On anxiety
"I stopped fighting my anxiety. I started listening to it."
A client who came for panic attacks and left with a new language for her inner life. After 8 months of weekly sessions.
Individual therapy, somatic work, and gentle group programmes for people ready to meet themselves with more kindness.
Request an appointmentThe practice
"Healing does not happen in a hurry. It happens in the quiet space between one breath and the next."
Haven is a private practice founded on the belief that every person carries within them the capacity for deep, lasting change — when given the right conditions: time, safety, and an attuned presence.
Sessions are offered in-person in the West Village and online for those further afield.
"The goal is not to be fixed. It is to become familiar with yourself."
— Dr. Emiko Sato
How we work
Every session begins where you are, not where you should be. There are no scripts, no checklists, no goals imposed from outside. The work emerges from the relationship we build together.
Emiko trained at the Tavistock Clinic and holds a doctorate in clinical psychology. She has worked in the NHS, in schools, and in private practice for fifteen years. Her approach is warm, rigorous, and deeply human.
Supervision, continuing development, and adherence to the BACP Ethical Framework are ongoing commitments — not afterthoughts.
On anxiety
"I stopped fighting my anxiety. I started listening to it."
A client who came for panic attacks and left with a new language for her inner life. After 8 months of weekly sessions.
On grief
"I finally let myself miss her. That was the beginning of everything."
Bereavement work following the loss of a parent. Eighteen months after starting, this client began a new creative practice.
On the body
"My shoulders dropped. I didn't know they'd been up by my ears for thirty years."
A somatic series client, six sessions in. Now runs a community breathing workshop of her own.
On belonging
"I didn't expect to feel less alone in a room with strangers. I feel found."
A participant in the monthly group circle, four sessions after joining. Still attending, now informally supporting new members.
Common questions
The first session is an unhurried conversation — a chance to meet, share what brought you here, and sense whether we might work well together. There is no pressure to have everything figured out. Many people find it easier than they imagined.
Yes. Video sessions are available for those who prefer to meet from home or who live outside New York. The experience is intimate and equally effective. Sessions take place over a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform.
There is no fixed timeline. Some people come for a season — a handful of months to navigate a particular difficulty. Others stay for years, finding depth in the longer work. We check in regularly about what feels right.
A small number of reduced-rate places are available for those experiencing financial hardship. Please mention this when you write — it will not affect your welcome or the quality of care.
That uncertainty is very common, and in itself quite worth exploring. You are welcome to book a single introductory session with no commitment. We can speak honestly about whether this is the right fit and the right time.
Begin
Write a few words about what is bringing you here. There is no pressure to have a clear narrative — a sentence or two is enough to begin.
Emiko reads every message personally and responds within two working days.