Stephanie Southard, LCSW - Therapist in New York

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment
Role play exercises

About Stephanie

Stephanie Southard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in New York with 26 years of experience. She helps people address stress, anxiety, addictions, low self-esteem, depression, coping with life changes, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, sleep problems, parenting challenges, anger, career questions, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.

Stephanie uses clear, practical methods in session. She leans on cognitive behavioral techniques to notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She also draws on acceptance and commitment ideas, attachment-based thinking, client-centered conversation, and dialectical behavior strategies so people gain skills they can use outside sessions.

Her work often includes exercises and role play to practice new ways of relating and coping. She pays attention to family of origin issues, blended family dynamics, abandonment concerns, codependency, and communication problems when those come up. She also brings experience with substance use, domestic violence, chronic illness, caregiver stress, and the legal and social services systems.

Practical matters are part of how she works. She describes therapy goals collaboratively and focuses on clear, manageable steps toward them. Sessions use a subscription billing model that can be canceled at any time, and clients follow a short matching questionnaire before scheduling a first session.

Stephanie lives on Long Island, New York, and holds an MA in Social Work from Adelphi University. Outside of practice she enjoys reading, writing, crafting, and spending time with family and pets.

How her approaches translate to online sessions

Stephanie commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in her work. CBT focuses on noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical steps. It suits anxiety, mood problems, and habit patterns by giving concrete exercises to practice between sessions. ACT emphasizes values and open acceptance of difficult feelings while building flexible actions toward what matters most, which can help with ongoing stress and coping with life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. She will review your needs, goals, and preferences and recommend methods that fit. That decision is collaborative and can shift as progress is made or as new challenges appear.

The biography indicates sessions can include live chat, phone, video, and text, so confirm the current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to schedule appointments around work, reduce travel time, and use brief check-ins when a full session is not needed. They also let people practice skills in everyday settings and bring real-life examples into conversation without needing to travel.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Addictions Self esteem Depression Coping with life changes

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse GriefSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issues Communication problems Control issuesDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgiveness Guilt and shame Impulsivity Infidelity Isolation / loneliness Jealousy Life purpose Men's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issues Mood disorders Obsessions, compulsions, and OCDParanoiaPersonality disordersPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPregnancy and childbirthProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issues Workplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

26+ years

Listed in

New York

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, sleep problems, parenting struggles, anger, career questions, bipolar, and ADHD.

What is her therapeutic style?

She uses practical techniques such as cognitive behavioral work, role play, and exercises to change thoughts and behaviors while drawing on acceptance and attachment-based ideas.

How much experience does she have?

She holds 26 years of experience as a social worker and has worked with individuals, groups, and family-related concerns.

What are her credentials and location?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in New York and currently resides on Long Island, New York.

Which languages and clients are supported?

Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are offered?

The original biography lists live chat, phone, video, and text as offered formats; confirm current session options before booking.

How does billing and cost work?

Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time and costs vary with location.

How do I get started?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.