Let's Break

the Ice.

Dr. Emily Altunay in clinic taking therapy session notes

Welcome! I'm Dr. Emily Altunay, but please call me Emily

Trauma and EMDR Therapist in

New York (PSY#0281173) and California (PSY#32113)

  • Born and raised in Kobe Bryant’s old 'hood outside Philadelphia

  • Recovering “good girl” raising a “baddie girl"

  • Lover of different cultures, so created a multicultural family by marrying a Turk

  • Claire is my middle name, so of course I live for eclairs (yum) and inner clarity (clairsentience, you get me?)

  • Healer by day. Reality TV, HGTV, and rescue dog IGs by night

  • Collector of healing methods from my own journey

  • Master balancer....not on the beam (e.g., work and life, yin and yang, East and West, doing and receiving, body and soul)

  • Awkward AF with the superficial pleasantries. Much more comfortable getting real and deep

  • Homebody collecting passport stamps

  • Drop me in nature or drop me a beat and I’m in my happy place

You deserve better...

Many clients show up in the virtual sofa across from me feeling frustrated and defeated, and believing therapy doesn’t work for them. Can you relate? Maybe you tried talk therapy. While it was nice to vent to someone paid to listen, eventually, you realized you’re still stuck in the same old patterns. Maybe you were with a therapist who wasn’t the right fit, who didn’t understand your struggles or didn’t have the right tools that would help you meet your specific needs. Maybe you made some progress in therapy before, but have reached a plateau or still feel like there is deeper healing to be done.

 

You deserve to find a therapist that you click with, that understands your struggles, that really sees you. You deserve a therapist that’s ready to roll up their sleeves and get into the trenches of healing with you, no matter how dark and scary it gets. You deserve a therapist that’s relatable and qualified to provide you with actual healing that gets at the root and provides long-lasting relief. You deserve a therapist that can get you where you want to go in life. Whether that’s with me, or someone else, that is what I want for you. That is what you deserve.

I'm not your average therapist

I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk. I’m a former "good girl," who lived for everyone else, but herself. Who cared waaayy too much about what other people thought about her. Who kept quiet, internalized her emotions, and developed negative, limiting patterns. I’ve suffered from childhood wounds, "BIG T" and "little t" traumas, grief and loss, dependent attachment, bouts of depression, and anxiety with insomnia.

I share all of this so you know I'm human too!

 

I've had my own struggles, and found relief. With every challenge, I tried different strategies until I found ones that worked and got to the root of the problem…strategies I still use in my own life today. And now I want to offer them to you. I blend traditional, evidence-based therapy methods like EMDR, CBT, ACT, and IFS, but also non-traditional modalities like mindfulness, self-compassion, biofeedback and nervous system regulation, breathwork, and yoga.

 

I won’t sugar-coat it, healing is hard and messy work.

But it is soooo worth it. It’s freeing. It helps build your confidence and know your strength. It reveals the real you. It connects you to your intuition and spirituality. It gives you the courage to finally build the life of your dreams. I know this because I’ve been in your shoes and have found beauty on the other side. I know this because of the countless humans I’ve had the privilege of journeying alongside as they transform their lives. It’s what drives me to keep going in this work. I want that for you too. When you’re ready.

Dr. Emily Altunay is a present and compassionate therapist

What it's like to work with me

I strive to create a supportive and compassionate environment, like a warm, weighted blanket. A space where you feel safe to share your story. A space where you can be vulnerable, and reveal your inner thoughts and feelings. A space where you take off your mask and show the real you without fear of judgment. I embrace all parts of you. The bright and glowing parts, as well as the pieces that feel dark and heavy.

You'll feel seen and valued.

 

Based on your needs and goals for therapy, I will develop a treatment plan tailored to you. We will start with some immediate changes and coping tools so you can start feeling better. I will then draw upon various methods that I believe are best suited to help you get at the root of your struggles, so you can achieve true healing and lasting change. While I have the tools that can help, you’re the expert on you, so we will work collaboratively throughout the treatment process to figure out what's working and what isn't. About when we need to ramp up healing or when we need to slow down. About when you need structure and when you need deeper, reflective exploration.

 

What you won’t get is an AI bot or lots of ‘mmhmms’ and nodding across the screen.

Rather, you’ll get another human who’s been in your shoes, qualified to help you heal. Sometimes that involves telling you things that are hard to hear or gently guiding you to places you’ve avoided for a long time. Sometimes that involves humor and lightness, and sharing in your wins. Whatever your case may be...

I genuinely want to see you thrive.

A stack of books and glasses representing Dr. Emily Altunay's studies to become a psychologist

And if you're wondering why

I'm qualified...

  • Licensed Psychologist in New York (028173) and California (32113)

  • PhD in Clinical Psychology, Arizona State University

  • MA in Clinical Psychology, Arizona State University

  • BS Cross-Cultural Psychology, University of Richmond

  • APA-accredited Postdoctoral Fellowship, West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, emphasis in trauma, mindfulness, and self-compassion

  • APA-accredited Clinical Internship, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, emphasis in mindfulness, TBI/polytrauma, rehabilitation, and general mental health

  • EMDR 50-Hour Certification approved by EMDRIA

  • Breathwork Facilitator Training with John Paul Crimi

  • Trauma-sensitive HeartMath-Certified Practitioner

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy VA-Certified Provider

  • RYT-200 Yoga Teacher Training, Costa Rica School of Massage

Who I Work Best With

Feeling "Stuck"

Women who have tried to change, yet still find themselves falling into the same old patterns and bad habits.

Self-Aware and Curious

Women who are aware of their limiting patterns and also willing to explore new insights and perspectives.

Ready for Insight and Action

Women who want a therapeutic approach that offers reflective exploration and tools you can implement outside of session.

Motivated and Committed

Women who are eager to make change and willing to do the work, by attending sessions regularly and engaging in home practice.

Wanting Connection to Spirit

Women who have a personal belief in something larger than themselves and wanting to connect through their intuition or "gut feeling."

Open to holistic approaches

Women who are willing to try different healing modalities outside traditional "talk therapy" to get at the root of their issues.

Therapeutic Approaches

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): supporting healing from trauma through adaptive processing

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): reframing maladaptive thoughts and changing maladaptive behaviors so you feel better

  • Mindfulness and Self-Compassion: becoming the observer of your present moment and creating spaciousness with kindness and care

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: identifying what truly matters to you and manifesting the life you desire

  • Nervous System Regulation: Getting in touch with your body so you can learn to relax and self-soothe

  • Internal Family Systems (parts work): working with the different parts of yourself to foster integration and self-leadership

  • Breathwork: Activating the power of the breath to release stuck energy and emotions from the body and connect with source

  • Yoga: Learning to trust your mind, body, and spirit through intentional movement

Are you curious what healing might look like for you?

Finding the right therapist makes all the difference. If you like what you've read so far,

schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if we are a good fit.

© 2026 Emily Jenchura, PhD Psychologist APC