Patch Tseng-Putterman
Adult and Elderly Therapist
Pronouns: They/them
Licensure: Therapist
Location: Rhode Island & Maine
Language: English
Fee:
Sliding Scale: Available
Insurance:
Accepting New Clients: Yes
Specialties:
Depression, Anxiety, C-PTSD, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Relationship Concerns, Self Esteem
ABOUT ME
Patch is a compassionate and skilled therapist who offers individual therapy to adults of all ages and diverse identities. They obtained their degree from the Smith College School for Social Work, which equipped them with a strong foundation in social work principles and therapeutic techniques.
Patch's therapeutic approach is primarily psychodynamic, rooted in a deep reverence for the unconscious and a recognition of how the past continues to influence the present. They understand that current difficulties often stem from adaptive solutions developed in response to life's challenges. By carefully exploring the therapist-patient relationship and delving into the here-and-now of therapy, Patch helps clients gain insight into how their conscious and unconscious narratives shape their lives. This exploration creates space for new possibilities and facilitates personal growth and transformation.
Recognizing the importance of the therapeutic relationship, Patch values the connection and trust established between therapist and client. They view the therapeutic relationship as a vital source of information and catalyst for change. By fostering a safe and supportive environment, Patch encourages clients to openly explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, ultimately helping them develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their patterns of behavior.
Outside of their work in psychotherapy, Patch leads a multifaceted life. They also work as an organic farmer, engaging in the rewarding process of cultivating and nurturing the land. Additionally, Patch finds joy in cooking, savoring meals, and creating music. These creative and nurturing pursuits contribute to their overall well-being and enrich their ability to connect with clients on a deeper level.
It's worth noting that Patch keeps a limited number of sliding scale spots, which are currently at capacity. However, clients can stay updated on their availability by checking for future updates.
Why I Do This Work
“I do this work because I’ve seen how meaning takes root when it’s held in the context of culture, memory, and relationship. I'm drawn to the quiet, often overlooked places, the parts of us that learned to adapt, to protect, to survive. It matters to me that people have space to speak from where they are, especially when their stories have been ignored or misunderstood. I care about creating space where complexity is met with respect and curiosity, where people feel free to speak in their own language and be seen for who they are.”
— Patch Tseng-Putterman
My Approach in Practice
I believe that the stories we carry often run deeper than words. Some patterns we find ourselves stuck in were once ways we learned to survive. Together, we trace the shape of those patterns, not to fix or rush past them, but to understand how they’ve helped you move through the world.
I pay close attention to what happens between us. The relationship itself is a living part of the work. It can bring to light things that might feel familiar or frustrating in other parts of your life. Noticing those moments with care allows something new to take root.
Silence is welcome here. So are tangled feelings and unfinished thoughts. Sometimes, we sit with what isn’t ready to be named. Other times, we follow where the body leads or turn toward images, memories, and small shifts that matter more than they seem.
This is a space for exploration. You don’t have to show up as a version of yourself who has it all together. I show up as me too, with warmth, curiosity, and a willingness to sit in the unknown.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy(DBT), Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP), Psychodynamic Therapy
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Abolition, Gender-Affirming Care
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My approach is shaped by attention to what unfolds between us and within you, often in ways that are not immediately obvious. We might notice patterns that feel familiar or trace how certain stories came to feel like truth. Sometimes the most important shifts come from slowing down and sitting with something rather than trying to move past it.
I stay curious about the meaning underneath words and silences, and about how the past might be echoing into the present moment. This kind of work takes time and care, and I aim to offer a space where your contradictions, defenses, longings, and uncertainty are met with gentleness rather than urgency.
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I move at the pace of trust. That means we don’t rush insight or push for solutions before they’re ready. I listen closely for the meaning behind your words, the patterns in your relationships, and the stories you may have been taught to silence. My style is relational, curious, and gently challenging. I’ll hold space for what hurts without collapsing into it, and I’ll hold you in mind even when we’re not together. I believe in showing up as a person, not a blank slate, and making space for humor, slowness, contradiction, and the full range of what makes you human.
How We Can Work Together
Clients often begin therapy when they are:
Slowing the pace of pressure and performance, by co-creating a space that allows us to pause the demands of productivity, politeness, or keeping it all together. You are welcome to arrive without a script or a clear starting point. What often feels buried under logistics or coping may be where we begin.
Following the rhythm of your nervous system, rather than the clock. I may ask how your body is holding a story, especially when words feel out of reach. Together, we might notice what contracts, what rushes forward, or what asks for quiet. Silence, stimming, tangents, and laughter in grief are all welcome.
Staying with what your survival has shaped, without trying to label what is broken or fix how you relate. I am not here to correct or contain you. I am here to stay curious about what has protected you and to explore what becomes possible when you are no longer navigating alone.
Naming what shows up in the room, including the systems and stories that have shaped your experience. We make space for grief, contradiction, resistance, and the parts of you that imagine something more than survival.
Trusting that you don’t need to over-explain, because your complexity and wholeness already make sense here. You are not a puzzle to be solved. You are already enough to begin.
No matter what brings someone in, the work tends to unfold over time, through a steady commitment to noticing, naming, and being-with. I’ll invite the process collaboratively, with attunement to each client’s particular rhythms, and with the belief that something meaningful can emerge when we linger with what often goes unnamed.
