Kathleen Francois, LCSW

Brandi Cihlar is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with more than 18 years of experience in mental health and addiction counseling. She earned her Ph.D. in counseling from George Washington University and has worked with adults experiencing depression, anxiety, addiction, bipolar disorder, PTSD, personality disorders, and relationship challenges.

Brandi believes each person is the expert of their own story and brings strengths that can support healing and growth. She creates a safe, supportive space where patients can openly explore thoughts, emotions, and life challenges. Her approach is collaborative, compassionate, and tailored to each patient’s unique goals and needs.

Brandi uses a variety of evidence-based therapeutic approaches depending on what works best for each individual. She helps patients identify patterns, gain insight, and develop practical strategies to improve well-being while supporting them through life transitions, trauma, addiction, stress, and relationship concerns.

Michelle Walker, LPC, has experience practicing in both outpatient and inpatient settings, working with adults ages 18–99. She earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Fairfield University, where she also completed her undergraduate degree in English. Michelle completed her internship at Sacred Heart University and trained in various Connecticut outpatient clinics. She has worked in-person at Shoreline Wellness Center and remotely with AbleTo and Optum Behavioral Health.

Michelle Walker creates a supportive, nonjudgmental space where patients feel heard and understood. She is committed to listening and helping in any way she can, focusing on practical coping strategies and new perspectives. Her goal is to help patients improve their mood, build resilience, and enhance overall quality of life.

Michelle begins with a comprehensive intake to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. From there, she collaborates with patients to identify priorities and develop realistic, personalized steps toward progress. Whether goals are large or small, she works alongside patients to reduce symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress.

Maria Pisani is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC-MHSP) with experience in both mental health and substance use treatment settings. She earned her Master’s degree in Counseling and Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. John’s University. Maria is also a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) and Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS), with experience in outpatient counseling, assessments, treatment planning, and clinical supervision. She has worked with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, PTSD, anger, stress, and substance use disorders.

Maria provides a supportive, confidential, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe exploring their challenges. She works collaboratively to help individuals better understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while using a compassionate, practical approach tailored to each person’s needs. She incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and motivational techniques when appropriate and believes in meeting clients where they are in their personal journey.

Maria begins by learning about each client’s concerns, personal history, and goals. She develops individualized treatment plans designed to address each person’s unique needs while helping clients build coping skills, emotional awareness, and healthier thought patterns. Through supportive, goal-oriented sessions, she encourages progress and personal growth while adapting treatment approaches as clients’ needs evolve over time.

Shikeena Lynard-Greene, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor who works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families through individual, family, group, and telehealth counseling. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Montclair State University and a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from University of the Cumberlands. Her clinical focus includes anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, grief, low self-esteem, relationship stress, emotional regulation, and life transitions.

Shikeena Lynard-Greene strives to create a safe, supportive, and judgment-free space where patients feel heard, respected, and empowered. Her approach is collaborative, compassionate, and direct when helpful. Patients can expect her to be warm, engaged, and goal-oriented while honoring each person’s pace and unique experiences.

Shikeena Lynard-Greene begins by learning about each patient’s history, concerns, strengths, relationships, stressors, and goals. Early sessions focus on building rapport and identifying what the patient hopes to gain from therapy. She then develops an individualized treatment plan using reflection, skill-building, psychoeducation, and practical strategies, while reviewing progress and adjusting goals throughout treatment.

Vanessa Batiste-Leal, LPCC, has been a practicing mental health professional since 2015, specializing in individual outpatient care and counseling athletes at all levels. She supports student-athletes, professionals, and high performers in balancing mind, body, and performance. Vanessa earned her master’s degree from LSU Health Science Center–New Orleans and her BA from the University of Louisiana–Monroe, where she was a Division I basketball scholarship athlete and former Louisiana High School State All-American.

Vanessa Batiste-Leal takes a goal-oriented, supportive approach focused on building a strong mindset for peak performance in sports and life. She works collaboratively with patients to develop practical strategies that enhance resilience and confidence. Common areas of focus include anxiety, depression, motivation, injury recovery, focus, mindfulness, emotional health, and goal setting.

Vanessa begins with an informal, conversational biopsychosocial assessment to understand the whole person beyond a diagnosis. She uses an educational, strength-based approach to help patients build insight, mental strength, and emotional regulation skills that support lasting growth and performance.

I've spent years as a therapist treating adults through the kind of stress, health concerns, trauma, and life transitions that quietly reshape how a person gets through an ordinary day. Before I moved into therapy in 2016, I worked in case management and medical social work, sitting with individuals and families as they navigated complicated life and health challenges. That background still shapes how I listen: I pay attention to real life, not just a diagnosis on a chart. I see many adults, including older adults, who are managing more than one thing at once and want practical support rather than abstractions.

I start by learning your story, your strengths, and what you're actually hoping to change. Early on, my focus is helping you feel grounded and genuinely heard, because not much useful happens before that. From there we build a plan together, drawing on trauma-informed care, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing. As a certified yoga teacher trained in trauma-informed practice, I keep a mind and body perspective in view, and I check in often to make sure the work still fits your goals. My style is practical, compassionate, and approachable, and I set the pace to match you. I offer sessions in English and Spanish.

Reach out when you're ready to start this work together.

I'm a therapist with experience treating anxiety, trauma, relationship struggles, and the emotional upheaval that comes with big life transitions. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, much of my focus is on helping people who feel stuck in their reactions, worn down by past experiences, or unsure of who they are in the middle of a season of change.

