About Dr. Tom Rigg
Licensed Psychologist & PhD, Counseling Psychology · Midtown Manhattan
I'm a licensed psychologist in Midtown Manhattan with a PhD in Counseling Psychology and over seven years of clinical experience. I work primarily with people in tech, and with people in finance, law, and medicine who carry the same kind of pressure.
Performance reviews, layoffs, on-call, a promotion that turned into a different job than the one you wanted. I've spent years working with engineers, product managers, and founders through all of these, at startups and at the biggest tech companies. My undergraduate degree paired psychology with a second major in Informatics, so we can skip you having to explain why a two-word Slack message from your skip-level at 6pm ruined your weekend.
Most of my clients don't fit the stereotype of someone who "needs therapy." They're accomplished, driven, and very good at keeping it together in standup. But underneath, they're dealing with anxiety, burnout, strained relationships, or a quiet sense that the life they've built isn't the one they actually want.
I create a space where you can drop the performance and get honest about what's going on. My work is direct, collaborative, and focused on real change, not just insight for its own sake.
My Approach to Therapy
Therapy works best when it's built on trust, honesty, and genuine care. I believe you're the expert on your own experience, and my role is to help you see it more clearly and move toward a life that actually fits.
I draw on three evidence-based frameworks, adapting my approach to what works best for each person:
- Person-Centered Therapy (PCT) Grounded in the belief that warmth, empathy, and authentic connection are the foundation of meaningful growth.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) A practical, skills-focused approach that helps identify and shift unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Combines mindfulness with values-based action to build psychological flexibility and engage more fully with life.
Background
I received my PhD in Counseling Psychology from The University of Iowa. My doctoral research focused on cultural concealment in group psychotherapy, looking at how people hide aspects of their identity in therapeutic settings and how that affects outcomes. That work deepened my interest in what it means to feel genuinely seen and accepted, which continues to shape how I approach every client relationship.
I bring a multicultural perspective to my clinical work, informed by research and training on how identity, culture, and background shape our inner lives. I aim to create a space where all of who you are is welcome, including the parts you're still working out.
Before graduate school, I worked directly with survivors of domestic violence, which reinforced my belief that healing often begins simply with having a safe, non-judgmental space to be heard.
Credentials
- Licensed Psychologist, State of New York
- PhD, Counseling Psychology — University of Iowa
- Bachelor's degree, double major in Psychology and Informatics