Laura Kessler, PsyD
Dr. Laura Kessler, is a licensed clinical psychologist at Brooklyn Heights Behavioral Psychology Associates. She is also a New York State certified school psychologist. She provides evidence-based treatments for a wide range of struggles including: anxiety disorders, depression, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She has extensive training and experience in treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ExRP/ERP), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Parent-Management Training (PMT). She provides treatment to children, adolescents, and adults. Her research interests include women's health, LGBTQIA health and trauma.
As the adolescent and family intake coordinator, Dr. Kessler listens empathetically and works to understand a patient holistically. This helps provide an effective treatment plan moving forward. Dr. Kessler's passion for helping others and mental wellness has allowed her to practice psychology in diverse settings.
Dr. Kessler completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Brooklyn Heights Behavioral Associates (BHBA) where she joined a comprehensive DBT team. At BHBA, she received training and developed further experience in providing a wide array of evidence-based treatments. Prior to this, Dr. Kessler worked with teenagers and adults in psychiatric inpatient and outpatient settings at Stony Brook University and Hospital. There she practiced evidenced based treatments including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Unified Protocol (UP). Through the Stony Brook University Consortium Externship Program, Dr. Kessler received training and provided therapy for groups and individuals. Dr. Kessler also worked with families, adults, and adolescents as a psychology intern in forensic and trauma clinics at Hofstra University. For several years, Dr. Kessler trained as a school psychologist and provided psychological services to neurodivergent and neurotypical students in New York.
In 2015, Dr. Kessler studied mindfulness practices with The Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhist monks in a Tibetan refugee monastery. Through Emory University's Tibet Science Initiative, Dr. Kessler was immersed in the intersectionality of Western research and Tibetan Buddhist mindfulness practices. Dr. Kessler has used this knowledge to further her understanding and practices of mindfulness in psychology and mental wellness. She developed and taught mindfulness and emotional regulation courses at a domestic violence shelter. She also served as the Behavioral Science Advisor for Source Wellness which worked with major technology companies to increase employee wellbeing and decrease discrimination.
Dr. Kessler's recent research focused on healing from sexual trauma in women. Her research experience began as a research assistant in Dr. Scott Lilienfeld's lab at Emory University. From there she did research at multiple NYC hospitals and institutions including, New York University School of Medicine, Bellevue Hospital, and the Bronx Veterans Affair Medical Hospital.
Dr. Kessler received her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience from Emory University. Her doctoral education was at Hofstra University where she received her Doctoral Degree in psychology, her Master of Science degree in psychology, and her Advance Certificate in school and community psychology.