I think healing and growth belong together, so I pay attention to more than symptoms. Identity, purpose, and personal values matter in this work, and for those who want it, faith has a place in our conversations too. I start with a thorough first session to really understand your history, what's weighing on you now, and what you're hoping to move toward. From there, we build a plan that fits your goals, drawing on cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, and emotion-focused strategies. I'll also send you off with practical tools to use between our sessions, because a lot of the real work happens in your day-to-day life.

My aim is for you to feel more grounded and more in charge of your own direction, not managed. I value honesty, and I'll be honest with you in return.

If you're tired of carrying old wounds or navigating a change that's left you off balance, let's talk about what steadier ground could look like for you.

Brandi Cihlar is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with more than 18 years of experience in mental health and addiction counseling. She earned her Ph.D. in counseling from George Washington University and has worked with adults experiencing depression, anxiety, addiction, bipolar disorder, PTSD, personality disorders, and relationship challenges.

Brandi believes each person is the expert of their own story and brings strengths that can support healing and growth. She creates a safe, supportive space where patients can openly explore thoughts, emotions, and life challenges. Her approach is collaborative, compassionate, and tailored to each patient’s unique goals and needs.

Brandi uses a variety of evidence-based therapeutic approaches depending on what works best for each individual. She helps patients identify patterns, gain insight, and develop practical strategies to improve well-being while supporting them through life transitions, trauma, addiction, stress, and relationship concerns.

Michelle Walker, LPC, has experience practicing in both outpatient and inpatient settings, working with adults ages 18–99. She earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Fairfield University, where she also completed her undergraduate degree in English. Michelle completed her internship at Sacred Heart University and trained in various Connecticut outpatient clinics. She has worked in-person at Shoreline Wellness Center and remotely with AbleTo and Optum Behavioral Health.

Michelle Walker creates a supportive, nonjudgmental space where patients feel heard and understood. She is committed to listening and helping in any way she can, focusing on practical coping strategies and new perspectives. Her goal is to help patients improve their mood, build resilience, and enhance overall quality of life.

Michelle begins with a comprehensive intake to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. From there, she collaborates with patients to identify priorities and develop realistic, personalized steps toward progress. Whether goals are large or small, she works alongside patients to reduce symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress.

Maria Pisani is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC-MHSP) with experience in both mental health and substance use treatment settings. She earned her Master’s degree in Counseling and Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. John’s University. Maria is also a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) and Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS), with experience in outpatient counseling, assessments, treatment planning, and clinical supervision. She has worked with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, PTSD, anger, stress, and substance use disorders.

Maria provides a supportive, confidential, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe exploring their challenges. She works collaboratively to help individuals better understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while using a compassionate, practical approach tailored to each person’s needs. She incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and motivational techniques when appropriate and believes in meeting clients where they are in their personal journey.

Maria begins by learning about each client’s concerns, personal history, and goals. She develops individualized treatment plans designed to address each person’s unique needs while helping clients build coping skills, emotional awareness, and healthier thought patterns. Through supportive, goal-oriented sessions, she encourages progress and personal growth while adapting treatment approaches as clients’ needs evolve over time.

Shikeena Lynard-Greene, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor who works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families through individual, family, group, and telehealth counseling. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Montclair State University and a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from University of the Cumberlands. Her clinical focus includes anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, grief, low self-esteem, relationship stress, emotional regulation, and life transitions.

Shikeena Lynard-Greene strives to create a safe, supportive, and judgment-free space where patients feel heard, respected, and empowered. Her approach is collaborative, compassionate, and direct when helpful. Patients can expect her to be warm, engaged, and goal-oriented while honoring each person’s pace and unique experiences.

Shikeena Lynard-Greene begins by learning about each patient’s history, concerns, strengths, relationships, stressors, and goals. Early sessions focus on building rapport and identifying what the patient hopes to gain from therapy. She then develops an individualized treatment plan using reflection, skill-building, psychoeducation, and practical strategies, while reviewing progress and adjusting goals throughout treatment.

Vanessa Batiste-Leal, LPCC, has been a practicing mental health professional since 2015, specializing in individual outpatient care and counseling athletes at all levels. She supports student-athletes, professionals, and high performers in balancing mind, body, and performance. Vanessa earned her master’s degree from LSU Health Science Center–New Orleans and her BA from the University of Louisiana–Monroe, where she was a Division I basketball scholarship athlete and former Louisiana High School State All-American.

Vanessa Batiste-Leal takes a goal-oriented, supportive approach focused on building a strong mindset for peak performance in sports and life. She works collaboratively with patients to develop practical strategies that enhance resilience and confidence. Common areas of focus include anxiety, depression, motivation, injury recovery, focus, mindfulness, emotional health, and goal setting.

Vanessa begins with an informal, conversational biopsychosocial assessment to understand the whole person beyond a diagnosis. She uses an educational, strength-based approach to help patients build insight, mental strength, and emotional regulation skills that support lasting growth and performance.

Shirley Hernandez is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a BA in Psychology and a Master of Social Work. She began her career in case management and medical social work, supporting individuals and families through complex life and health challenges. Since transitioning into therapy in 2016, she has worked in outpatient and telehealth settings, including with adults experiencing co-occurring concerns. She is also a RYT 200 certified yoga teacher with training in trauma-informed practice and offers sessions in English and Spanish.

