Maram Barakat, Ph.D.
Limited Permit Psychologist
Midtown + Virtual
Welcome. If you’re reading this, something in you might be searching– for clarity, relief, direction, or simply a place to feel less alone. Whatever brought you here, you don’t need to have all the answers. We can start from exactly where you are.
I work with individuals and couples who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of how to move forward– often asking big questions like: Why do certain patterns keep repeating, even when I want to change? Why do I feel this way, and what can I do about it? Who am I beneath the roles, expectations, and beliefs of others? How do I stop hurting in relationships or stop hurting others?
At the core of my work is a deep respect for the complexity of being human. I bring warmth, curiosity, a willingness to explore the harder questions, and a touch of humor. I believe therapy should be a space where your pain, hopes, patterns, and even your most shameful moments, are met with compassion, not judgment.
My approach is grounded in relational and psychodynamic therapies, and I integrate tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in a way that’s flexible and values-driven. I believe that self-understanding, when paired with practical skills, can lead to meaningful and lasting change.
I’m particularly drawn to working with people navigating the impact of trauma, whether personal, relational, generational, cultural, or systemic. I also work with individuals exploring questions of identity, belonging, and cultural complexity, as well as those examining the emotional roots of behaviors like people-pleasing, withdrawal, addiction, or conflict.
I hold space for the full range of human experience: grief, anger, confusion, and contradiction– and also resilience, growth, and humor. Therapy with me is about helping you make sense of your story and honoring your resilience and capacity for growth
Training
I’ve worked across hospital, community, inpatient, and outpatient settings, supporting children, teens, adults, couples, and families through trauma, abuse, loss, depression, anxiety, body image concerns, chronic illness, addiction, systemic stressors, and more. I hold a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University.
As a trilingual, first-generation immigrant from Lebanon, I understand what it means to carry many identities and how healing often begins by giving each part of ourselves the space to breathe. To honor your full expression, I offer therapy in both English and Arabic.