Find a therapist in Hamden, CT — covered by insurance

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker credentialed in both New York and Connecticut. I earned my Master of Social Work from Fordham University in 2001 and have dedicated my career to helping clients overcome obstacles. I also hold a post-graduate certificates in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). By skillfully blending psychodynamic and behavioral techniques, I provide a dynamic and customized approach to healing and growth.

You've been holding it together for everyone else. Let's make space for you.

You're self-aware enough to know something is wrong, and exhausted from trying to figure it out on your own. Maybe you've done therapy before. Maybe you've read the books, know the language, can explain your patterns — and still can't seem to change them. That gap between knowing and feeling is exactly where I work.

I specialize in trauma, anxiety, and the relational wounds that don't heal with insight alone. My clients are often thoughtful, capable, hard-working women who are harder on themselves than they'd ever be on anyone else — carrying old hurt in their bodies long after their minds have tried to move on.

My approach is warm and direct. I won't just nod and reflect — I'll work actively with you, using EMDR, somatic and parts-based (IFS-informed) methods, and nervous system tools drawn from yoga therapy and mindfulness. These aren't techniques I layer on top of talk therapy — they're how I understand healing: that your body has been part of the story all along, and it needs to be part of the recovery too.

I've been doing this work for over 18 years, and I bring my whole self to it — including my own experience navigating complex relationships, multiple roles, and the ongoing practice of self-compassion that I ask of my clients.

If you're ready to stop managing and start actually shifting — I'd love to connect.

I have 20 years of experience working in the mental health and addiction field, I am a certified Gambling Counselor. Thirteen of the 20 years I spent in leadership roles. I have a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology and varied training in trauma, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

I’m Ilene Robbins, a Licensed Professional Counselor and I believe meaningful change happens through connection, trust, and understanding. Clients often describe me as warm, highly perceptive and solution oriented . I strive to create a space where you can feel safe enough to be honest, understood, and supported without judgment.

I work with teens, adults, professionals, parents, and couples who may feel anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck — even when things appear “fine” on the outside. I have extensive experience supporting people through anxiety, depression, OCD, relationship challenges, parenting stress, and major life transitions.

As both a clinician and a parent, I understand how complex relationships and emotional worlds can be. I bring a balance of empathy, insight, and practical guidance to my work, helping clients make sense of patterns that feel confusing or painful and move toward healthier ways of thinking, feeling, and relating.

You don’t need to come in with perfectly formed goals, just a willingness to begin. My role is to walk alongside you, helping you feel less alone, more grounded, and more capable of creating meaningful, lasting change.