Meet Crystal Chen, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Top specialties: anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, relationship issues, and trauma

In-Person & Online

Background & Training

Crystal Chen, PhD completed her PhD and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Adelphi University, and earned her bachelor's degree in social work from NYU, where she graduated magna cum laude. She is well versed in treatment for anxiety and depression, and uses Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and other specific approaches that strengthen emotion regulation, self-awareness, trauma processing, and relationship dynamics. She also focuses on the effects of early attachment and family experiences on present-day relationships. Dr. Chen is invested in helping adults talk through and heal from the effects of trauma, both personal traumas and intergenerational.

Dr. Chen has led grant-funded research on cross-cultural attachment issues and cultural conflicts within immigrant families, and is passionate about working with transracial Asian adoptees and the BIPOC community. She joins the practice with prior clinical experience in hospitals, community mental health, and private practice settings. Dr. Chen speaks Mandarin, loves aerial arts, anything matcha, and her Samoyed dog.

 
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Learn more about Dr. Chen

    • Anger

    • Anxiety (e.g., generalized anxiety, chronic worry, social anxiety, panic attacks)

    • Attachment issues and interpersonal dynamics (e.g., getting stuck in unhelpful relational patterns)

    • Depression

    • Emerging and young adulthood (18 years old +)

    • Emotion regulation

    • Grief and loss (e.g., bereavement, unresolved childhood experiences)

    • Life transitions (e.g., relationship break ups, transition from school to workforce, becoming a parent)

    • Mindfulness

    • Multicultural identity (e.g., AAPI and Latinx identity, 1.5 and 2nd gen, bicultural identity, transracial adoptees, interracial families)

    • Neurodiversity-affirming therapy for autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, and neurocurious folks

    • Perfectionism

    • Relationship stress (e.g., family relationships, dating in NYC, conflict, communication difficulties, boundary setting)

    • Self-esteem

    • Trauma (e.g., childhood abuse and neglect, sexual trauma, C-PTSD)

    • Work stress and burnout

  • I enjoy working with adults and early career professionals who struggle with intense emotions and/or stressful relationships, and appreciate space to talk about BIPOC identity. As a therapist, I don't believe in sitting back in sessions and being neutral - in fact, the opposite! I'll be myself - warm, curious, and transparent in our sessions to make sure you feel comfortable and understood. We'll go at your pace and I'll help guide us when it makes sense, so together we can explore and help you grow. I’ll help you make sense of your experiences, explore how things came to be, and develop more effective ways moving forward.

    One of the reasons I’m a therapist is to help people heal from relational traumas. Together, we'll explore how past hurt, broken trust, or unpredictability in relationships may be affecting how you think, feel, and respond - often keeping you stuck when you’re ready for change. I'll encourage you to become more present and aware of yourself or your feelings in a curious, nonjudgmental way. I also enjoy teaching practical skills for navigating difficult relationships. We might use mindfulness and other techniques to help you slow down so you can respond to what life throws your way from a place of groundedness.

  • As a Chinese American child of immigrants, I understand many of the unique challenges related to BIPOC and immigrant families, including discrimination, bicultural identity, cross-cultural issues, and family conflict. I also recognize how often we hide, silence, or change parts of ourselves to fit into the expectations others have of us. In therapy, I offer an affirming space where you can reconnect with your authentic self, reclaim your identities, and redefine your relationship with them in a way that feels true and empowering.

     I am deeply invested in social justice and collective liberation, and recognize that our healing is inextricably linked to our broader contexts, including the conditions of our family, community, and Earth. I won't encourage you to simply adapt to oppression. Instead, I believe that what may seem like mental illness or dysfunction are often natural responses to abnormal conditions, signaling that things are not all right. I believe that we can honor these signs as guides toward meaningful change and collective well-being. I'll help you listen to your instincts and strengths. Our sessions can be a place where you can vent and rest, or where we can develop a plan. Together, we’ll work toward building the conditions necessary for you to thrive.

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

    • Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)

    • Multicultural Therapy

    • Psychodynamic Therapy

    • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

    • Trauma-informed Therapy

  • I am an out of network provider and my fee ranges from $225-275/session.