Michele Quiles, MHC-LP is a New York City therapist practicing primarily from a relational and psychoanalytic perspective.
you should be picky about who you work with
why should I care that you’re a therapist?
honestly, it’s a great question.
When I was a teenager, I was unknowingly inspired by my very first therapist who helped me tremendously. I was no longer able to work with that therapist when I entered college (this was when Telehealth wasn’t widely available) I proceeded to receive culturally incompetent care. I struggled to explain to counselors the nuances that came from having a bicultural background, or explaining to them what being “mixed” was. I was in disbelief about hard it was for some providers to understand that I thought it was deeply distressing that in order to attend graduate school, I’d have to forgo my income- and therefore my health insurance. Seriously? Was that so hard to get?
I knew there were other clients just like me, really… really tired of this. Like, exhausted. …And also horrified by it. That’s why I’m a therapist.
I am proud to be a first-generation college graduate from a bicultural background. I am very familiar with systems that didn’t want me to thrive in them (like academia for example) and therefore work with many individuals navigating systemic oppression, cultural identity, and the ways these experiences can affect mental health.
about me
I’m a therapist who practices primarily psychoanalytically and relationally. For the most part, my style is relational. Basically, what that means is that I think the relationship in therapy is the treatment—almost entirely.
Therapy is a container, but eventually, the way that we are in relation to others shows up in our relationship with our therapist. The most important part of the treatment is to confront this with honesty and delicacy.
My clients would describe me as honest, direct, and insightful. I also use a lot of humor in my sessions.
I primarily work with leftist clients who recognize that their mental health is affected not only by isolated experiences, but also by the political and social conditions around them. I care about incorporating these realities and values into my therapy sessions.
education
Education & Clinical Training
I hold a master’s degree (MA) in Mental Health Counseling from Baruch College and a BA in Psychology from Binghamton University.
I was a research assistant at the Depression Evaluation Service at Columbia Medical Center for a year, and I have done vocational work with formerly incarcerated individuals. I also worked for three and a half years at a therapy practice in NYC that prioritized intersectionality and cultural competency in the therapeutic process, and I have experience counseling college students. At the present moment, I am employed at a queer affirming practice where I have worked for more than a year.
Supervision & Consultation
I am currently supervised by Andrew Triska, LCSW, Clinical Director of Triska Psychotherapy, a queer-affirming practice in NYC.
I receive ongoing biweekly consultation from a psychologist (PhD), lecturer, and research scientist at Yale University who is trained in psychoanalysis from the NYU Postdoctoral Psychoanalytic Program.
Psychoanalytic Training
My training has focused on developing the ability to free associate, listen, and interpret psychoanalytically. I completed an 8-week training led by two established psychologists whose practices are primarily psychoanalytic.
I have also attended trainings focused on the psychoanalytic conception of eating disorders.
I plan to pursue formal psychoanalytic training in the future, continuing to deepen my understanding of psychoanalytic theory and practice.
In my spare time, I am probably reading about psychoanalysis or maybe playing videogames.
Contact Michele
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