Shirley Hernandez creates a supportive, comfortable space where clients feel genuinely heard. She views therapy as a collaborative process, paced to meet each individual’s needs. Her approach focuses on real-life challenges, not just diagnoses, and considers how stress, health concerns, trauma, and life transitions impact daily functioning. Her style is practical, compassionate, and approachable.

Shirley Hernandez begins by learning each client’s story, strengths, and goals. Early sessions prioritize trust and helping clients feel grounded and understood. She then collaborates on a personalized treatment plan using trauma-informed care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and motivational interviewing. She integrates a mind–body perspective and regularly checks in to ensure therapy remains helpful and aligned with client goals.

Migdalia Moore is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who supports clients navigating anxiety, trauma, life transitions, relationship challenges, and emotional regulation. She earned her Master of Social Work from Long Island University and is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP).

Migdalia Moore creates a supportive, nonjudgmental space where clients feel safe to be open and honest. She integrates clinical expertise with a deeper understanding of identity, purpose, and personal values, including faith when desired. Her approach emphasizes both healing and growth, helping clients feel more grounded and empowered.

Migdalia Moore begins with a comprehensive initial session to understand each client’s history, concerns, and goals. She collaborates to establish personalized treatment plans and uses evidence-based approaches such as CBT, trauma-informed care, and emotion-focused strategies. She also provides practical tools for use between sessions.

I'm a therapist specializing in the anxiety, panic, and depression that tend to surface during life transitions: a career change, a shift in a relationship, an illness, a new life stage. Over more than 25 years, I've worked with individuals, families, and groups across community nonprofits, worksite wellness programs, labor unions, and virtual settings, so I've seen how many different circumstances can bring someone to therapy feeling stuck or overwhelmed.

I'm a practical therapist. I draw on mindfulness-based CBT and DBT, and I use SMART goals to keep our work focused and moving forward rather than circling the same ground. I also lean on Positive Psychology, because I'd rather build on the strengths you already have than treat you as a list of problems to fix. Early on, I'll ask you to walk me through your concerns from past to present so we can organize them and decide together what matters most. From there we build a structured plan with achievable goals, and we adjust as we go, always at a pace that feels manageable to you. Many of the people I see notice gradual relief within the first month, with steady improvement after that.

My aim is to address what's weighing on you with clarity, focus, and compassion, not pressure. Curious whether this kind of structured, forward-moving work would suit you?

I'm a therapist, and most of what I see spans a wide age range: teens finding their footing, adults sorting through anxiety, depression, trauma, or a life transition that has knocked things off balance, and older adults navigating change later in life. Over more than eight years across private practice, outpatient programs, community mental health centers, and non-profit work in New York and New Jersey, I've spent a lot of time with people who are reexamining their self-esteem, working through relationship strain, or trying to make sense of attention challenges. I also work often with neurodivergent clients and offer affirming care across identities, relationships, and family systems.

How we work together depends on you. I start by really understanding your history, your concerns, your strengths, and what you actually want out of this, then we shape a plan together from there. I draw on approaches like CBT, DBT, ACT, and IFS, but I try to keep therapy practical and paced to you rather than to a method. Early sessions tend to be a lot of me asking questions and listening closely so I understand what brought you here. As we go, I'll revisit our goals with you so the work stays relevant and responsive as things shift.

There's no rush to any of this. When you feel ready to begin, I'll be here.

I'm a therapist, and I've worked across a wide range of mental health concerns in both inpatient and outpatient settings. That means I've sat with people in some of their most acute moments and also walked alongside them through the slower, less dramatic work of building a life that feels more like their own. I see adults and older adults, and I don't come in assuming I already know what your struggle is about.

I start from a fairly simple conviction: that every person carries a real desire and a real capacity to grow. My job isn't to hand you a fix. It's to partner with you, so that together we can trace where the distress is coming from and find solutions that actually mean something to you. I draw from a broad range of therapeutic approaches rather than forcing everyone into one method, because what helps one person land nowhere for the next.

In a first session, expect me to do a lot of listening and honest asking. I want you to feel heard and respected, not managed. From there we move at a pace that fits you, and I'll be straightforward with you about what I'm noticing along the way.

Reaching out for help takes something, and choosing to read this far is already part of that. When you're ready to start that conversation, I'll be here to begin it with you.

I'm a therapist with over seven years of experience treating trauma, anxiety, depression, and the fallout of stressful life events, along with the struggles many people have around communication and self-expression. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Registered Play Therapist, and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor, I've worked across community mental health, non-profit settings, and private practice, which has shown me how differently the same challenge can look from one person to the next. A lot of the adults and older adults I see feel unheard, or unsure how to put words to what they're carrying, and I take real care to help them feel understood.

I draw on cognitive behavioral and attachment-based approaches within a person-centered framework, adjusting my methods to fit the individual rather than the other way around. I like to send you off with practical tools you can actually use in daily life, not just insights that stay in the room. Our first session is where I learn your history, your concerns, and your goals; by the second, we've shaped a treatment plan that reflects what you're working toward. From there, I keep the space open and respectful, so you can express yourself freely and explore what you need without judgment.

If that's the kind of support you're looking for, I'd be happy to talk.

As a therapist, I work mostly with people navigating eating disorders, along with adolescents, adults, and older adults who want a place to think out loud about what's going on. Much of my clinical grounding comes from over four years spent treating eating disorders in a hospital setting, where I learned how much steadier recovery feels when someone actually feels heard rather than managed.

My style tends to be warm, personable, and conversational, closer to talking with a trusted friend than sitting across from a clinician taking notes. I'll validate what you're feeling, but I'm also going to gently encourage the kind of growth and self-discovery that moves things forward. I draw on evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and I'm certified in Level 1 Gottman Method for the relationship work that sometimes comes up.

