Paula Lamanna LCSW

Paula Lamanna is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), and Certified Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Provider. Paula has been providing therapy and mental health support for 13 years, with an additional 6 years of work in social services. She has worked as a clinician, clinical supervisor, and trainer for several healthcare and social service agencies in New York City and has helped to develop and maintain programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders and mental health disorders. She currently provides counseling and public speaking engagements through her private practice, Decisive Element Psychotherapy.

Throughout all of her professional experiences, Paula has become increasingly aware that the common cause of most mental health conditions is trauma, she has also witnessed the limitations of many traditional forms of talk therapy. In light of this, Paula has sought out training in cutting edge approaches such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. She has seen the incredible healing potential of ketamine and other psychedelic substances when used appropriately in safe settings and has been providing ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in her practice for the past two years with overwhelmingly positive results. She also supports clients using other psychedelic substances independently in preparing for and integrating their experiences in order for them to gain the most positive results possible. By employing these less traditional methods of healing, Paula has witnessed clients make progress when they had previously been stuck after years of traditional talk therapy and medications.

Paula began her career working in the child welfare system in New York City, where she supported clients with a wide variety of mental health conditions including trauma, eating disorders, self-harm, substance use, depression and anxiety, among others. She worked with children in the system, as well as their biological, foster and adoptive parents in order to help each family find stability and wholeness.

She was then hired as the founding team member of a substance use treatment program for young adults, where she worked to create a welcoming atmosphere for people ages 14-24 struggling with substance use disorders. This population also develops eating disorders at disproportionate rates, so it was during this time that Paula chose to begin seeking out additional training in eating disorders and body image to be better able to meet her client’s needs. Paula then moved into the role of Addiction Services Coordinator and helped to launch an opioid treatment program in a community health center specializing in providing primary care to low-income individuals. In this setting, Paula also provided therapy to diverse clients and became the in-house expert in both substance use and disordered eating.

Paula does not view her clients as a collection of symptoms and diagnoses. Rather, she views each person as a whole, mind, body and spirit, as well as all the life experiences they’ve had that have led them to where they are now. With a compassionate and non-judgmental perspective, she supports them in building their optimal life, whatever that looks like for them.

Professional Affiliations

Member of National Association of Social Workers
American Psychedelic Practitioners Association

Education

Master of Social Work (MSW), New York University, 2011
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Major in Theatre, Minor in Sociology- New York University, 2001

Why I Write for Choosing Therapy

I write for Choosing Therapy because, unfortunately, therapy can be hard to access for many people, and I want to do what I can to make good, helpful, accurate mental health information as available as possible. I appreciate knowing that my work is being presented alongside other accurate articles written by mental health professionals and medically reviewed.