Hello, I am Lynnikka, Lynnikka Draper Therapy offers psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and children/adolescents in New York City. My practice is located in Union Square.
I received my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Clark Atlanta University. I received my Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from CUNY Hunter College. I have training in different modalities such as CBT, DBT, Psychoanalysis, Person Centered Therapy, and Play Therapy. Now lets get to stuff that I am sure will be more interetsing for you, who am I as a person? Well to start, I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado (yes the water and air is as clean as everyone says and there are mountain views anywhere you are). I decided to go to an HBCU and moved to Atlanta when I was 17 for college. It was such a culture shock for me, that is where I have to say my journey into understanding my identity began. I knew since high school that psychology was my interest but college is where I began to grow and become more specific in my interest. Then was the move to the Big Apple! Once again another culture shock! Now this isn't to say that I haven't traveled to other countries before, because my passport does have plenty of stamps, but to see so many different types of people in one place that was so crowed was such a freeing feeling (especially being from Colorado where things just recently began to be diverse). All this to say I believe that my experiences with different cultures lead my interest into issues around identity and multicultural issues which influence school/work life, emotion regulation, stress, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. I have experience in running groups, working with children/adolescents and adults as well as working with couples. I attend seminars, workshops, and conferences in order to be up to date in my knowledge of mental health counseling and techniques.
Outside the Office....
I beleive in a work/life balance, outside of work I am usually with friends, traveling to see family (Colorado is constantly changing), and admiring all the animals outside with their owners (yes I love animals). I also practice techniques that you may mention me talk about in session (I guess sometimes work comes home with me, but in a good way) such as meditation!
Where It All Started?
Yes, I was one of those people who said I didn't see myself working with kids, well that changed the first time I conducted a therapy session! My very first sessions were with children experiencing ODD/ADHD conducting groups and individual play therapy. Sometimes you have moments when you know this is where you are suppose to be, well that was my moment and I still get chills just from talking about it! Talk about feeling inspired!
When Did Relationships Come Into Play?
Well to be honest, in individual sessions the most common topics besides anxiety and depression were relationship issues. Now I had some training through my grad program already but decided to get more training and lets just say I LOVED IT! I have found it helpful even when working with children and interacting with parents as well, I use these communication skills in my own life.
My Approach
As your therapist, I tailor my approach depending on your needs. It is my commitment to offer you a safe space without judgement and provide an empathetic ear. Each person is unique which means that the approach should be unique to you. My goal is to help you understand behavior patterns which will lead to a better understanding of one's self. I will provide you with concrete coping strategies to better deal with stress and negative behavior patterns. I am here to support you through growth and changes leading you to your best self.
Areas of Focus & Specializations
*Anxiety
*Depression
*Behavioral Concerns
*Emotion Regulation
*School/ Work Life
*Stress Reduction
*Identity Issues
*LGBTQ Issues
*Relationships
*Grief
*Addiction