KRISTIN MISCALL, LCSW

I’m here to offer tools and approaches so that you can lead and navigate your own self-inquiry, and radical self-care. I don’t impose processes or ideologies, and I don’t privilege answers because it’s so often in the questions where the juicy stuff lies. Think of me as your guide, holding space and shedding light on those spots that are impossible to see on our own and can keep us trapped in destructive patterns and habits. With over 24 years in private practice, I’m trained in a range of Eastern and Western methodologies including relational psychoanalysis, trauma theories, and Zen Buddhism. I source from the wells of wisdom that each of these traditions offers as road maps for living in and through our emotional, physical, spiritual, and deeply relational bodies.

My hope is that you come to hold yourself, your experiences and feelings, whatever they may be, in high regard so that you can open the doors to honest inquiry. It's only through such bold honesty and inquiry that true transformation is possible. From there we can access our power of choice: choosing how much energy we put toward one experience versus another, one feeling or another, or even one person or another. Most importantly, we can choose to stay present and identify with clarity and bravery, What's True Now?

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MY STORY

I have known what I wanted to do for a living since I was 16 years old. Part of this came from an early hunger to understand the “why’s” of the human experience and another from the fact that my psychological survival as a child depended on being exquisitely tuned to the feeling experiences of others. I now consider that sensitivity-born-of-necessity a gift as it led me to explore a variety of therapeutic modalities and fueled my passion for helping others heal. 

I believe deeply in the power of a safe, consistent, and warm connection combined with a genuine commitment to digging in and getting honest as a way to bring about life-changing transformations. Some of these transformations take a while to unfurl while some can happen sooner than you expect. Whatever style, approach, or pace suits you, I will do my best to adapt and offer support and encouragement as we co-create a safe therapeutic space for meaningful inquiry.

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TRAINING & CREDENTIALS:

I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Women’s Studies with a minor in Anthropology from Scripps College in 1992. In 1995, I graduated from New York University with a Masters in Clinical Social Work. Following that, I completed my certification in Psychoanalysis from Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Study Center in 2007 and then acquired an additional certification in Feminist Psychoanalytic Treatment of Eating Disorders from Women’s Therapy Centre Institute in 2010. More recently, I have completed Part I & II of Pia Mellody’s Post Induction Therapy and Part II of EMDR Training. In April 2017, I completed a year-long training in Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy with Andrew Tatarsky and Jenifer Levy at The New School for Social Research.

As an essential part of my personal life that also influences my professional life, I am honored to be a member of Brooklyn Zen Center since 2011. In December of 2017, I received the Zen precepts as a lay ordinand from Kosen Zenki Greg Snyder.  This honor of stepping into a life of service has brought depth, breadth, and sincerity to my personal and professional lives. I am deeply humbled by the charge to live and practice for the benefit of all sentient beings.  I held the role of Tenzo (head of kitchen practice) for four years before moving to the role of Ethics Committee Co-Chair on the Board of Directors in 2019.  Also, I am a co-facilitator of our program “Undoing Whiteness as the Path of Liberation: a 10-month Journey of Collective Liberation.” From the program description: This course is intended to support an individual and collective process of illuminating and transforming the racial conditioning of whiteness and white supremacy within the framework of Mahayana Buddhism, as the bodhisattva path of liberation. The course is balanced between experiential learning and relational practice in small facilitated groups.

I live in New Jersey with my two amazing pups Valley, the snuggliest Pittie, and Zoey, the moppety Mini Goldendoodle. And never far from our hearts are the enduring spirits of my beloved Pug, Bella, and my forever-queen Vizsla, Luna.