Find a Therapist in Pleasantville, NY

My approach in therapy is collaborative, supportive, and goal oriented.

For over 13 years, I have dedicated myself to supporting people of all ages through a range of stressors, including anxiety, depression, tense family dynamics, grief, chronic illness, and life transitions. In this work, I’ve seen firsthand the tremendous pressures individuals face to appear “okay” and the self-blame that often comes from not meeting unrealistic societal expectations. These experiences have deepened my passion for helping those who are entering parenthood, raising young children, caregiving, redefining roles and boundaries in relationships, and navigating the complexities of grief and loss. Taking the first step to address emotional challenges is an act of tremendous courage, and you don’t have to face it alone. When life feels overwhelming, a strong therapeutic relationship can provide the support needed to navigate your journey toward growth and meaningful change. Together, we can draw on your strengths and collaboratively focus on your goals. If you choose to work together, we can uncover underlying barriers and unhelpful patterns contributing to your distress, while also identifying and strengthening your personal resources to foster growth. My clients frequently describe feeling genuinely listened to, understood, and met with warmth and authenticity during our sessions.

I use a wellness focused, person-centered creative approach to therapy that is empowerment oriented and assists clients in identifying and resolving blocks and integrating resources at the level of mind/body/spirit. I enjoy helping clients to discover their own internal truths and to live their passions. My therapy is focused on present-day concerns and resolving negative patterns to free energy in order to realize life's fullest potentials. I employ writing, psychodrama, mind/body focusing, self-hypnosis, relaxation and emdr techniques.

You may be looking for help because your teenager or young adult feels overwhelmed, anxious, stuck, emotionally reactive, withdrawn, or uncertain about how to move forward. School stress, ADHD, changing relationships, greater independence, family tension, or the transition to college and adulthood may be affecting daily life. As a parent, you may also be unsure how to remain supportive without taking over. At Psychological Services of New York, my clinical team and I work with teenagers, college students, young adults, parents, and families throughout Westchester. My approach is practical, collaborative, and individualized. I take the time to understand the whole person and how emotional concerns, relationships, family dynamics, school, work, and developmental changes may be influencing one another. Therapy should not feel rigid or scripted. I use an integrative approach that draws from cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, humanistic and person-centered care, behavioral strategies, and lifestyle-based interventions. This allows treatment to be tailored to your needs, strengths, goals, and stage of life rather than forcing one method onto every client. Our work may involve understanding patterns, developing practical coping skills, strengthening relationships, improving emotional regulation, and building greater confidence and direction. When appropriate, I also work with parents to help them better understand what their child is experiencing and find a healthier balance between support and independence. Whether the concern involves anxiety, ADHD, depression, school or college stress, emotional regulation, relationship difficulties, parenting concerns, family conflict, or another important life transition, the goal is to make sense of what is happening and develop realistic steps toward meaningful change.

*FREE ONE HALF HOUR EVALUATION SESSION *AWARD WINNING PRACTICE: "BEST OF 2018, PSYCHOTHERAPIST" *RESULTS THERAPY *LIFE COACH *BUILD A LIFE SKILLS TOOLBOX OF STRENGTHS. *PROCESS AND RESOLVE ISSUES. *WEBSITE: https:buffy-bernhardt-k52s.squarespace.com *5 Star Google Reviews ***RESULTS THERAPY: A PROGRAM THAT TEACHES YOU HOW TO ELEVATE YOUR LIFE. LEARN TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES THAT THROW YOU OFF. WITH PROVEN TECHNIQUES TO HJELP SOLVE YOUR ISSUES, YOU WILL LEARN TO CREATE THE LIFE YOU ENVISION FOR YOURSELF. ***INDUSTRIES SERVED: BUSINESS, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS, SELF-EMPLOYED, EDUCATION, MEDICAL, HUMAN SERVICES, SPORTS, GOVERNMENT, LAW, ETC. We process issues together, then build a life skills toolbox. These tools will help you successfully resolve issues and empower your life. From a heart centered, holistic perspective, (body, mind, spirit). I will work with you as a psychotherapist-life coach in resolving life's challenges in order to develop direction, clarity and personal inner strength.....and create the life you want. I invite you to let me help you heal your life. THERAPIST ROLE: With a gentle, and compassionate approach I create a safe space in which we can explore your issues together. Sometimes we can find ourselves in state of "stuckness", negativity, confusion, fear, with limiting beliefs that can prevent us from moving forward. My role as a therapist is not only to guide you through challenges and transitions in an inclusive and nurturing way, but also to provide you with a deeper understanding of behaviors and stories that may be limiting your resolution and growth, in order to integrate the many parts of your self and manifest a life of fulfillment. PEOPLE SEE ME FOR: Marriage counseling, relationships, all stages of life transition, bereavement, emotional, behavioral challenges, birthpregnancy, personal coaching, personal and spiritual growth, etc. INNER STRENGTHS: Engaging in an inner process while learning to access your "wiser Self" is part of restoring your life to one of harmony, empowerment and well being. As you journey into this process, you will access your greater potential and creative gifts that will serve you in this transformation. TOOLS FOR GROWTH: Insight is only part of the process. It is also important to learn new tools that help change and heal your issues. As you develop deeper insights into your circumstances, you will want to implement new behaviors, healthy thought patterns, while enhancing your strengths. Together we will explore your history, unpack insights and create a tool box of life transforming techniques that will help you develop new and positive ways to grow and cope with life's challenges. SESSIONS MAY INCLUDE: Each session is tailor made according to my client's needs. Discussion, processing, goal and achievement setting, stress reduction, mindfulness practices, meditation and guided imagery, affirmations, personal coaching and other holistic techniques that promote personal awareness, healing and positive growth. BUFFY BERNHARDT, LMSW Director of Nyack Center for Counseling and Coaching, is a HarvardFordham trained New York State licensed social worker: 25 years of advanced training and experience as a psychotherapist and coach. She has developed the "AWAKENED HEART SYSTEM" (based on how to heal, grow, empower yourself), incorporating numerous therapeutichealing modalities, including traditional and body-mind transformative techniques.