Our first sessions are mostly about getting the full picture: your background, what's brought you here, and what you actually want out of therapy. From there we build a plan together, one shaped around your specific situation rather than a template, so the work supports change that lasts instead of a quick patch.

If your relationship with food, your body, or the pressure you carry has started running the show, I'd like to help you take some of that weight back. Reach out when you're ready and we'll figure out the next step together.

I'm a therapist who focuses on adults navigating the kind of stress, trauma, and life transitions that don't resolve on their own. Over the last 30 years, I've worked across a wide range of settings: hospital and health systems, emergency rooms and psychiatric screening centers, and school- and community-based outpatient programs. That range taught me how to sit with people in the middle of a crisis and how to walk alongside them through the slower work that comes afterward. Along the way I've supervised social work students and served as a clinical director in community mental health, but what I keep coming back to is the one-on-one work with the person in front of me.

My approach is trauma-informed and grounded in the belief that care should fit around your life, not the other way around. I draw on acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness within a wellness-based frame, and I lean on CBT tools where they help. Early sessions tend to be about getting the full picture, your history, what's weighing on you, and what you actually want to be different, so we can decide together where to put our energy. I'll be straightforward with you, and I'll expect us to make those decisions as partners.

If that fits what you're after, reach out and we'll start with a conversation and shape the plan from there.

I've spent years as a therapist treating adults, adolescents, and older adults who are trying to get some steadiness back in how they handle their emotions. Many of the people I see feel like their reactions are running ahead of them, and they want practical skills to slow that down and respond with more confidence. My work is grounded in trauma-informed principles, which for me is less a slogan than a way of pacing things: I don't push people past what they're ready to look at, and I pay attention to what makes someone feel safe enough to keep going.

My training runs through CBT, DBT, and Trauma-Focused CBT, so a lot of what we do is concrete. You can expect us to name what's actually happening in a hard moment and then build out real tools for it, especially around emotion regulation. I also lean on mindfulness to help people notice and accept what's going on internally before deciding what to do about it. Early sessions tend to be a mix of me getting the full picture and us mapping out where you want to head. I'll be honest with you about what I'm seeing, and I'll ask you to be honest back, because the plan only works if it's genuinely yours.

Before I came to this work, I spent six years at home raising my kids, which still shapes how I listen. The first step is a straightforward conversation, and we'll sort out the direction together from there.

Most of my work as a therapist spans a wide age range, from kids as young as five to teenagers, adults, and older adults well into their later years. I've spent more than fifteen years in community and outpatient settings, which taught me that no two people walk in with the same story, so I don't treat them as if they do. Some of the folks I see are figuring out a hard season for the first time; others have been managing something for years and want a fresh set of eyes.

I draw on a range of approaches rather than forcing everyone into one method, because what helps a nine-year-old is rarely what helps someone in their seventies. The first time we meet, I'm mostly getting to know you: your history, what's bringing you in, what you're hoping for, and the strengths you already have that we can build on. From there we shape a plan together, one aimed at both some relief now and steadier ground over the long run. I try to keep things straightforward and grounded in your culture and life, so you actually feel understood rather than processed.

My training in social work at Adelphi University shaped how I look at people in the context of everything around them, not in isolation. Reach out when you're ready to start, and we'll figure out the first steps together.

Most of my work as a therapist, over 13 years of it now, is with adults who are ready to turn some attention back toward themselves after long stretches of putting everyone and everything else first. I came into this field through international human rights and educational work, and later spent years alongside formerly homeless adults in supportive housing, first as a social worker and eventually as a supervisor and assistant program director. That history shaped how I listen. I think of therapy as a real act of self-investment, a chance to approach yourself with curiosity, courage, and compassion rather than judgment.

My approach is collaborative, relational, and grounded in evidence. Depending on what you need, I draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness, DBT skills, psychodynamic work, and cognitive-behavioral techniques, but I lead with the relationship, not the technique. Early sessions tend to move at a human pace: I ask questions, I stay curious, and I pay attention to what actually matters to you underneath the presenting concern. Over time, the work is about building emotional flexibility and resilience, getting clearer on your values, and taking steps that line up with them. I aim for a space that feels warm, validating, and culturally responsive, where you feel genuinely seen.

Curious whether the two of us would work well together? A first visit is a good place to find out.

I'm a licensed professional counselor with a particular focus on people navigating anxiety, depression, mood instability, and the kind of adjustment struggles that surface when life shifts in ways you didn't choose. Over the years I've worked across a wide range of settings, from outpatient and in-home care to partial hospitalization and residential treatment, which means I've sat with clients at nearly every level of intensity. I have a real interest in young adults sorting through co-occurring challenges, and I've spent time working with complex trauma and substance use as well.

My approach is integrative and client-centered, and it's grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a model I lean on because it adapts to whatever a person is actually facing rather than forcing them into a single framework. Depending on what fits, I draw on mindfulness, dialectical and acceptance-based work, psychoeducation, and trauma-informed care. In practice, our early sessions are less about me steering and more about understanding what matters to you and what's gotten in the way of it. I take the relationship itself seriously; feeling heard and validated isn't a nicety, it's where the work starts.

I tend to move at a pace that respects where you are rather than where a treatment plan says you should be. There's no rush to figure it all out at once. Reach out when the timing feels right for you, and we'll begin from there.

I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor with more than 20 years of counseling experience, working with adults and older adults through depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use, and the particular challenges that come with health and medical struggles. Much of my early work put me alongside people in the middle of crisis: 9/11 displaced and recovery workers, including police, firefighters, and EMTs; families after Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy; bereaved military families; and homeless veterans and other homeless men. I've worked in inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient, and partial care settings, answered the National Suicide Prevention line, and run my own private practice, so very little in a person's story surprises me.

My first goal is honest, practical, and unglamorous: to build a trusting relationship, then figure out together where you are, where you'd like to be, and the steps that will actually get you there. I lean on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Positive Psychology, but the real work is naming the obstacles in your way and deciding how to move past them. Expect our first session to be a real conversation, room to put your thoughts and feelings into words while we set goals that are realistic enough to keep.

Reaching out for help takes something, and I don't take that lightly. If you've read this far, you've already started. I'm here when you're ready to keep going.

I'm a licensed professional counselor, and most of what I see is people trying to make sense of what's going on for them, whether that's anxiety, low mood, the weight of past trauma, or simply feeling stuck. Over 18 years across homes, communities, schools, and offices, I've worked as a case manager, a family therapist, and an outpatient therapist, with people from a wide range of cultural and economic backgrounds. I especially enjoy working with families, adolescents, and young adults, and I connect closely with neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ folks.

My core belief is that people are doing the best they can with what they know. Given supportive listening, care, and a little education, most of us can grow and move toward what we're after. In practice, that means a session with me tends to feel like a real conversation: I listen closely, I explain what I'm noticing, and we figure out the next step together rather than my handing you a plan. I draw on cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, internal family systems, and mindfulness depending on what fits, and I'm certified in trauma-focused CBT for those who need it.

Whatever's bringing you here, there's no clock on this. Reach out when the timing feels right for you, and we'll take it from there.

I'm a licensed professional counselor who focuses on adults living with serious and persistent mental illness, chronic medical conditions, and the mental health toll that comes with them. Over the last several years, much of my clinical home has been in health care settings, working alongside people managing HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses, as well as depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, psychosis, grief, and substance use. I especially connect with clients from minority communities and the LGBTQAI+ community, and with people navigating chronic pain and disabling health conditions.

I treat every person as the expert of their own experience, so I let you direct the kind of treatment you need rather than handing you a fixed plan. My approach is tailored to each individual with compassion and respect, and I hold unconditional positive regard for everyone I sit with. I also practice harm reduction, which means I take a respectful position toward people who use substances, including alcohol, and can help you work toward reduction or abstinence-based recovery, whichever fits your goals. Depending on what's useful, our sessions might draw on mindfulness, CBT, solution-focused work, behavioral activation, or acceptance and commitment therapy. Mostly, though, they're a place to grow, practice self-acceptance, and stay committed to yourself.

There's no timeline you have to meet here. When you feel ready to begin, I'll be glad you reached out.

Maria-Anne Duncan, LCSW-R holds the position of psychotherapist at Talkiatry. She has over twenty years of experience working with individuals, families, and groups addressing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma. Before joining Talkiarty, Ms. Duncan worked as a Director of Clinical Services for a not-for-profit in the Hudson Valley Region of New York State. Prior to that, Ms. Duncan worked for a local hospital in the psychiatric department providing treatment to the Inpatient and Outpatient units. She has held several positions as a clinician and program director. Additionally, Ms. Duncan has taught parenting classes, Mental Health First Aid and provides training on Trauma-Informed Care. Ms. Duncan started her career as a clinician in a Crime Victims' Assistance Program funded by New York State. Through this experience she began to explore the effects of trauma on individuals, their families, and the community. Ms. Duncan has been trained in both EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and SE (Somatic Experiencing). She utilizes these body-focused therapies to help her clients be released from years of painful energies locked in their systems. Ms. Duncan received her Bachelor's Degree from Marist College and her Master's from Fordham University. She has been trained to supervise Social Work Students in their field placements. Ms. Duncan appeared in the Vassar College student-developed training video, "He said, She said" which is used to train peer sexual assault counselors. In April of 2022, she became a trainer for LivingWorks "SafeTALK" program. Additionally, Ms. Duncan has a trained therapy dog, Monkey, who goes with her to local hospitals and nursing homes to provide comfort and affection.

I'm a therapist, and most of what I see runs from adjustment struggles, when life throws a new circumstance at someone and they're not sure how to steady themselves, to depression, anxiety, and trauma. I've been doing this work for more than two decades now, across a wide range of ages, from teenagers to adults to folks well into their later years.

I'm eclectic in how I work, and I mean that plainly: people are different, and they need a style that actually fits them, not one I've decided on in advance. So depending on who's in front of me, I might draw on cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, solution-focused work, mindfulness, DBT, narrative, or something else entirely. What that looks like early on is a lot of me learning how you think and what has and hasn't worked before, so we're not repeating dead ends.

I ask for your feedback often, and I mean it. If something isn't landing, I'd rather know than keep going out of politeness; adjusting the approach is how the outcomes get better. My aim is straightforward, which is to help you get to your own full potential, whatever that looks like for you rather than for me.

Deciding to talk to someone takes something, and following through on it takes more. If you've gotten this far, you've already done the hard part. When you're ready, I'll be glad to start that conversation with you.

