Neuroaffirming, extended-format, somatic therapy for complex trauma and identity exploration

Trauma Therapist in North Tonawanda, NY | Near Buffalo in Western New York

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When you’re in therapy, do you ever…

Need time to warm up before you can talk about the hard sh*t?
Stop yourself from going on a "tangent," or apologize when you do?
Know the backstory matters, but skip it because there isn't enough time?
Feel yourself shutting down or getting overwhelmed when you hit a heavy topic?
Hold off on the big stuff because it'll make the rest of your day too hard?
Feel like you're just getting to the important stuff, and then your session is over?
Wish you could dive deep and really Get. In. To. It. for as long as it takes to come out the other side?

If so…

How’s traditional therapy going?

Have you been feeling a little stuck? Plateaued?

Like you know there’s deeper work, but somehow you just can’t get there.

“Maybe I’m just not working hard enough”
“Maybe this is the best I can hope for”
“Maybe there’s something wrong with me”
“Maybe therapy just doesn’t work for me”

Do any of these sound familiar?

I know we don’t know each other yet, but I just want to start by saying
for sure, 100% you are not doing anything wrong or failing at therapy.

You can tell people the doctor said so.

The work you’ve done so far isn't wrong either. It just wasn't built for you.
Honestly, "normal" sessions aren't built for any of us. They're built for insurance billing.

Two things to know about me off the bat:

I HAVE to know why to buy into something.
I REALLY hate when people are shoved into systems built for profit margins, not people, and then they get gaslit into believing they are the problem.

Hi, I’m Dr. Emily Knitter

Just “Emily” is totally fine though. I’m a Licensed Psychologist who took a winding road in life to get to this point. You can read a bit more about me here if you’d like.

I love working with other people who’ve taken the long way to get where they are. Who have some scars, bumps, and bruises to show. Who’ve questioned, burned down, and reinvented. Maybe you’re in the middle of feeling like you “should” have it figured out by now.

Spoiler alert, most folks in my office feel, or have felt, like they’re “behind,” whether they are 19 or 70. You’re in good company!

If that’s you, we’ll likely get along wonderfully.

Welcome to therapy done differently.

You know that feeling at the doctor's office, where you've gotta psych yourself up, bring a list so you don't forget anything, and then right when you finally get going, it's over?

Now imagine you've just gotten into the real issue, you look up at the clock, and you're not even halfway through.

That's what an extended session feels like.

Every session here runs two hours, so there's time to ease in, do the real work, and ground before you leave.

See how Extended Sessions work

Three ways in…

Recurring 2-hour sessions, weekly or every other week, in person in North Tonawanda or online anywhere in New York State. This is the baseline standard. Enough time to settle in, dig deep, and come out without rushing.

Extended Sessions

Learn About Extended Sessions

Half-day to multi-day focused work for when something needs more room than extended sessions can give it, or you want to get started and really get right into it, or your schedule and brain work better with deeper work and less long-term commitment. Only offered in-person (not virtual) in North Tonawanda.

Intensive Therapy

Learn About Intensives

Where the work happens in nature with a horse instead of an office. And your ability to feel the work instead of just talk about it is amplified tenfold. This is such powerful work, and I can’t wait to officially offer it next year.

Starting Summer 2027

Equine-Assisted Intensives

Learn About Equine-Assisted Intensives

A note on safety

“I don't care if you're gay, straight, or somewhere in the middle — I just care that you look good doing it.” - Gretchen Wieners

The Grounded Center isn't neutral territory, it's sanctuary. I stand firmly with BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, immigrant, and all communities targeted by state violence, oppression and discrimination.

Your story, your identity, and your privacy are fiercely protected to the fullest extent of the law. I have a lawyer and work regularly to ensure I am on top as possible of this ever changing landscape so I can do my part to keep all of my clients safe and looking good on their journey.

Services & details about The Grounded Center at a glance

The Short Version

Who this is for

Adults who've done therapy before and hit a wall
Complex trauma, attachment trauma, identity work
LGBTQIA2S+ folx needing to explore life without also needing to question their own safety in the space
Neurodivergent (ADHD, OCD, AuDHD, Autism) adults whose nervous systems need a different approach to therapy
Military veterans, first responders, people with high-stress careers
Over-achieving entrepreneurs who can’t sit still
People who have taken the long way in life to get where they are today
Equestrians who want to show up more regulated for their horses

How it works

Two-hour sessions, weekly or biweekly
Half-day, full-day, and multi-day intensives available
Nervous system stabilization comes before trauma processing, every time
Depth over volume: a small caseload, on purpose

Where

In person: 525 Wheatfield St., Suite 44, North Tonawanda, NY 14120, just north of Buffalo in Western New York
Online two-hour sessions: anywhere in New York State
Intensives are in person only

Credentials

Dr. Emily Knitter, Licensed Psychologist (NY, License # 028444)
Counseling Psychology, PhD, University at Buffalo (SUNY).
Retired U.S. Army combat veteran

Who this probably isn’t for

People needing crisis or weekly 50-minute support
Anyone who wants insurance-billed sessions
People who just need a space to vent (and there is a time and place for this!)

Cost and insurance

Out-of-network; superbills provided upon request; also partnered with Thrizer to help make OON billing easier
Two-hour sessions - $400
Intensive packages starting at $1,215
More details on session and intensive rates here