Tessa Gittleman, PLLC
About
I decided to become a therapist because I was so disappointed in my own therapy. Providers explained away things that shouldn’t have been, I wasn’t viewed holistically, and I felt overlooked, ignored, and hopeless. Eventually, I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos, POTS, and a constellation of other health symptoms that come with it. I work hard to ensure my clients never experience the medical invalidation and gaslighting, that they feel increasingly confident to advocate for their needs, and that they know how to negotiate their needs in the various domains of their lives. My style is transparent, funny, collaborative, and experiential. I borrow from Motivational Interviewing, Somatic-Experiential, ACT, and IFS. These modalities help me to understand you, your situation, and how you’d measure success. From there, I help you demystify the dysfunction and develop a process for processing productively outside of therapy. People who think I’m a fit are often high-achieving individuals with an acute awareness of the issue, feel they have tried “everything” to fix it, and are giving therapy “one last chance.” I successfully get clients “unstuck” by challenging them in unconventional, collaborative ways. I intentionally push people 20% past where they are comfortable (because that’s where the growth happens!) and practice pivoting to ensure you have the skills to navigate, manage, and address the discomfort long-term.