Dr. Isaiah Pickens

I specialize in relational therapy given my integration of cultural and relational aspects of healing into every facet of the therapeutic process. My work supports clients in understanding how past and present relationships shape their identity, emotional patterns, and goals. By exploring these dynamics and using the therapeutic relationship as a practice ground, we build insight, strengthen emotional intelligence, and create healthier, more authentic ways of relating in every part of life.

I specialize in trauma-focused CBT based on nearly two decades of experience providing trauma-informed care. I’ve served as clinical faculty at NYU School of Medicine and as Assistant Director at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. I’ve trained professionals nationwide, developed a trauma-informed training program, and have a forthcoming book on the topic with Guilford Press—grounding my clinical work in both expertise and real-world application.

I specialize in trauma-focused CBT based on nearly two decades of experience providing trauma-informed care. I’ve served as clinical faculty at NYU School of Medicine and as Assistant Director at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. I’ve trained professionals nationwide, developed a trauma-informed training program, and have a forthcoming book on the topic with Guilford Press—grounding my clinical work in both expertise and real-world application.

I specialize in trauma-focused CBT based on nearly two decades of experience providing trauma-informed care. I’ve served as clinical faculty at NYU School of Medicine and as Assistant Director at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. I’ve trained professionals nationwide, developed a trauma-informed training program, and have a forthcoming book on the topic with Guilford Press—grounding my clinical work in both expertise and real-world application.

I specialize in trauma-focused CBT based on nearly two decades of experience providing trauma-informed care. I’ve served as clinical faculty at NYU School of Medicine and as Assistant Director at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. I’ve trained professionals nationwide, developed a trauma-informed training program, and have a forthcoming book on the topic with Guilford Press—grounding my clinical work in both expertise and real-world application.

I specialize in trauma-focused CBT based on nearly two decades of experience providing trauma-informed care. I’ve served as clinical faculty at NYU School of Medicine and as Assistant Director at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. I’ve trained professionals nationwide, developed a trauma-informed training program, and have a forthcoming book on the topic with Guilford Press—grounding my clinical work in both expertise and real-world application.

I specialize in trauma-focused CBT based on nearly two decades of experience providing trauma-informed care. I’ve served as clinical faculty at NYU School of Medicine and as Assistant Director at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. I’ve trained professionals nationwide, developed a trauma-informed training program, and have a forthcoming book on the topic with Guilford Press—grounding my clinical work in both expertise and real-world application.

My background is in family systems, with a clinical specialization from Fordham University and experience working with families in outpatient settings at Beth Israel and St. Luke’s Hospitals in New York. I've continued using this lens throughout my career, helping individuals and families understand how relational patterns, roles, and generational dynamics shape their current challenges—and how to shift them for lasting change.

I specialize in treating anxiety by helping clients understand the root causes and build practical tools for relief. Using cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness, and trauma-informed approaches, I support high-performing individuals and others in managing stress, perfectionism, and fear of failure. I also explore how identity, culture, and relationships impact anxiety, helping clients break free from unhelpful patterns and live with more clarity and calm.

For the past decade, I've provided therapy and executive coaching for folks struggling with burnout as executives, managers, parents, and a host of demanding roles professionally and personally. Specifically, I've developed the Elevate Work training program that coaches emotional intelligence skills (EQ) at work and in life. This approach fuses best practices for individual support with strategies for advocating boundaries and communicating about important identities leading to burnout.

Trained as a family systems therapist and with extensive experience addressing relationship issues in therapeutic settings, I approach relationship issues from the lens of attachment theory. This means we work to understand your style of forming secure connections with others and update that style for more healthy marriages, romantic relationships, and friendships. Using our time in therapy to practice new ways to show up in relationships, you'll feel equipped to create fulfilling relationships.