals and groups comes from a long-held professional belief in the value of body-oriented therapeutic work and group environments for finding safe, effective ways to heal. I have over 30 years of experience helping teens, adults, and families during a sudden loss. I have consulted with Hospices, provided psycho-social support on oncology wards, and provided Critical Incident Debriefing for schools and businesses after the loss of a coworker.

Credentials & experience

Office photos