Find a Therapist near Commack, NY

cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eclectic modalities for that client.

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

Each of us has a unique story that reflects our life experiences and helps to shape our perspective of the world around us and how we view ourselves. Therapy is an opportunity to explore and understand your life story, heal from painful emotions, identify and build upon your strengths, and create lasting change to improve your overall sense of well-being. As your therapist, I aim to foster a warm, supportive, and collaborative therapeutic environment where you feel safe to engage in self-exploration and reach your goals. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I have training and experience working with teensadolescents, adults, and families dealing with diverse challenges, including depression, anxiety, trauma, anger, life stressors, low self-esteem, and justice involvement. My approach to therapy is both person-centered and integrative as I believe it is important for us to develop a strong therapeutic relationship while also considering your specific needs. It takes courage to seek a happier and more fulfilling life. I am here to support you as you take these steps toward positive change.

I started this practice in the wake of COVID, recognizing the need for a safe space where people can process, analyze, and recalibrate. As far as my approach to counseling, I have always viewed therapy as a verb. I value collaboration and participation in my sessions, and I always encourage my clients to take a leading role in shaping the goals and intended outcomes of our work together. Born and raised on Long Island with a large, diverse family, I know the importance of feeling seen and heard in a counseling session, and I am intentional about fostering trust and honesty in every client interaction. I specialize in anxiety, depression, addiction, eating disorders, couples therapy, professional challenges, and family therapy. I have experience working with children and adults in both inpatient and outpatient settings. I have received specialized training in trauma, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychoanalytic approaches, motivational interviewing, and solution-based approaches. Therapy is never a one-size-fits-all model, and I look forward to working with you to figure out which approaches and techniques work best for you, your life, and your goals.

Therapy isn’t about sitting across from someone who just nods and takes notes it’s about having a real, grounded conversation with someone who genuinely cares and gives you tools you can actually use in your everyday life. Whether we meet in person at my Great Neck, Long Island or Crown Heights, Brooklyn offices, or connect through convenient online counseling anywhere in New York State, our top priority is making sure you feel safe, respected, and comfortable from day one. Our approach to therapy is warm, collaborative, and down-to-earth. Instead of using stiff clinical jargon or a one-size-fits-all formula, We focus on getting to know you as a whole person your strengths, your values, and the unique life experiences you bring into the room. Together, we look closely at the patterns keeping you stuck, whether that’s constant anxiety, overwhelming sadness, feeling drained by unhealthy relationships, or carrying old emotional weight, and break them down into manageable, practical steps. We draw from proven, everyday strategies that help you quiet an anxious mind, stay grounded in the present moment, and build stronger boundaries without feeling guilty. At the same time, you always set the pace of our work together. Some days you might just need a safe, judgment-free space to vent and feel truly heard; other days, we’ll roll up our sleeves and practice new ways of responding to stress and navigating difficult conversations. Our ultimate goal is to help you feel supported right now while giving you the clarity, resilience, and confidence to handle whatever life throws your way next.

Deciding to go to therapy is a difficult choice for most individuals. I try to make the therapy process as comfortable as I can, from the moment you walk through my door. I provide a safe and supportive environment where one is free to express themselves openly. I am patient, compassionate and understanding to my client's needs. Therapy can help an individual to overcome unresolved feelings, emotional pain, trauma, loss and hurt. I want to assist you in this journey towards a better "sense of self". I look forward to meeting you and beginning our journey together.

