Treatment approach
Aversion Therapy
Break a habit that has stopped responding to willpower. One technique inside a written plan, not a standalone fix.
Or call (646) 493-4007
Choose a time and book. It takes about 30 seconds. Opens our secure client portal.
4.95from 113 reviews
In-network with
- UnitedHealthcare
- Aetna
- Medicare
- Oscar Health
- Meritain Health
- Oxford Health Plans
- Cigna
- Optum
- Highmark BCBS WNY
- Univera Healthcare
- MagnaCare
- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Industry-leading, structured care
Progress measured monthly, not guessed at
We respond within one business day
Every clinician state-licensed
Why MindView
The method is only as good as the decision to use it.
Most practices use the one approach they trained in, on everyone. Aversion Therapy is one of many ours are trained in, and which one you get is decided by what is actually driving the problem, then reviewed against monthly measures.
- 01
Intake
What is actually going on, rated 0 to 10 as your baseline.
- 02
Your history
Why it is happening. History, relationships, work, health.
- 03
Treatment plan
Written and collaborative, built against those causes.
- 04
Monthly review
Standardized measures, reviewed with you. You see the trend.
A license is where our training starts, not where it ends.
Every clinician is state-licensed before they see a single client. Then they train with us across every modality, and how to match one to the problem in front of them.
What clients say
4.95 averagefrom 113 reviews
- 5 out of 5 stars
Great service.
Alfie N.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
MindView Therapy has great customer service and is very flexible, with good therapist availability and clear communication of any changes. Genuinely a great place for therapy with zero judgement.
Kailani M.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
The support staff was very helpful in assisting me to find the right provider. And the provider they found me is personable, a good listener, has good advice, and appears to be quite knowledgeable. I'm very happy with my decision to go with MindView.
Kevin R.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
I truly felt seen, heard and understood by my therapist. Goals and next step expectations were clearly explained for processing.
Diane S.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
I had a great onboarding experience with MindView. My therapist took the time to do a really thorough intake, which I appreciated, and the staff keeps communication clear and consistent. Plus, they handled my insurance verification hassle free.
Jennifer P.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
I'm new to this therapy place, however the couples therapist we are seeing is amazing so far. She's a great listener and I can't wait to see how much further we can get with her guidance.
Maritza M.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
Great therapists, excellent customer service.
Meta
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
My therapist has been incredibly supportive and compassionate. She creates a safe, welcoming space, and I truly feel heard and understood. I'm very grateful for her guidance. Highly recommend.
Laura S.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
The clinician is helpful. I would recommend this to my friends. I can communicate better with my family members. Thanks for your cooperation.
Sharmin S.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
The process to find a therapist was very smooth and quick. The intake did take some time, but it was a very thorough process. Overall a great service and very helpful.
Jorge Z.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
Helpful, and they let you know everything in advance.
Naphtali S.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
MindView Therapy has been wonderful to work with. The team is kind, responsive, and made the entire process feel easy from the start. I always felt heard and supported, and I really appreciate the compassionate care I've received. Highly recommend.
Angela D.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
I've had a great experience with MindView. They are easy to communicate with and handle my needs quickly. I've had some great sessions with my therapist and would highly recommend checking them out.
Kylah B.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
My therapist has done a great job of teaching me how to translate my thoughts into personal feelings, as well as helpful techniques to deal with my anxiety.
Ladale N.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
I cannot say enough good things about my counselor. From the very start she made me feel heard, respected, and supported without judgement. She is a great listener and challenges me to grow in healthy ways.
Barbara D.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
She is such a great therapist. She really listens to what you are saying and helps you figure out situations.
Leah D.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
The process from start to finish is made so easy. You get assigned to someone quickly and can choose from various time slots to work around your schedule. No sitting on a phone waiting, just quick and to the point with every step.
Shannon G.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
I've had such a positive experience with MindView Therapy. The sessions have given me so much clarity and practical tools to handle life's ups and downs. I feel more equipped and confident moving forward. If you are looking for a supportive and insightful therapy experience, I highly recommend them.
Lucie L.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
She is an amazing therapist. She understands me and where I am coming from without hesitation. It is a complete judgement-free zone.
Barbie Z.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
I've had a really wonderful experience at MindView. My therapist is a great listener and always made me feel heard and understood. I've seen meaningful progress. Would recommend.
