Dave Pilla, Ph.D.

Therapeutic Approach: I see myself as having two main roles as a therapist. The first is to support my clients with whatever it is they are going through. Whether with work, school, family, relationships, or other circumstances, I’m here to listen and really understand your current life difficulties and how you are being affected by them, so that you are not alone in navigating those difficulties. I see my second role as supporting my clients in deepening their awareness and understanding of their lives, and in particular, of internal and interpersonal patterns that may be contributing to unhappiness, distress, or dissatisfaction in some form. By having a space to reflect on how you tend to think, feel, act, react, and relate, you can become freer to change those patterns that do not serve you. To provide the therapeutic space for this self-expression, -reflection, and insight, I strive to build open, collaborative, genuine, and trusting relationships with my clients.

Background: I hold a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Fordham University, as well as a master’s in mental health counseling from Fordham and a master’s in clinical psychology from Columbia University. My pre-doctoral training included working with diverse adult populations in New York City and at the New Jersey VA Medical Centers. I have also served as an adjunct instructor at New York University (NYU) and the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT).