Elena Husko PhD
NJ & PA Licensed Psychologist
We come by our pain honestly and much of what we want to change in ourselves had, at some point, given us shelter.
Opening up to someone is no small thing, but it's also the fundamental thing that gives folks relief. To this end, I try to make therapy a natural process and most of my clients have said in one way or another that I feel like "talking to a real person." I developed my style working with university students who taught me to drop the artificial formalities, ask deeper questions, be upfront with my care, and say what I mean.
In general, I start from the standpoint that anyone seeking therapy has come by their pain honestly and that much of what folks find distressing in themselves is a reasonable response to what has happened to them. I want to hear about the heavy-going things that trouble you as well as your talents, strengths, hopes and successes. I think there is a necessary interplay between standing with folks in the depth of their pain and finding the irony or humor in some of the darkness. I am unlikely to give rote advice and more likely to partner with you in unpacking your past, trusting your feelings, reaching creative solutions, and moving towards your version of the good life. I also think that for therapy to be a liberating space, people need the freedom to talk about how their lives are shaped by their sociocultural identities as well as corresponding experiences of prejudice, marginalization, and erasure.
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I have experience helping folks with a wide range of issues related to self-confidence, relationships, and emotional pain. Some specific areas of expertise include:
Anxiety - worries, fears, traumatic experiences, existential concerns, avoidance, and physical symptoms
Depression- losses, disappointments, setbacks, and other painful experiences.
Relationship Concerns: difficulties involving family, friends, romantic partners, boundaries, and trouble trusting/opening up
Self-definition: figuring yourself out after a major change or transition like coming out, changing career, becoming a parent, or leaving a relationship
I work well with anyone who is curious about themself and open to having a deeper conversation. Specifically, queer folx, Veterans, men, adult children of alcoholics, overachievers, university students, young professionals, and folks in creative fields have found me helpful.
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My theoretical orientation is broadly psychodynamic with a particular focus on relational analytic approaches. This basically means that I believe a lot of what is troubling you currently, can be relieved by understanding how you got here. I also integrate DBT and somatic interventions to help pull folks out of their heads and into their experience.
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I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2018 after completing an APA-accredited internship at the Veterans Affairs New Jersey Healthcare System. Subsequently, I completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton University's Counseling and Psychological Services.
I have served as a staff psychologist in the counseling centers at Lehigh and Drexel Universities over the last 5 years. At Drexel, I specialized in community interventions and workshops which put me in touch with building trust, vulnerability, and connection in groups. If you'd like to book a workshop for your staff or team let me know! I also worked closely with Veteran's Services to attend to the needs of student Veterans who often are in a really different place in life and education than typical college students. In my professional roles, I also supervised psychologists-in-training which feels like paying-it-forward to all the smart, creative, and patient people who trained me.
Just a note: If we have worked together in the past, you might know me by my unmarried name, Elena Cucco.