Manana D.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
Great experience at this practice.
Honey Y.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
Kind, helpful, and good at what they do! My therapist is truly one-of-a-kind, and has helped me so much.
Nick B.
Verified review
- 5 out of 5 stars
Ok, hard to complete documents.
Karol L.
Verified review
Aversion therapy is a behavioral technique that weakens an unwanted habit by pairing it with an unpleasant association. At MindView it is delivered as covert sensitization, meaning the pairing is imagined in session rather than physically applied, and it is used as one component within a cognitive behavioral treatment plan rather than as a treatment on its own. It suits well-defined habits such as nail-biting, smoking, or drinking.
Might this approach fit you?
- You have a specific habit you have tried to stop many times on your own.
- You bite your nails, pick your skin, or pull your hair and it has become automatic.
- You want to cut down on drinking or smoking and willpower alone has not held.
- The behavior happens before you notice you have started.
- You want something concrete to practice, not only a conversation about why you do it.
- You would rather have a plan with steps than an open-ended exploration.
You do not have to be in crisis to start. If several of these sound familiar, therapy can help.
If this sounds like the support you want, we can help.
Choose a time and book. It takes about 30 seconds. Opens our secure client portal.
What is aversion therapy?
Aversion therapy weakens an unwanted habit by pairing it with an unpleasant association, so the behavior gradually loses its automatic pull.
It is one of the oldest behavioral techniques there is, and it has a complicated history. Being straight about that history, and about what the evidence shows, matters more than selling it.
What we actually do, and what we do not
At MindView, aversion therapy means covert sensitization: the pairing happens in imagination, in session, with you.
You picture the behavior in detail, then picture an unpleasant consequence following it, repeatedly and vividly. Over time the automatic reach for the habit weakens. It is conversation and imagery, nothing more.
We do not use chemical aversion. That means medication that induces nausea, and it is a medical procedure. MindView is outpatient talk therapy with no prescribers, so it is not something we offer or could offer.
We do not use electrical aversion. It is obsolete and we will not do it.
We never use aversive work on identity. Not on sexual orientation, not on gender identity, not on anything about who you are. Aversive techniques were central to conversion therapy, which caused real and lasting harm, and New York banned it for minors in 2019. We do not provide it to anyone of any age. We are an affirming practice, and that is not a footnote.
What the evidence actually says
You deserve the real number rather than a sales pitch.
Aversive approaches produce meaningful short-term change and the effect tends to fade. Studies of aversion for alcohol found around 60% abstinent at one year, dropping to roughly 23% at ten years. Reviews of covert sensitization found genuine benefit that did not extend much past three months.
That finding shapes how we use it. A technique that fades is not a treatment on its own, so aversive work goes into a plan alongside the things that make change hold: understanding your triggers, building a replacement behavior, and addressing whatever the habit was doing for you in the first place.
If a habit is managing your anxiety, weakening the habit without treating the anxiety just moves the problem. That is the part a single technique cannot do.
What it is used for
It suits specific, well-defined behaviors. Nail-biting, skin-picking, hair-pulling, smoking, drinking, and some compulsive habits.
It is not for a diagnosis, a mood, or a personality. If you cannot point to the exact behavior and say when it happens, this is not the right tool, and your therapist will say so.
How does my therapist decide whether to use it?
From your intake and history session, the same as any other method.
If the habit is discrete, you have tried to stop before, and you want something concrete to practice, aversive work may go into the plan. The reason is written down, and you agree to it before anything begins.
If motivational interviewing fits better because you are genuinely torn about changing, your therapist will say that instead. If the behavior is compulsive and anxiety-driven, exposure and response prevention is usually the stronger choice. Being told which tool fits is part of the work.
How do I start at MindView?
Book a session and your first appointment is a full intake. Nothing is applied in that session. You map the habit, its triggers, and what you have already tried.
The early work produces a written plan naming every method it uses and why. Every month you complete standardized measures and review the trend with your therapist, so whether it is working is a question with an actual answer rather than a feeling.
If you want the background first, we have a plain explainer on what aversion therapy is and what the research says.