My work as a licensed clinical social worker centers on the ordinary and not-so-ordinary things that pull people off balance: anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma from childhood or adulthood, strained relationships, and the disorientation that comes with big life transitions, stress, and loss. Over four years in outpatient practice, I've sat with people across a wide range of ages and backgrounds, from younger adults sorting out who they're becoming to older adults facing changes in health, role, or the people around them.

I look at each person through a biopsychosocial lens, which is a way of saying I don't think any of us can be understood apart from our bodies, our histories, and the relationships we're living inside. My training is in cognitive-based therapies, including CBT and trauma-focused CBT, and I draw on ACT, DBT, and a strengths-based approach depending on what actually fits. Part of the early work is figuring out together which of those approaches suits you, because the same method rarely lands the same way for two people. Early sessions tend to be steady and curious; I'll ask questions, and I'll be honest with you about what I'm noticing.

Before any of that works, though, there has to be a relationship you can trust and speak freely inside. That's the piece I protect most.

Deciding to look for help takes something. If you've gotten this far, you've already done part of the hard part.

As a therapist with 24 years of practice, I work mostly with people navigating the ordinary but weighty stuff of a life: depression, anxiety, conflict in the relationships that matter most, and the transitions that leave you unsure of your footing. Over the years I've sat with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults, in outpatient offices, inpatient units, and with people managing substance use alongside other concerns, and I've come away convinced that the relationship between a person and a skilled clinician is where much of the real change happens.

I tend to start not with a form or a diagnosis but with a conversation. I want to understand you biologically, psychologically, and socially, because a person doesn't come apart into neat categories. My approach is practical and integrative; I draw on cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, systems thinking, acceptance and commitment therapy, and a bit of positive psychology, but I fit those to you rather than the other way around. I work collaboratively, and when it helps, I'll coordinate with your medical providers so we're all pulling in the same direction.

What I hold onto, session to session, is a genuine belief that people are capable of making meaningful changes in their lives, and that your own experience and strengths are the raw material for that work.

If that fits what you're after, I'd be happy to talk.

I'm a therapist with a particular focus on the adults who come to me feeling stuck somewhere between anxiety, depression, grief, and the kind of life transitions that don't fit neatly into any one box. Over more than eight years I've worked across inpatient psychiatric hospitals, partial and intensive outpatient programs, community mental health, and telehealth, which means I've sat with people in crisis and people simply trying to make sense of what's next. I also see plenty of folks navigating trauma, bipolar disorder, anger, and the strain that shows up in their closest relationships.

I think of therapy as something we do together. My job is to help you find the root of what's going on, not just manage the surface of it, and then build a plan that actually fits your life. In a first session, I'll walk you through how teletherapy and confidentiality work, then spend most of our time getting to know your background and what you want out of this. From there we look honestly at what's hard right now, sketch out a vision for where you'd like to be, and start putting practical tools in place. I lean on CBT and ACT so you leave with something you can actually use between our conversations.

Reaching out for support takes nerve, and if you've read this far, you've already started. When you're ready, I'll be here to take the next step with you.

I'm a therapist with experience treating anxiety, ADHD, stress, trauma, family and relational difficulties, and school avoidance. Over the years I've worked in a wide range of settings, from schools and correctional facilities to substance use and outpatient programs and private practice, and that mix has given me a pretty grounded understanding of the complexities people face in their day to day lives. I see clients across the lifespan, from adolescents to adults to older adults, and I have a particular soft spot for the work I do with couples and families.

My approach draws on CBT, DBT, and Motivational Interviewing, but I don't treat any of these as a formula. I'd rather figure out which pieces actually fit your situation and adjust from there. Early on, expect me to ask a lot of questions and listen closely, because I want to understand what's really getting in your way before we settle on a direction. I tend to be practical and collaborative, and I'll be straightforward with you about what I'm noticing.

Outside of my own clients, I supervise and mentor other social workers, nurse practitioners, and mental health professionals, which keeps me thinking hard about how good care actually gets done.

Whatever's been sitting on your mind, bring it to a first visit and we'll start untangling it together.

I'm a therapist specializing in talk therapy with adults and older adults, and I've been part of the mental health field since 2016. Over those years I've worked in a lot of different settings, from elementary schools and high schools to a college campus, and as the on-site mental health therapist in a primary care physician's office. What that taught me is that people bring every part of their lives into a session, physical health, family, work, whatever is on their mind, and no topic is off the table with me.

Before anything else, I want to build rapport, because I don't think real work happens until you actually feel comfortable telling me how you feel. My style leans on cognitive behavioral therapy; I like showing people how our thoughts shape our emotions and then our behaviors and actions, because once you can see that chain, you have something to work with. I also draw on client-centered and DBT approaches, and I offer both individual and group work depending on what fits the person in front of me. Early sessions are less about me steering and more about understanding how you see things and what feels off.

Whether we meet once or keep going for a while, we can take it at a pace that works for you. If some of this fits what you've been looking for, let's start with a conversation and sort out the direction together.

As a licensed mental health counselor with a decade of experience, I work mostly with adults and older adults who are navigating anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, grief, or the aftermath of trauma. Over the years I've practiced in a lot of different settings, an outpatient community clinic, in-home family therapy, work with undocumented minors carrying trauma histories, and now telehealth, and each of those settings taught me something about how differently people arrive at counseling and what they need once they get there.

What I've come to believe, after all this time in the field, is that therapy works best as a collaborative process, one where we're figuring out your goals together rather than me handing down a plan. I draw on cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic work, but I choose the approach based on the person in front of me, not the other way around. Early sessions tend to be more conversation than assessment; I want to understand how you actually experience your days before we decide where to focus.

