Avi Miodownik, Psy.D.

I'm a clinical psychologist licensed in New York and New Jersey. I work with adults and couples navigating the moments when life stops making sense — a relationship that's fracturing, a role that no longer fits, a loss that's changed everything, or simply the accumulating weight of a life that needs to be reconsidered.

Much of my work centers on grief and loss in its many forms — the death of a parent or spouse, a cancer diagnosis, the slower grief of a marriage ending or a career collapsing, the anticipatory grief of watching a parent decline. I'm also deeply experienced working with older adults navigating illness, cognitive changes, caregiving, and questions about meaning in the later chapters of life.

I work psychodynamically — which means I'm interested in patterns, where they come from, and what they're protecting. I also draw on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with couples, and CBT and ACT when they fit. But more than any specific method, I believe good therapy requires genuine curiosity about the particular person in front of me.

My practice is affirming of all identities — including LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, and members of the Jewish community.

Areas of focus

• Grief after the death of a parent, spouse, or child
• Grief following a diagnosis — cancer, chronic illness, or life-altering injury
• Late-life transitions: retirement, relocation, cognitive decline
• Caregiving stress and caregiver grief
• Anticipatory grief and end-of-life support
• Couples navigating illness, loss, or major life change
• Identity and role transitions in midlife and beyond
• Supervision and consultation for clinicians in medical and palliative settings

Training & credentials

• Psy.D., Rutgers University, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
• Predoctoral internship, Zucker Hillside Hospital / Long Island Jewish Medical Center
• Postdoctoral fellowship in Geropsychology, VA NY Harbor Healthcare System (Brooklyn)
• Experience in Primary Care, Pain Clinics, Oncology, and Palliative Care settings