McDavid Creative Therapy, LCSW
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Message from McDavid
Hi, I’m Matt, and I’m glad you found your way here. Everything you’ve overcome to get to this moment has prepared you for the journey ahead. This path will lead you to who you were always meant to be. I'm here to provide you with a safe and supportive space where you can express yourself openly and honestly. When you allow yourself to be present with your feelings, you reconnect to your authentic self, opening the door for true joy in your life. You can learn to love yourself unconditionally, cultivate self-compassion, and feel at peace. Our strength-based work together will show you how. I believe the journey is less about changing yourself and more about letting go of what isn’t true to who you are, unlearning how you’ve been conditioned to see yourself, and recognizing that you’ve been good enough all along. Your story doesn’t have to be ghostwritten by what happened to you. You can become the conscious author of your own life.
About McDavid's practice
Weekdays 9am - 5pm
$
Directive
Reflective
Body-based
In-person available: No
Virtual available: Yes
Existential Crisis or Transition
Depression
Anxiety
Trauma
Self-Esteem
Career-Related Stress
Burnout
Perfectionism
Aetna
NY
Why state matters
Get to Know McDavid
"I first met Matt during one of the darkest periods of my life -- a grief/depression spiral caused by the deaths of several friends and other substantive losses. Matt's compassionate guidance not only helped me through this stretch by teaching me to healthy say goodbye to lost loved ones, but deepened my understanding of the subtler effects of trauma in a way that's had lasting positive influence on every area of my life."
N, Client
"The most meaningful thing that I took away from working with Matt is healing my inner child and cultivating self-compassion. These are two areas I didn't think I needed to work on, but through our sessions, Matt helped me realize that is where I needed to focus on to better myself. The way Matt presented these concepts left such a lasting impression on me and have continued to help me to this day."
J, Client
"Matt's genuine enthusiasm for his sessions with me, along with his ability to consistently find new approaches to old problems, made every session rewarding."
L, Client
"Matt helped me differentiate the things I have control over from the things I don't, and to accept my past mistakes and misfortunes."
T, Client
"I enjoyed Matt's total acceptance of everything I shared with him. I have used other therapists that have expressed shock or surprise with my past and present experiences and I always felt welcome and supported by Matt. It was through his acceptance that I was able to open up more with him and make as much progress as I did."
J, Client
"From grief management to relationship and professional problems, my sessions with Matt consistently broadened my perception and understanding, which helped me shed assumptions that were no longer serving me and foster lasting personal growth."
N, Client
"I have known and collaborated with Matt for seven years. He is a talented and insightful therapist who authentically cares for the people he works with. He brings a calmness and responsiveness to sessions that makes him easy to talk with. If you are looking to form a meaningful therapeutic relationship that will support you to grow and heal I recommend meeting Matt."
Dallas Currie, Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist (LCSW), Colleague
"Matt was a colleague in private practice a few years back. I was always impressed by his clinical judgement, insights and his concern and care of his clients. Matt is highly skilled at providing appropriate therapeutic models and interventions for clients."
Tom Fleming, Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist (LCSW), Colleague
"I had the pleasure of getting to know Matt in group supervision when working at a large practice in Brooklyn and was so sad to see him go. Matt has a gentle, thoughtful, genuine way about him. He cares deeply for his clients and is a gifted therapist."
Nicole Gonzalez, Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist (LCSW), Colleague
"In today's time it's very difficult to find a good therapist. So challenging. I worked with Matt in my training many years ago in Park Slope, Brooklyn and I would not hesitate to recommend him. I was always impressed by his professionalism and detail."
Tahl Liebovitz, Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist (LCSW), Colleague
"Matt is a kind, compassionate, curious and intelligent person. He is able to utilize these qualities with his clients such that he guides them through a journey of self-exploration in a safe way with deep insight. I would recommend working with him 100%"
Alyssa Shapiro, Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist (LMSW), Colleague
Where did you work before going into private practice?
