In-person in Monmouth County, New Jersey; telehealth for adults in New York City and throughout New Jersey and New York. Additional PSYPACT eligibility is confirmed individually.
Evidence-based therapy. Deeply human care.
Personalized therapy for adults navigating anxiety, OCD, depression, or a demanding life transition. You deserve thoughtful support to understand what you are carrying and work toward feeling more like yourself.
You can start with a short note. We’ll discuss fit and availability before scheduling.
Licensed in New Jersey & New York
In-person and telehealth options. Location, fit, and availability confirmed together.
Advanced clinical training
Yale School of Medicine · Harvard / MGH
Care centered on you
Individualized goals, thoughtful assessment, practical tools
A conversation to begin
Ask about fit, fees, and current availability
Individual therapy for adults
You do not have to wait until everything feels unmanageable. Therapy can be a place to understand what is happening, feel heard, and work toward meaningful change.
When worry, intrusive thoughts, or the need for certainty take up more of your day than you want.
When motivation is low, life feels heavy, or you feel disconnected from yourself and what matters.
When you are carrying a lot, struggling with boundaries, or repeating patterns you want to understand.
When something is changing—or you want it to—and you could use space to find your next direction.
When becoming a parent brings anxiety, overwhelm, or a sense that you no longer feel like yourself.
When health uncertainty or caring for someone else leaves little room for your own emotional needs.
Not sure where you fit? You are welcome to ask. We can explore whether the practice is right for your needs.
Request a consultation
Meet Dr. Pensak
I’m Dr. Nicole Amoyal Pensak, a licensed clinical psychologist with advanced training at Yale and Harvard / Massachusetts General Hospital. I bring clinical science and genuine curiosity to our work, so there is room for both what you are feeling and what you want to change.
My practice is for adults across the lifespan—not only new parents. Together, we can explore patterns, develop useful skills, and set goals that reflect your relationships, your responsibilities, and the life you want to build.
NYC & New Jersey · Private-practice therapy
For professionals and adults balancing work, relationships, family, and the pressure to keep everything together. You can be capable and successful—and still deserve a place to focus on yourself.
New York City · Telehealth
Online therapy for adults located in New York City, including Manhattan and Brooklyn. The practice welcomes inquiries from the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Tribeca, and beyond.
Dr. Pensak is licensed in New York. NYC care is offered through telehealth, not a New York City office, when clinical fit and current availability align.
New Jersey · In person & telehealth
In-person psychotherapy in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and telehealth options across the state. Welcoming inquiries from Rumson, Fair Haven, Little Silver, Red Bank, Summit, and Short Hills.
The in-person practice is in Monmouth County; other New Jersey communities are served through eligible telehealth, not additional local offices.
Anxiety, OCD, and depression treatment are individualized. Please confirm location eligibility, clinical fit, fees, and availability before scheduling.
Ask about working togetherA first step, not a commitment
Finding a therapist is a personal decision. Start with a conversation about what you need and whether working together makes sense.
A short note is enough. Availability and fit are confirmed before scheduling.
Send a short, non-sensitive note. You do not need the perfect words or a detailed personal history to ask about therapy.
Discuss your questions, current availability, location, and fees so you can make an informed decision about care.
If you begin therapy, the first sessions focus on understanding your concerns and setting goals that matter to you.
The book · RATTLED
RATTLED offers an evidence-based and deeply reassuring guide to new-mom anxiety—bringing together neuroscience, clinical wisdom, and the honest realities of matrescence.
Good Inside RATTLED podcast appearance
Dr. Pensak joins Dr. Becky Kennedy to map three common postpartum anxiety cycles—and the small moves that begin to interrupt them.
Listen to the episodeTrusted Expertise
Dr. Pensak’s work sits at the intersection of evidence-based care, public education, and systems-level change in maternal and behavioral health.
Expert board affiliations: Parents Magazine, Welcome Baby USA, and The Balance Project.
Featured Media
From NBC News NOW coverage of postpartum psychosis and the Lindsay Clancy trial to conversations with Dr. Becky Kennedy, NBC News Live, and the TEDx stage, watch Dr. Pensak bring clinical science to complex public conversations.
NBC News NOW · Top Story
Top Story with Tom Llamas · anchored by Ellison Barber
During NBC News NOW’s July 27 coverage of the Lindsay Clancy trial, Dr. Pensak joined Ellison Barber to explain postpartum psychosis as a rare, treatable psychiatric emergency—distinct from postpartum depression—and why prompt recognition and care matter.
Clinical context, not a case assessment
Her comments provide general clinical context for the public conversation and do not assess any individual involved in the case.
Good Inside · RATTLED
35:43Good Inside with Dr. Becky Kennedy · RATTLED
In this full conversation, Dr. Becky Kennedy and Dr. Nicole Pensak unpack why postpartum anxiety can keep returning—and how RATTLED’s science-backed framework can help new parents respond with more clarity, compassion, and choice.
“Nicole, your book RATTLED is so incredible. The stories and wisdom and the way you share information is just so digestible, so thank you.”
NBC News Live
3:49NBC News Live interview · Public upload by Dr. Pensak
Morgan Radford and Vicky Nguyen speak with Dr. Pensak about RATTLED, the realities of postpartum anxiety, and helping new mothers move from feeling vulnerable toward thriving.
TEDxBethesdaWomen
14:21TEDx Talks · TEDxBethesdaWomen
Dr. Pensak challenges familiar myths about ‘mom brain’ and reframes the maternal brain as a powerful period of adaptation, growth, and self-directed neuroplasticity.
More to explore
A video interview on postpartum mental health, maternal identity, ‘mom brain,’ depression, and practical support for parents and clinicians.
View feature Podcast · Good Inside · RattledDr. Becky Kennedy and Dr. Pensak map the reassurance, emotional reasoning, and avoidance cycles that can intensify anxiety in early parenthood.
View feature Podcast · Healthful Woman with Dr. Nathan FoxA thoughtful discussion of the science of the postpartum brain, new-mom anxiety, and Dr. Pensak’s book RATTLED.
View featureBegin here
A first conversation is a chance to ask questions and consider whether therapy with me feels like the right next step.