I keep the pace steady and I stay honest with you about what I'm noticing, because I've found that people make more progress when the process feels transparent.

There's no rush to any of this. Whenever you feel ready to start, I'll be here to begin the work with you.

I'm a therapist who has spent more than thirty years in mental health, and much of that work has centered on adults and older adults living with the aftermath of trauma, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and the ups and downs that come with personality disorders. I started my career as a correction counselor with the NYC Department of Corrections, running recovery and psychoeducation groups, and I later spent nearly two decades as a hospital discharge planner while training in adult psychoanalysis. That range shapes how I sit with people; I've seen a lot, and very little surprises me anymore.

I named my private practice "Live the Life You Want" because I genuinely believe people should get to live on their own terms. I lean on EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, CBT, and Motivational Interviewing, but the model matters less than the fit. The world can be a scary, cold, and uncertain place, and my job is to help you process the emotions underneath the trauma, depression, or anxiety, at a pace you can handle. I especially connect with clients from the LGBTQ+ community and with fellow people of color who want a clinician who listens closely and doesn't rush.

Your first session, and honestly the second too, is about you: why you're here, what you've been through, and what you actually want to change. We get to know each other and decide together where to start.

Reach out when you're ready to begin.

I'm a therapist who has spent years working with people across the whole span of life, from young children through adults facing the questions that come at the end of it. That range matters to me. Over the years I've sat with kids and teens, with adults sorting through their own lives, and with families and couples trying to find their footing together. I'm trained in EMDR and trauma care, and I draw on CBT, DBT, and other evidence-based tools depending on what actually fits the person in front of me.

Here's how I tend to think about the work: I'm less interested in what's supposedly "wrong" with you and more interested in the skills and goals that make daily life feel workable again. Early on, I'll ask you to name what you want out of this, what a better version of things would actually look like, and then we map a clear path toward it together. You know your own experiences, values, and needs better than I ever could, and I treat that as the real starting point. I aim to be someone you feel genuinely heard by, not talked at.

I've built a bit of a reputation for creative, results-minded work, and I take that seriously. If you're looking for a therapist who will help you turn stuck feelings into concrete steps forward, reach out and let's talk about where you want to begin.

I trained as a therapist, and I mostly work with adults navigating the aftermath of trauma, whether that's from sexual assault, domestic violence, or another experience that keeps intruding on the present. Much of my early work was with people served by a nonprofit supporting victims of violent crimes, and that shaped how I sit with someone whose life has been reorganized by something they didn't choose. Alongside PTSD, I regularly help people work through depression, anxiety, and OCD-related struggles.

I take a trauma-informed approach, which for me means we move at your pace rather than mine. I've been practicing EMDR since 2019 and earned my certification in it, and I draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and mindfulness depending on what actually fits the person in front of me, not a fixed script. Early sessions tend to be less about diving into the hardest material and more about understanding where you are in your own healing and what you want to move toward. I'll be straightforward with you about what I'm noticing and why I'm suggesting a particular direction.

I'm also expanding into mental performance work with athletes, which has been a natural extension of how I think about focus, pressure, and resilience.

There's no timeline you need to meet before reaching out. Whenever you feel ready to begin, I'll be here.

I'm a therapist specializing in depression, anxiety, stress, and the kind of unexpected life changes that can leave you feeling stuck, lost, or like you're just going through the motions. I see adolescents from age 13 as well as adults, and I especially connect with people in the LGBTQIA+ community who are ready to put some work into their mental health and get closer to being the version of themselves they want to be.

A lot of what happens early on is simply building trust between us. I want you to feel comfortable being honest, because that's where the real work starts. I'm not going to hand you a plan and tell you to follow it; I'll ask you to be involved in setting your own goals, since you're the one who has to live them. In a session, that might look like us naming what's actually getting in the way this week and deciding together where to put our attention. I draw on a range of evidence-based approaches and adjust them to fit you rather than the other way around, because no two people arrive with the same story.

My aim is to help you leave with tools you can actually use, not just insight that stays in the room. Curious whether the two of us would work well together? That's exactly what a first visit is for.

Most of my work as a therapist is with adults navigating the parts of life that don't come with a map: dating, questions of gender and sexuality, career and school stress, the disorientation of a big transition, and the anxiety or low mood that tends to travel alongside all of it. Some people come in looking for more organization; others are trying to reconnect with a sense of purpose. I hold licenses in New York, New Jersey, and Florida, and I'm a National Certified Counselor, but what matters more to you is how a session actually goes.

I try to balance heart and mind. That means I take the way you feel seriously while also giving you concrete tools to work with. I'll start our first meeting by walking through how therapy works, so you feel comfortable and clear on what to expect, and then I'll ask what brought you in before we get into your history, your strengths, and where you'd like to go. From there we build a measurable, personalized plan and adjust it to fit your pace and style rather than the other way around. I draw on solution-focused strategies, CBT, some psychodynamic insight, and a family-systems lens, depending on what's useful for you.

My hope is that you leave each session with something practical in hand. Bring me what's been sitting on your mind, and we'll start making sense of it side by side.

I'm a therapist who has spent over 13 years working across just about every setting you can imagine: intensive outpatient and outpatient programs, partial hospitalization, psychiatric and pediatric hospitals, correctional facilities, and substance use programs, and now virtually. That range has taught me not to walk in with a fixed script. Lately I work with adults and with teens (13 to 17), and I try to tailor what we do to the person in front of me rather than to a category.

