A therapist who listens fully, remembers what you said, and gets to the root of what’s bothering you

Somatic, identity-affirming trauma therapy for adults on the Upper East Side and across New York State

You’ve done what it takes to survive.

Maybe you’ve masked, over-functioned, dissociated, or stayed small. You’ve intellectualized the pain. Maybe you’ve even tried therapy before—and it helped, sort of. But something deeper still feels stuck.

Here, therapy isn’t about performance. It’s not about “fixing” yourself. It’s about adapting to the safer environment that you now find yourself in. This takes time, so I pay attention to whether things are actually changing for you.

Meet Your Therapist

I’m Laura Pearl, a licensed trauma therapist, somatic practitioner, sex therapist and EMDR clinician based in the Upper East Side in New York City. I specialize in working with adults navigating complex trauma, neurodivergence, dissociation, and identity exploration. My practice is grounded in care that’s relational, body-aware, and deeply attuned to the ways culture, power, and lived experience shape how we heal.

The room stays calm, and you set the pace. But therapy with me is a conversation, not a monologue.

I talk back. You’ll get questions, reactions and my honest read on what’s happening, not just “How does that make you feel?”
I connect the dots. I remember what you told me months ago, and I’ll point it out when it echoes what you’re saying today.
I’ll suggest possibilities, even uncomfortable ones. I’m always trying to fit together what you tell me, and sometimes the pattern that keeps you stuck is hard to see from the inside. I’ll say what I’m noticing, kindly and at a pace you can take in. If it doesn’t fit, I want to hear that. I’m trying to understand you, not to be right.
I stay steady. Nothing you tell me will make me flinch or hurry you along. That steadiness is what makes it safe for me to be honest with you, and for you to be honest with me.

Therapy Services

I offer weekly therapy for adults in New York State, with in-person sessions available on the Upper East Side in New York (on the border of Carnegie Hill and Yorkville) and secure virtual options statewide. Some of the areas I specialize in include:

EMDR Therapy

A body-based approach to processing trauma and reconnecting with yourself.

Sex Therapy for Trauma Survivors

Because healing involves accessing pleasure, not only releasing pain

Trauma Therapy for Neurodivergent Adults

For autistic and neurodivergent adults tired of explaining themselves

LGBTQ + Affirming Therapy

Queer and trans identities deserve more than “acceptance” in therapy

Therapy for Immigrants & Second Generation Americans

Living between worlds can feel lonely, but you don’t have to carry it alone

Childhood Trauma & Attachment Wounding

Knowing your attachment style hasn’t changed how it feels

Somatic Therapy

You can’t think your way out of a dysregulated nervous system

Trauma Therapy

A somatic, relational approach to healing the wounds that don’t always show on the surface.

Parts Work

All of your parts deserve good therapy

Recent Autism Diagnosis

Therapy for autistic adults that doesn’t treat autism as the problem

Whether you’re living with emotional overwhelm, numbness, anxiety, chronic disconnection, or just a vague sense that something’s off, therapy in Upper East Side New York can be a place to slow down, feel into what’s really happening, and start to make new choices from a place of nervous system safety.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Whether you’re new to therapy or returning with deeper intention, I invite you to reach out. It begins with feeling safe enough to start.

Send me a note below to set up a free 15-minute consultation. No pressure, no expectations—just a conversation to see if it feels right.

I’ll get back to you within 2 business days. You don’t need to explain everything here. A sentence about what you’re looking for is enough.

Laura Pearl, LCSW · EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist · Columbia School of Social Work

Insights & Reflections

Thoughts on healing, identity, and the human experience—shared from the therapy room and the heart.

Laura Pearl
November 1, 2026

Subtle Signs of Trauma, Part 1: Symptoms That May Not Even Look Like Mental Health Issues

Chronic pain, a touchy stomach, falling for unavailable people, a quiet certainty that you're worthless. Trauma often shows up in places that don't look like

Laura Pearl
November 1, 2026

Subtle Signs of Trauma, Part 2: When Trauma Looks Like ADHD, Autism, OCD, Anxiety, or Depression

Trouble focusing, intrusive thoughts, dread, flatness. Sometimes these are ADHD, autism, OCD, anxiety, or depression; sometimes trauma is underneath; often it's both.

Laura Pearl
August 7, 2026

Dissociation During Sex: Why It Happens and What Helps

The confusing part is that you want to be there. Why people leave their bodies during sex they chose, with partners they love, and what