I’ve worked at several leading mental and behavioral health organizations in New York State as a clinical psychotherapist serving individuals, couples, and children, as well as a school counselor and a mental health non-profit innovator. Prior to that, I received specialized training at the Psychotherapy Center for Gender and Sexuality, a division of the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy in Manhattan.
What is unique about the work you do, or how have you found your work to be different than your colleagues'?
Traditional therapy is about solving the problem and changing behaviors—it’s a “what’s wrong with me?” approach. In my practice, the combination of trauma-informed care with a strength-based lens addresses the true impact of past experiences on current struggles—a “what happened to me?” approach. My clients learn that the journey is less about changing themselves and more about letting go of what isn’t true to who they are, unlearning how they’ve been conditioned to see themselves, and recognizing that they’ve been good enough all along. Our work together moves beyond alleviating painful symptoms to cultivate a profound sense of peace, self-acceptance, emotional resilience, and self-love. Some of the most rewarding feedback I've received from clients is that our sessions have redefined their expectations of therapy.
How do you approach diversity in the room or working with clients who may come from a different background than you?
I believe in validating my clients' lived experiences so they feel seen and heard. Creating a safe space for exploration allows clients to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the true impact of the trauma that occurs through oppression and discrimination. This understanding fosters a new awareness, helping clients to appreciate their resilience and the obstacles they've overcome as they consciously develop a strength-based narrative of their lives. With over a decade working with clients from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life, I value inclusion in my practice and celebrate diversity in all its beautiful forms. My approach is designed to welcome and affirm the unique stories and identities of everyone I work with, paving the way for a rich and transformative therapeutic journey.
Are there any philosophies or values that inform your work that I should know about?
I want to share some quotes with you that capture the essence of my approach to therapy. They include themes of resilience, self-compassion, authenticity, transformation, and growth. If these quotes resonate with you, we may be a good fit to work together! "I am not what happened to me. I am what I chose to become." "It takes an earthquake to form a mountain." "A bird sitting on a branch is never afraid of the branch breaking, because its trust is not on the branch but it's own wings." "Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about un-becoming everything that isn’t really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place."
Please share 2-3 anonymized examples of how the work can play out and/or look in the room so that I can form a visual or narrative of what to expect.
At McDavid Creative Therapy, the journey begins by acknowledging the genuine mental health challenges an individual may be facing—without relying on a diagnosis to define their whole identity. Next, I help them recognize how their struggles often arise from past experiences rather than any inherent flaws they have as an individual. This perspective shift opens the door to self-compassion and pride, empowering clients to view their struggles through a lens of resilience and growth. Building upon this, I guide clients toward a strength-based mindset. Encouraging acceptance of all emotions, particularly those that feel uncomfortable or negative. There are no 'bad' feelings. Every emotion serves a purpose, aiming to protect or inform us in some way. By reframing so-called negative emotions as allies rather than enemies, we learn to welcome them with curiosity rather than resistance. This process fosters a stronger connection to oneself, making it possible to find joy even in difficult moments. Through these steps, clients not only confront their challenges but also rediscover their strength and capacity for happiness.
What is the best part of the work for you?
For me, the best part is giving people hope. They learn that moments of breakdown can be opportunities for breakthroughs. Our experiences of adversity can lead to profound growth and resilience. I know this because I’ve experienced it in my own life. And as a therapist, I’ve helped my clients experience it in theirs. Together, we embrace the journey of healing and transformation, finding strength and beauty in the places where we once felt broken. It’s incredible to be able to support such transformative journeys for a living. Witnessing the resilience and growth of those I work with is profoundly rewarding.
What led you to become a mental healthcare practitioner?
Being a therapist is more than a job for me. it's a calling. As a young adult, my own mental health struggles revealed the healing and transformative power of therapy. My challenges led to profound personal growth. They instilled in me the utmost respect and empathy for those facing mental health hurdles. The possibility of working with others in such a meaningful way inspired and motivated me. This passion drove me to complete my graduate education and training at Columbia University. With over a decade of experience in mental health, I am grateful to be able to support others on their journey toward a better life.