John Menaker, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Brooklyn and Rockland County. He has over 20 years of experience working with adults, teens and couples navigating a wide range of emotional, relational, and life challenges.
His work is grounded in a thoughtful, relational approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes careful listening, emotional understanding, and collaboration. He works with people seeking both relief from distress and a deeper understanding of themselves and the patterns that shape their lives.
Clinical Approach
Dr. Menaker’s approach is informed by interpersonal psychodynamic psychotherapy, with attention to how early and ongoing relationships shape emotional experience. He is particularly interested in helping people make sense of patterns that feel confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to change.
When helpful, he integrates practical, goal-oriented strategies drawn from evidence-based approaches to support symptom relief and emotional regulation. His work is flexible and responsive, shaped by the needs of each individual rather than by a fixed formula.
Areas of Work
Dr. Menaker works with a broad range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, burnout, adult ADHD, grief, chronic pain, relational difficulties, and questions of direction or identity. He also works with couples seeking to understand and shift relational patterns.
Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, his work emphasizes understanding emotional experience in context and supporting lasting change over time.
Training and Background
Originally from suburban New York, Dr. Menaker attended the Claremont Colleges in Southern California and earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology at Adelphi University in New York.
His clinical training has included work in community mental health centers, college counseling services, residential treatment programs for children, and day treatment settings. These experiences have shaped a flexible, culturally attuned approach to psychotherapy and a respect for the many ways people adapt, endure, and change.
Some patients have chosen to share reflections on their experience of the work.
“He listens in a way that helped me feel understood and better able to make sense of what I was experiencing.”
“I felt heard and gained insight into patterns I hadn’t noticed before, without feeling judged.”
— Patient Feedback
