Serena Berne, LMSW

Serena Berne (she/her) is a LMSW and believes that the foundation of successful treatment is trust. To facilitate that she provides a safe, calm, nonjudgmental, open environment to partner and build that trust with clients. Therapy creates a space for people to be seen, heard and be their authentic selves. It can be a way of showing up for yourself and exploring parts that may not feel safe to express in other areas of your life.

Serena approaches therapy with curiosity, respect, empathy, humor and creativity. She welcomes people of all backgrounds and identities. Areas Serena works with include: Anxiety, Stress, Depression, Self Esteem issues, Trauma, Life and Career Transitions, Overwhelm, being Stuck, Relationships, and Menopause. She has experience working with adults, young adults, seniors, performing artists and those in other creative fields, along with working with individuals caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Serena’s approach is psychodynamic (exploring your inner world and looking at how it impacts your daily life), strength based, relational, and trauma informed. She believes therapy is collaborative so the client and psychotherapist will work together to tailor it to the client’s specific needs for growth and change.

Serena holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Smith College and her experience includes training and working at The Training Institute for Mental Health and the 92nd Street Y. Before becoming a therapist Serena worked in the arts and was a teacher.