Bridging the worlds of psychology and creativity, I provide compassionate and effective psychotherapy for you, utilizing special techniques of mindfulness and imagery developed over 40 years that connect you to your creative, spiritual self. Reducing anxiety and alleviating depression requires accurate identification of issues, seamlessly integrated with an analytic understanding, in order to find inner control of the root emotions that cause moods and behaviors. Understanding you fully, I will help you identify the forces creating conflict and help you resolve them and find peace.  Are you struggling with anxiety or depression? You know something's wrong but don't know what it is...I can help....I have over 40 years of experience passionately helping people understand their emotions and thoughts, with tried and true techniques that have been proven successful! I provide psychotherapy for adults, children, and individuals with special needs, trauma, and autism (ASD), with a specialty working with children experiencing challenges to their mental health, such as adoption, divorce, and grief. My unique approach utilizes both verbal and creative imaging techniques. This combination is particularly effective with both adults and children of all ages struggling with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, socialization, focus, and concentration. For children and individuals with ASD and any intellectual disability (ID), I help release pent-up frustrations while teaching the language of emotions, leading to self-control and self-regulation. This opens the door to modeling appropriate interpersonal communication skills, which can then be utilized in the larger environment of everyday life.

I am specially trained to assist those who struggle with anxiety, trauma, and relationship problems. I use evidence-based treatments that have been proven to help people with your exact problem. Specifically, I practice cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and family systems therapy. I tailor these research-driven therapies to meet your specific needs and achieve your goals. If you’re ready to make a change in your life, learn new skills, and understand yourself on a deeper level, give me a call or send me an email. I offer free 15-minute phone consultations to get to know you, your struggles, and your goals for the future. I look forward to being on your team!

I am committed to providing empathetic treatment that progresses at your pace. We will work together collaboratively to identify goals and make a plan to achieve them. It is important for me to provide you with a warm and genuine experience in therapy in order to feel comfortable and not judged. My passion as a therapist is to help facilitate your healing and personal growth.

Paul Ammendola, LCSW - PresidentCEO The Well is my private practice as well as future counseling center and resource center. I am a dedicated, caring counselor with over 13 years experience in mental health counseling, spiritual counseling, recovery and working with the formerly incarcerated. I am passionate about seeing people go from walking in the dark to walking in the light. Changing from consistent negative thinking patterns to positive truth based thinking. There is nothing greater for me than seeing the broken and lost walking with God in harmony. I love to help, how can I help you? As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I have learned the art of integrating multiple psychotherapy models with Christian principles. I am also the Substance Abuse Director at HealthCare Choices and former Executive Director and Co-Builder of Bridges of New York. I have been a leader in New York raising the bar on counseling and recovery, bringing it to a new respected standard since 2003. I am also a member of the Nassau, Orange Queens and Kings County Reentry taskforces and have worked closely with Nassau County and the Department of Corrections at the State and County levels. I have been a business owner in multiple arenas from counseling to music. I continue to seek innovative ways to help people live free and productive lives in an intensely challenging world filled with so many different, confusing paths to choose from. Having a business background, and business education combined with finance and counseling makes for the successful driving force behind the vision of a brand new model of help at The Well. I am also a seasoned singer, musician, and songwriter, leading worship all throughout New York with the band Red Words. Our band's music continues to evolve but has a central theme that focusses mostly on honesty, transparency, hope, and healing. It is very easy to see that our message travels along very clear lines that explore many different issues coming from personal experience as well as years of helping others with counseling, spirituality, and discipleship. I will not only be there for help on your journey but continued encouragement for years to come.

I love working with individuals and couples from diverse backgrounds. I have a warm and direct approach, and I work with couples to communicate and hear each other in a safe and productive way. I use IMAGO therapy/Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT), which most couples find very positive and quickly gives hope. With my individual clients, we work to understand your needs and desires and ways to help you find your inner strengths to achieve them. I also bring in some coaching tools when helpful. I respect and highly value the client-therapist relationship.

As a mental health professional in the age of the new millenium, I would describe my approach to helping people as integrative and holistic. As a therapist, I think it is crucial to create a loving, safe environment for each individual. Then specific to each individual, I create a plan integrating cognitive behavioral techniques, psychotherapy, visualization, relaxation, EMDR, hypnosis and reiki. Together with the client, we create a new positive self-image that can completely transform an individual's life. As Nelson Mandela said," Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure".