Our Practice

Solutions-based therapy that actually works


We support individuals and couples in moving confidently towards the future. Through a compassionate and collaborative approach, we help our clients uncover the root causes of their struggles and develop personalized, evidence based strategies to overcome them.

At Atlas Therapy, we empower clients for the future by equipping them with the skills they need to thrive independently.

OUR VALUES

We believe that our patients are capable of incredible things.

We strive to help them actualize their potential with care, enthusiasm, and evidence-based support. Below are the values that shape our work.

COLLABORATION

We believe in treating a person as a whole. Whenever possible, we connect with other providers whose expertise may help improve our clients’ treatment outcomes. 

Transparency

We believe that knowledge is power. We want our clients to understand the methods we’re using and why. 

Evidence-based Practices

We believe that our clients’ time, energy and resources are valuable and that our methods must be based in the latest science. 

Non-pathologizing

We believe that our clients are more than a diagnosis or a cluster of symptoms. We work to get to know and celebrate all of you. 

culturally competent

We believe in approaching our clients’ racial, ethnic, religious and cultural identities from a place of curiosity, with a desire to understand how these facets of their lived experience have shaped who they are and how they show up.

accountability

We believe in accountability between therapist and client. We understand and acknowledge that therapists can get it wrong sometimes. We regularly solicit feedback about our work and enthusiastically welcome opportunities for growth, improvement and repair.

lgbtqia affirming

We create an environment of safety around the expression and exploration of our clients’ sexual and gender identities.

strength-based

We believe our clients have their own inner healing capacity and that our role is to guide them in accessing it through supportive and strengths-based approaches.

sex-positive

We believe in honoring love, sex and relationships of all kinds. We have experience working with clients in a wide range of relationship types (open, polyamorous relationships, monogamous, etc.) and whose relationships to sex vary widely.

relatability and humor

We believe that much of the medicine of therapy is in the connection between therapist and client. Whenever clinically appropriate, we strive to bring ourSelves, our humor and some lightness into the work.

Our clients

You’ve found the right place if you...

  • A perfectionist
    A people pleaser
    A worrier
    Queer
    A caretaker
    Pregnant or parenting
    Neurodivergent
    A child of immigrants
    An overachiever
    A mediator
    An empath
    Highly sensitive
    An intellectualizer 
    Anxiously attached

  • Anxiety
    Depression
    Loneliness 
    Feelings of despair towards the future
    Overstimulation
    Dissociation 
    Difficulty with identifying and labeling emotions
    Feelings of not being good enough
    Negative self talk
    Imposter syndrome
    Disassistfaction in relationships
    Feelings of resentment
    Chronically unmet needs
    Feelings of being “too much”
    Procrastination
    Difficulty focusing
    Overthinking
    Impulsivity 
    Decision paralysis
    Poor boundary-setting

  • “I have to be perfect or people won’t like me”
    “If I don’t control things, something will go wrong”
    “No one is ever there for me”
    “I am never enough”
    “Everybody always leaves”
    “Am I broken?”
    “I’m too tired to do the things that will make me feel better”
    “If my partner needs me, then maybe they won’t leave me”
    “The world and the people in it are bound to hurt me”
    “No one cares about my needs”
    “I have to do everything myself”
    “I can never get enough done”
    “No one really understands me” 
    “Things will never get better”
    “I don’t know why I feel this way”

  • At peace with your past, present and future
    Able to build lasting, meaningful connections
    Aware of the why behind who you are, how you feel, think and behave
    Balanced in your reaction to triggers
    In love with yourself, your mind, your body
    Capable of tolerating discomfort
    Confident in who you are
    Focused and energized
    Hopeful towards your future

If you hear yourself and your goals in any of these words, know that you are welcome here and that our team is trained to help you find your peace.


Our methods

Tailored Treatment Approaches

Our therapists have a background in a number of evidence-based treatments, all of which can be used in our work based on our clients’ needs.

Curious to learn more about these treatment methods and whether they might be helpful to you?

Schedule a free 15 minute consultation call with one of our therapists.

Our Team

We don’t just spend an hour with you every week.

We hold you in our minds and in our hearts in between sessions. We read books and research new studies on interventions that may support our work with you. We review our notes, your assessment results, your treatment plans, we think about your goals and whether we’re working hard enough to help you get you closer to them. 

It’s not just an hour. You are important to us.


Janine Cheng, LCSW
Founder and Clinical Director

Welcome! I founded Atlas to create a space centered around wellness-one that is welcoming to all, that uses methods rooted in the latest science and that empowers its members to move closer towards their goals with confidence. I am so glad that you are here. 

In my 10 + years of clinical practice, I’ve found that I do my best work with clients who identify as people-pleasers, perfectionists, caretakers and with couples working through differences in attachment styles (specialty in anxious attachment). They often struggle with setting healthy boundaries or with tolerating the discomfort of conflict. Their lives may be characterized by a chronic need to please others, a fear of being disliked/abandoned, and an overwhelming feeling of being undervalued. 

Additionally, much of my work is with members of the Asian diaspora. Many are children of immigrants and find themselves navigating generational differences in acculturation leading to misunderstanding and disconnect within their family systems. They often feel torn between the values and expectations of their heritage and those of their new environment. This internal conflict can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and identity confusion.  

My practice centers around understanding the way patterns in relationships and in behavior, thought and emotion connect with formative experiences. I believe that insight combined with intentional skill-building leads to sustainable change that will actually help clients to feel better and move through the world in more authentic and fulfilling ways.

Learning to set boundaries, to identify and communicate needs, to ground in one’s own experience rather than in the experience of others, to tend to one’s body and mind are all part of that healing.  Much of healing wounds involves moving through the related pain, recognizing where old patterns have locked us into that pain and learning to find a different, reparative way forward. I look forward to forging that path with you.

Specialized Training

Internal Family Systems

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and CBT-I

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Gottman Couples Therapy

Somatic Experiencing Therapy

States of licensure

New York

California

Client Population

Adults

Couples

Joy Belamarich, LCSW
Therapist

  • My training is based in trauma and its impact on the mind, body, and sense of self. I believe in the power of storytelling; in the stories that have shaped our lived experience, and the ways in which stories help us to make meaning of the world around us.

    Therapy should feel like a place we go together, where you are understood, held, and deeply listened to. My practice is integrative, rooted in the psychodynamic approach, and I pull from a relational, mindfulness, and attachment-based perspective to understand your history and different parts of self, and support your process towards an adaptive and improved quality of life. 

    Much of life is a paradox, and within the therapeutic space, we build the capacity to manage opposing truths, and when needed, challenge the stories that inhibit us from feeling more fulfilled and connected to ourselves and others.

    A strong therapeutic fit is necessary for experiencing positive change and outcome in therapy. I am currently available for a no cost consultation call, where we can explore together your therapeutic needs and decide what would be best for you.


    SPECIALIZED TRAINING:

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
    Psychodynamic
    Trauma focused
    Child Parent Psychotherapy
    Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)


    POPULATION:

    Adults
    Teens


    LICENSED IN:

    New York
    Massachusetts

Marissa Kirshenbaum, LMSW
Therapist

  • Marissa Kirshenbaum is a dedicated therapist in training under clinical supervision, with a special focus on supporting new and expectant parents through the challenges of pregnancy and early parenting. As a mother herself, Marissa brings a deep understanding and empathy to her practice, guiding clients through the transformative journey of parenthood with compassion and insight. Her approach integrates both professional knowledge and personal experience, offering a supportive space for individuals and families to navigate this pivotal stage of life. Marissa is committed to fostering resilience and well-being for parents as they embrace their evolving roles and responsibilities.


    SPECIALIZED TRAINING:

    Psychodynamic
    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
    Attachment-based Therapy


    POPULATION:

    Adults
    Perinatal


    LICENSED IN:

    New York

Ready to move forward with confidence and clarity?

If you’re ready to embark on your mental health journey, let us help. We’d love to be a part of your new course as you build strength and resilience for every step forward.