ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Dr. Paulette Didia
I’m a licensed clinical psychologist in New York and the founder of Making Meaning Psychology, a private practice in Manhattan.
I created this practice around something I believe is easy to lose sight of in therapy: you’re a person before you’re a diagnosis, a symptom, or a treatment plan.
Therapy should give you room to be honest about what’s actually going on, including the things that don’t necessarily make sense on paper.
Many of my clients are professionals who’ve never thought of themselves as anxious; they’re just the most prepared person in the room, answering emails at 11pm, and saying yes when they mean no. They can’t remember the last time their mind was fully quiet. If that sounds familiar, you’re exactly who I had in mind when I built this practice.
WHY “MAKING MEANING”?
Therapy isn’t just about getting rid of symptoms.
It’s also about understanding yourself: where your patterns come from, what matters to you, what you want, and why you keep finding yourself in certain places.
That’s the idea behind Making Meaning Psychology.
The more sense you can make of your experiences, the more choices you have about what comes next.
What Therapy With Me Is Like
I ask questions: Sometimes I’ll ask something you haven’t asked yourself yet.
I notice patterns: We’ll pay attention to what’s happening underneath the thing you’re bringing into the room.
I slow things down: We’ll separate what’s actually happening from the story your mind is building around it.
I won’t tell you what to do: My job isn’t to make your decisions for you. It’s to help you understand yourself well enough to make them.
I’ll tell you when I notice something: Even if it’s something you’ve already told yourself a hundred times. Sometimes hearing it from someone else changes what you can see.
And sometimes, we’ll laugh: Therapy can be serious without every moment needing to feel serious.
My Approach to Therapy
I don’t believe therapy has to fit neatly into one box. My clinical training includes psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and other evidence-based approaches. I draw from different approaches depending on what you’re bringing into the room and what we’re actually working on. Sometimes that means learning a practical skill or challenging a thought that isn’t serving you. Sometimes it means slowing down and looking at a pattern that has been showing up for years. Sometimes it means sitting with something that doesn’t have an easy answer. The goal isn’t to turn you into a different person. It’s to understand yourself more clearly so you can move through your life with more choice.
WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY
Dr. Didia has helped me navigate and manage anxiety and stress in a way that feels both empowering and transformative.
Dr. Didia has a compassionate, insightful approach that has not only given me practical tools to cope but has also helped me understand the root causes. Her sessions are always thoughtful, focused, and tailored to my needs, creating a safe and supportive space where I feel heard and understood. I cannot recommend Dr. Didia enough to anyone in need of expert support in the NYC area!
Dr. Didia makes every session a collaboration so I never feel alone.
After spending many sessions with Dr. Didia, I highly recommend her to anyone new to therapy or continuing their journey. She is my safe space! She is so caring and always puts me first as a person, never judging week after week. She listens intently and always makes connections by remembering things I’ve said a long time ago. Dr. Didia makes every session a collaboration so I never feel alone. She operates from a place of kindness but also brings humor into the room when appropriate to make me feel calm and supported — which I personally appreciate very much. Dr. Didia is one of the best therapists I’ve had and I feel so grateful!! Thank you!
Dr. Didia is a dot connector!
She is able to connect behaviors from the past and associate them with behaviors of today to help me understand the sense of things. In the short amount of time I’ve seen Dr Didia, I’ve had epiphanies that I’ve needed to overcome some hard trauma. She is gentle yet realistic. Easy to speak to because she provides comfort. I love how she is able to relate things I’ve said last week and can relate them to things I’ve said this week. A true active listener.
Considering Therapy?
You don’t need to know exactly what you want to work on before reaching out.
A free 15-minute consultation gives us a chance to talk about what brings you in, answer your questions, and see whether working together feels like a good fit.
TRAINING & EDUCATION
Education
> Psy.D. in School-Clinical Child Psychology, 2022, Pace University
> M.S.Ed in Education, 2021, Pace University
> M.A. in General Psychology, 2016, Pace University
> B.A. in Psychology, 2015, Brooklyn College
Experience
> The Center for Progressive Psychotherapy
> Community Assistance Resources and Extended Services
> McShane Center for Psychological Services
> SUNY Downstate Medical Center
> Oceanside School District
Awards
> President’s Graduate Scholar at Pace University
> Graduate Student Psychology Association Representative
> Graduate Merit Scholar at Pace University
>Dean’s List at Brooklyn College
>Arista National Honor Society Scholar
Publications
> Didia, P., Trub, L., & Hassinger-Das, B. (2024). Stuck in the DMs: The association between introversion/extraversion and self-confidence through text-based communication. Psychology of Popular Media.
> Didia, P. (2022). The Association Between Introversion and/or Extraversion and Self-Confidence through Text Based Communication (Doctoral dissertation, Pace University).
> Didia, P., & Trub, L. (2017) Is age the critical factor in determining therapists’ openness to integrating technology into practice? Poster presented at the Pace University 25th Annual Psychology Conference, New York