In my over 25 years of experience in offering psychotherapy to individuals, families and couples, I have seen, time and time again, the inherent ability each person has for healing and change that can be stimulated and helped through therapy. My work is to support you in this process, employing my advanced training in an array of successful therapeutic approaches including mindfulness therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, to design and facilitate a treatment plan to meet the personal needs of each client individual, family or couple.

I am an in-network therapist for Mount Sinai Health System employees covered by UMR Top Tier (Tier 1). I offer individual psychotherapy to hospital staff, trainees, faculty, and their families across NY and NJ. There is typically no copay for telehealth services for UMR Top Tier. Do you feel hurt or frustrated in your relationships? Is it difficult for you to set boundaries or assert your needs? Or are you experiencing work stress or struggling with perfectionism? Do you feel stuck in the past? Or have you experienced a recent trauma or loss? Do you worry about everyday events or feel uncertain about your future? Others reach out while navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, the impact of childhood trauma, or current life transition such as graduating, getting married, becoming a parent, going through a divorce, or coping with a loss. If you feel held back from the life you want and deserve, I would like to help. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with advanced training and over 25 years experience providing effective psychotherapy to adults with a broad range of difficulties. My therapeutic style is interactive, collaborative, and non-judgmental. I am genuinely empathic and curious, creating a safe space to discuss your life experiences, emotional reactions, and perceptions. Together, we will better understand how your past affects the way you view yourself and the world, the choices you make, your patterns of relating to others, and explore new options to reduce your suffering and improve your life. It is not often an easy decision to start therapy or seek out a new therapist, but if you contact me, we can talk about any concerns or questions you have about the process.

A good therapist is empathic, caring and pragmatic, listening to your needs and focusing quickly on finding solutions to your problems. With over 20 of experience, I have helped hundreds of clients with depression, anxiety, marital and family issues, alcohol and drug abuse, and career and life transitions, as well as other challenges. From the moment you walk in to my office, you will feel supported as we work together as partners to develop a realistic plan that is tailored to your specific concerns and will enable you to move forward with your life. Establishing a safe, non-judgmental rapport with my clients is the cornerstone of my approach. You want to feel better--happier, more energetic, more capable of handling your responsibilities and achieving your goals. Each time we meet, we review how well our plan is working for you and discuss how we can modify it to bring faster results. The benefits of working with me as your therapist include: feeling understood and validated, improvement in your relationships with your partner and family members, better mood balance and anger management, relief of anxiety and stress, superior job performance, decrease in substance abuse, and a greater sense of overall well being. I am confident I can help you improve your life. Please contact me to schedule an appointment.

Many young individuals who, despite their education and resources, feel anxious, stymied, and frustrated. I have deep experience working with young professionals who are struggling with workplace anxiety, difficult relationships, and an overall sense of unease and unhappiness. Through self-discovery and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, you will learn the tools and techniques to unburden yourself from emotional distress. It’s time that you learn how to acknowledge, appreciate, and harness your everyday emotions.

I have been a clinical psychologist for over 20 years and have experience with a myriad of circumstances, diagnoses, and difficulties people face in life. I believe in establishing a safe environment in which one can freely express what they feel, think, believe, question, and share anything without worrying about judgment. Many circumstances in life have clouded one's ability to fulfill one's true potential and live life as one's best self. Together, we will gain insight into the genesis of what troubles you and work to strengthen skills and strategies to cope effectively and establish personal growth. I have a great deal of experience with many life, relationship, family, and social challenges. I use an eclectic approach with a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS) background to treat adolescents and adults. I specialize in depression, anxiety, and eating issues and their related challenges. I am interactive, direct, and fully engaging in sessions. Whether your life seems currently unmanageable and/or you feel you haven't addressed past unprocessed difficulties, I can help you. To have someone by your side, helping you manage the challenges, encouraging you to face the obstacles, and supporting you every step of the way is essential to the therapeutic process and progress. I am truly here to help!

I’m here to support you through whatever challenges you’re facing—whether it’s healing from trauma, navigating a life transition, or managing feelings of depression and anxiety. I believe that therapy is a powerful tool for growth and healing, providing a safe space where you can explore your thoughts and emotions, gain new perspectives, and develop coping strategies that work for you. Together, we’ll work on building the tools and insights you need to achieve greater mental and emotional well-being. I specialize in a range of areas, including anxiety and depressive disorders, trauma, post-traumatic stress, sexual violence, grief and loss, coping with chronic illnesscancer, life transitions, relationship & family issues, women's and men’s health, infertility, and caregiver distress & burnout.

I believe effective mental health care begins with listening carefully and understanding the whole person, not simply identifying symptoms. My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and evidence-based. I take time to understand each patient’s experiences, concerns, cultural background, personal values, and treatment goals so we can develop a plan that feels both clinically appropriate and personally meaningful. I work with adolescents, adults, and older adults experiencing concerns such as depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), bipolar challenges, psychosis, trauma, mood-related challenges, and substance use. Depending on each patient’s needs, treatment may include psychiatric evaluation, medication management, supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral strategies, mindfulness techniques, motivational interviewing, and practical coping skills. I strive to create a respectful, nonjudgmental environment where patients feel comfortable discussing difficult experiences. When spirituality is important to a patient, I welcome incorporating it into treatment. My goal is to help each person better understand what they’re experiencing, strengthen their ability to manage challenges, and make meaningful progress toward greater stability and well-being.