At a glance
| Best suited for | Adults with a specific, well-defined habit they want to reduce or stop, as part of a broader plan rather than as the whole of it. |
|---|---|
| What sessions look like | Structured and collaborative. You and your therapist work through an agreed imagined pairing, then review what came up and connect it to the practical plan for your triggers. Nothing is applied to you physically. |
| Typical length | Aversive work is usually a short component within a longer plan. Your therapist reviews progress with you monthly rather than promising a fixed number of sessions. |
What can it help with?
- •Nail-biting, skin-picking, and hair-pulling
- •Smoking and vaping
- •Drinking and cutting down
- •Compulsive habits
- •Emotional overeating
Who might it suit?
- •Adults with one clearly defined habit they want to change
- •People who have tried to stop on their own more than once
- •Anyone who wants a structured, practical technique to work with
What we use it to treat
What does therapy here actually look like?
The first three sessions follow a clear structure, so you always know what is coming next.
- Starting out
Your therapist asks what brought you in and takes your history, including exactly when the habit happens, what triggers it, and what you have already tried. You rate the intensity of what you are feeling from 0 to 10, which becomes your baseline. No technique is applied in this session. From there, your therapist walks through your life across stages, looking for what the habit does for you and what keeps it going. This matters, because a habit that manages anxiety needs the anxiety addressed too. You can decline any question and keep any answer short. You and your therapist build the plan together. If aversive work is part of it, the plan names it alongside the other methods and the reason each was chosen, and you agree to it before anything starts. You also set one personal goal that matters to you.
- Ongoing
Weekly sessions run the plan. Aversive work is usually paired with replacement habits and trigger planning, because weakening a behavior without building something in its place does not tend to hold. Once a month you complete standardized measures and review the trend with your therapist, and the plan changes if the data says it is not working.
Therapy here is measured, not guessed
Once a month you have a measurement-based care review. You complete standardized measures, and your therapist reviews the trend with you. If something is not working, the plan changes. Regular therapy is the work. The review is the navigation system that keeps it pointed at the right target.
Sessions are weekly for the first two months to build a foundation, then frequency is reassessed with you. You set the pace, and you share only what you are comfortable sharing.
You do not have to figure this out alone.
Choose a time and book. It takes about 30 seconds. Opens our secure client portal.
Common questions
What does aversion therapy actually involve here?
Covert sensitization, which is done entirely in imagination. With your therapist, you vividly picture the habit followed by an unpleasant consequence, repeatedly, so the automatic pull of the behavior weakens. Nothing physical, chemical, or electrical is used. You agree to the work before it starts, and you can stop at any point.
Do you use drugs, shocks, or anything physical?
No. MindView is outpatient talk therapy with no prescribers, so chemical aversion is not something we do or could do. Electrical aversion is obsolete and we do not use it. If a practice offers you either, ask a lot of questions.
Does aversion therapy work?
The honest answer is that it works in the short term and tends to fade. Studies of aversive approaches for alcohol found meaningful abstinence early on, with around 60% abstinent at one year falling to roughly 23% at ten years, and reviews of covert sensitization found benefit that did not extend far past three months. That is precisely why we use it as one component inside a broader plan, alongside trigger planning and replacement habits, rather than as a treatment on its own.
Is this used for sexual orientation or gender identity?
Never. Aversive techniques were historically central to conversion therapy, which caused serious documented harm and is banned in New York for anyone under 18. MindView does not provide conversion therapy to anyone, at any age. It is unethical regardless of what the law requires, and we are an affirming practice.
Is aversion therapy covered by insurance?
We are in-network with most major plans. In New York: UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Medicare, Oscar Health, Meritain Health, Oxford Health Plans, Cigna, Optum, Highmark BCBS WNY, Univera Healthcare and MagnaCare. We confirm your benefits before your first session.
What if I would rather not do this?
Then you do not. It is one option among several and it is never the only route to a habit. Motivational interviewing, exposure and response prevention, and standard CBT habit-reversal all treat the same problems, and your therapist will tell you honestly which they think fits you best.
Is it available by telehealth?
Yes. Because the work is done in imagination and conversation, it translates to video without losing anything.
Your questions, answered in full
How do I get started?
- 1
Check your insurance
Most major plans are accepted, and checking takes under a minute.
See if we take your insurance - 2
- 3
Meet your therapist
Your first session is an intake. Your therapist asks what brought you in, and you set a weekly time together.
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