Valerie Simon, LCSW, TEP, CET III, creator of The Inner Stage®, uniquely blends her entertainment industry background with her expertise as a certified experiential therapist, trainer, and author. Valerie has the highest certification as a trainer and practitioner of psychodrama and as a Certified Level III Internal Family Systems Therapist. She incorporates both methods into her work. Valerie specializes in working with performers and other high profile individuals, and understands their unique challenges and demands. Most recently, Valerie created Play Your PartsSM, a hybrid healing method integrating IFS and psychodrama. She also trains practitioners in this hybrid approach. Most recently, Valerie contributed the chapter IFS & Psychodrama: Techniques for Expanding IFS Externalizations to the book Altogether Us – Integrating the IFS Model with Key Modalities, Communities, and Trends.
Valerie graduated with honors from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Film/Television production and has worked in various aspects of the industry. Valerie worked in production and post-production on feature films and television movies. She also read scripts at Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment and was the coordinator at Jim Henson’s world famous Muppet Workshop
After receiving an MSW at NYU School of Social Work, Valerie began training in psychodrama with noted author and psychodramatist, Tian Dayton, PhD, TEP. Valerie also trained in Internal Family Systems therapy with the creator of the method, Richard Schwartz, PhD. Before starting The Inner Stage, Valerie worked in a variety of psychological settings including hospitals, addictions facilities, public schools, and mental health clinics. Valerie provided services to those affected by September 11th through Project Liberty, and she also aided Gulf Coast musicians after Hurricane Katrina through her work at the Jazz Foundation of America.
Valerie has had a private practice in Manhattan for over twenty years. She is also very proficient in healing trauma and addiction and is personally well-versed in recovery terminology.
Valerie sees individual clients who are looking to resolve traumas in order to become more spontaneous and creative in their lives. She also provides telehealth sessions via Zoom™. Additionally, Valerie runs longer-format, 1-4 day intensive sessions for those who want to jump start their healing.
Valerie runs a monthly women’s/female identified IFS informed psychodrama group and a bi-monthly IFS informed psychodrama group for all gender identities.
Valerie also facilitates a Play Your PartsSM training group for professionals interested in learning about the methodology of this powerful hybrid experiential therapy. Valerie supervises and trains other practitioners in experiential therapies at The Inner Stage®.
Valerie also created The Inner Stage® series of experiential workshops for actors and performers. Please contact her for further information.
Her office is conveniently located in Midtown West, a block away from Carnegie Hall, with easy access to the F train stop in front of the building and many other lines close by.