Gila Souleiman, LMHC

What feels like the problem, is often a pattern that outlived its purpose.

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Gila Souleiman, LMHC's style

Why Gila Souleiman, LMHC chose to be in the helping profession

I chose this profession because I have always been deeply curious about why people do what they do, not just how to make a problem disappear. Over time, I came to see that many struggles are actually intelligent patterns that once served an important purpose. I am especially skilled at noticing those patterns and helping people understand where they come from and why they continue to show up. I believe that when someone can make sense of their inner experiences, they gain a new kind of freedom and choice.

From there, we focus on translating insight into clear and practical next steps that fit the person’s real life. I want the work to feel useful outside the therapy room, not just meaningful in conversation. Together we look for small, realistic shifts that build momentum and confidence over time. That combination of understanding and action is what I have seen lead to the most genuine and lasting change.

Gila Souleiman, LMHC's approach

My approach to therapy centers on identifying the patterns that shape how you think, feel, and relate to yourself and others. We take time to slow things down so we can understand where those patterns came from and why they once made sense in your life. I find that when people can see their experiences in this way, they often feel less stuck and more compassionate toward themselves. That understanding becomes a foundation for something new to grow.

For some people, insight alone creates meaningful change, and for others we gently build beyond it. When more is needed, we translate what you are learning into practical and doable next steps that fit your real life and your personality. The work is collaborative and thoughtful, shaped by your goals and pace rather than a one size fits all model. My focus is always on helping you create change that feels steady, authentic, and lasting.

What you can expect from sessions with Gila Souleiman, LMHC

Sessions look different depending on where you are and what you are coming in with. Some people arrive with a specific concern, while others are trying to understand broader patterns or life transitions, and we meet you along that whole continuum. You are invited to bring your experiences, questions, and day to day world into the room just as they are. I see therapy as a place where your real life has a seat at the table.

Together, we take time to make sense of what matters most and to sort through what feels confusing or heavy. We develop a plan that fits your life rather than asking your life to fit a plan. The process is meant to feel steady and human, not rushed or formulaic. You do not need to have everything figured out when you arrive, we will take it from there and find the way forward together.

Gila Souleiman, LMHC's experience working with the Jewish community

My work is deeply informed by years of experience within the Jewish community. I interned at Yeshivah of Flatbush, and my private practice is based in Brooklyn, where I have the privilege of working with individuals and families from a wide range of Jewish backgrounds. I also work with The Propel Network, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting women’s career development and helping them navigate professional and personal growth. Being connected to these settings has shaped how I think about resilience, family, and the values people carry with them.

I speak publicly in Jewish schools and community organizations on topics related to mental health and emotional wellbeing, including at Magen David Yeshivah, Wayz, and Simha. These experiences keep me grounded in the real concerns people are facing and in the language that feels natural to the community. They help me approach my clinical work with sensitivity to culture, tradition, and faith. I see this understanding as an important part of building collaboration and recognizing the community’s unique needs and strengths.

Gila Souleiman, LMHC's Book Recommendation Zone

• The Gift of Imperfection
  A workbook for Brené Brown's The Gifts of Imperfection is a companion guide designed to help readers apply the book's concepts of wholehearted living through exercises, reflection questions, and activities based on the book's ten guideposts, such as practicing authenticity, cultivating self-compassion, and letting go of perfectionism to embrace vulnerability and worthiness. It helps users move from theory to practice, encouraging deliberate and intentional change through personal application of Brown's research on shame, courage, and connection
• The Body Keeps Score
  The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., explores how trauma physically reshapes the brain and body, impacting self-control, pleasure, and trust, and offers innovative treatments like neurofeedback, yoga, and EMDR to help survivors heal by activating the brain's neuroplasticity to rewire these effects. The book combines neuroscience, clinical experience, and personal stories to provide a comprehensive guide to understanding and recovering from traumatic stress, making it a popular and influential work for both professionals and the general public
• Attached
  Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S. F. Heller is a popular book that explains how adult attachment theory can help people find and maintain love by identifying their own and their partner's attachment style: secure, anxious, or avoidant. It argues that our early relationships shape our adult romantic behaviors, and understanding these patterns is key to building healthier, more fulfilling relationships, even suggesting that true independence comes from depending on a secure partner.
• Dopamine Nation
  Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Dr. Anna Lembke explores how our modern world's abundance of high-dopamine stimuli (like social media, food, and drugs) leads to compulsive overconsumption and addiction, explaining the science behind why the pursuit of pleasure often results in pain. Lembke, a Stanford addiction psychiatrist, uses patient stories and neuroscience to show how to find balance through self-binding, abstinence, and embracing pain to reset our reward pathways for a more fulfilling life
• Hidden Potential
  Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant (published October 2023) argues that success comes less from innate talent and more from developing character and learning skills, challenging the idea that some people are just "naturals". Grant uses research and storytelling to show how anyone can improve by focusing on growth, creating opportunities, and building character traits like resilience, rather than just raw ability, offering a new framework for raising aspirations and exceeding expectations.

Approaches

• Couples Counseling
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Psychodynamic Therapy

Concerns

• ADHD
• Anxiety
• Relationships

6 years in practice

Licenses

• LMHC by New York 2018. License number 013320
• LMHC by Vermont 2018

Degrees

• Master of Mental Health Counseling 2018

Certificates

• Management and Leadership by Wharton 2022

Average costs per session

$250 - $300

Payment Methods

• Free consultation