My style is genuine, honest, and flexible. I lean on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy where it fits, but I stay eclectic and pull from whatever actually serves your goals. I'll be direct with you, and I'll stay compassionate about it; those two things aren't in conflict. My working motto is simple: we are a team. That shapes the pace, because we set the direction together rather than me handing it down.

The first session is mostly getting acquainted. We'll talk about what brought you in and what you want to get out of this, and we'll cover the practical side too, scheduling, confidentiality, and how attendance works. From there we build a treatment plan that's yours, not a generic one, and we adjust it as we go.

There's no rush to any of this. Reach out whenever the timing feels right for you, and we'll take the first step together.

I've spent years as a therapist treating adults and adolescents through depression, anxiety, trauma, and the family strains that tend to come with them. My background is largely in community and outpatient mental health, which has given me a steady footing with people at very different points in their lives, from teenagers sorting out who they are to adults facing a transition they didn't choose. Life changes, whether expected or not, often bring people to my door, and I'm comfortable sitting with the whole tangle of it.

I lean on cognitive behavioral therapy, active listening, and plain empathy, but the method matters less than the working relationship we build. In a first session, I'll ask what brought you in, walk through your history at a pace that feels manageable, and get a clear sense of what you actually want out of this. From there we sort out the specific challenges and start putting practical coping strategies in place. I don't hand people a generic plan; we shape one together around your priorities and the outcomes that matter to you, and we adjust it as things shift.

My aim is to help you make real, positive change, not just talk about it. There's no rush to any of this. When you feel ready to begin, I'll be here to start the conversation.

As a therapist, I work mostly with adults and older adults who are trying to make sense of life's more complex challenges, whether that's a difficult season, a relationship that's grown tangled, or the weight of patterns that no longer serve you. Over more than 25 years of practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey, I've come to see therapy as a genuine partnership, one where you feel heard, respected, and part of the decisions we make.

My approach is warm and interactive, and it starts with getting to know you as a person, not a diagnosis. Early on, we spend time identifying your strengths, clarifying what you actually want out of this work, and building a plan that fits your life rather than a template. I draw on approaches like CBT, DBT, solution-focused therapy, and trauma-informed care, and I'll often help you notice how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors connect. Along the way I teach practical skills, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and ways to steady your emotions when things feel overwhelming.

What I care about most is helping you move toward greater peace, connection, and a sense that your life is your own again. I'll be honest with you and collaborative throughout; the pace is yours.

Reaching out for support takes real courage. If you've read this far, you've already taken a meaningful first step, and I'd be honored to take the next ones with you.

I'm a therapist specializing in the challenges adults face when they're trying to find their way through a hard stretch of life, whether that's depression, anxiety, grief, stress, trauma, or strain in their closest relationships. I've spent close to two decades doing this work, in a range of treatment settings across Ohio, and I especially value working with people managing both mental health and substance use concerns. I see adults of all ages, including older adults.

Getting to know you comes first. From there, we identify what you actually want and figure out how to get there together. My approach draws on family systems thinking, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, solution-focused and person-centered work, and EMDR when it fits. If trauma is part of your story, I want to say this plainly: talking through every detail isn't always what helps. It can be one piece of healing, but there are often other paths toward progress, and we'll find the one that suits you.

What I enjoy most is watching someone start to shift their perspective and tell me they feel more at peace as they reach the goals we set. I tend to work collaboratively and at a pace that respects where you are, not where a treatment manual says you should be.

The first step is simply a conversation. We'll get a sense of what's going on, and build the plan from there.

I'm a therapist specializing in the kind of work that helps people step back and see the patterns shaping their lives. Over more than 20 years, I've worked with individuals, couples, and families across both clinical and corporate settings, and that range has taught me that most of what people bring to counseling isn't a single problem to fix. It's a whole life to understand. I see adults through their working years and older adults navigating later-life transitions, and I draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness depending on what fits the person in front of me, not the other way around.

Here's how I actually work: I start with an open conversation about what's been happening and what you're hoping to change or explore. From there I listen carefully, ask questions that get at the heart of things, and help you notice the patterns that bring some clarity to your experience. I value honesty and open communication, even when the topic is a hard one to sit with. Together we'll set goals and build a plan that respects your pace and comfort level rather than rushing you toward it.

My aim is for you to leave feeling more grounded, more confident, and better equipped to handle what life puts in front of you. Bring whatever's been sitting on your mind to a first visit, and we'll begin working through it side by side.

I'm a licensed clinical social worker who focuses on anxiety in its many forms: panic disorder, generalized anxiety, OCD, phobias, and separation anxiety. Over more than 20 years, I've also worked extensively with adults facing depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, personality disorders, self-harm, adjustment disorders, and the ordinary hard stuff of relationships, marriage, divorce, and the questions women bring to therapy that don't always get named elsewhere.

I especially enjoy working with people who are motivated to grow through the process of therapy, adults who are ready to work through the symptoms that have been holding them back and want a life that feels more fulfilling. My approach isn't one-size-fits-all; I tailor it to the person sitting across from me. Most often that means drawing on CBT, DBT, and a psychodynamic lens, but the mix depends on you. In a session, I do a lot of active listening. I'm direct and genuine, and I'd rather understand what's actually going on than hand you a formula. Some of what we notice comes from what you say; some comes from what you don't. I also work with older adults, and I hold certification in clinical supervision along with training in recognizing red flags for suicidality.

There's no timeline you need to meet before reaching out. Whenever you feel ready to start, I'll be here.