Tessa Fellows

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Childhood Trauma Therapist | NY

LMHC, Clinical Supervisor

Therapy for Adults Healing from Childhood Trauma and Reclaiming Their Lives

Even high-functioning adults can feel trapped by patterns that have been shaping them since childhood. You may have spent years putting others’ needs first being the responsible one, the peacemaker, or the strong one while minimizing your own feelings and needs. 

Now, you want to finally focus on yourself, but old habits, anxiety, and self-doubt keep showing up.

Many of my clients are midlife adults seeking to understand how their childhood experiences impact who they are today..how they relate to themselves, navigate relationships, and approach their work or life goals. They want to toss out patterns of over-responsibility, people-pleasing, and constant hyper-vigilance, and build a life that feels emotionally grounded, safe, and authentic.

How I Help

In our work together, we focus on understanding how your past continues to shape your present and begin gently shifting those patterns.

You’ll learn to recognize emotional triggers, manage stress responses, and build internal safety so that your life is guided by choice rather than fear or obligation. We’ll work on:

  • Regulating anxiety and overthinking

  • Setting boundaries without guilt

  • Understanding and responding to emotional triggers

  • Reconnecting with your own needs and values

  • Building confidence, clarity, and self-compassion

This isn’t about “fixing” you. It’s about creating space to feel safe, understood, and empowered to live fully as yourself.

Therapeutic Approaches

My work is informed by evidence-based approaches to trauma and adult healing, including:

  • Attachment-Informed Therapy – understanding how early relationships influence your current patterns

  • Trauma-Informed Interventions – building safety and regulating nervous system responses

  • Mindfulness & Cognitive-Behavioral Tools – cultivating awareness, reducing rumination, and creating practical coping strategies

These approaches help clients explore both the emotional and practical aspects of life while developing skills to thrive outside of therapy.

Strengthening Your Emotional Foundation

A central focus of my work is helping adults reclaim their sense of self and build a foundation of emotional stability.

Many clients have spent DECADES prioritizing everyone else’s needs (family, partners, work, etc) while neglecting their own emotional health. True transformation happens when you learn to notice your feelings, honor your needs, and respond to yourself with care and clarity.

In therapy, we work on building awareness, developing emotional resilience, and practicing self-focused strategies that support your long-term wellbeing.

Credentials

I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York and a Clinical Supervisor with specialized training in trauma studies. I hold a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling, an Advanced Certificate in Interdisciplinary Trauma Studies from SUNY Oswego, and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from SUNY Plattsburgh.

I’ve worked with adults from diverse backgrounds, supporting them in understanding their emotional world and building healthier relationships with themselves and others.

I have extensive experience supporting adults from diverse backgrounds as they navigate childhood trauma patterns, identity exploration, and relational challenges.

📍I provide virtual therapy for adults throughout New York. If you’re ready to heal past wounds, focus on yourself, and build a life that feels grounded and authentic, therapy can provide the supportive space to begin.