Find a Therapist in Pelham, NY

Here to help.

I believe the key to successful treatment is creating a safe, nonjudgmental space that enhances shared curiosity and connection. I will work with you to identify thoughts and behaviors that may be limiting your potential to lead your most fulfilling and meaningful life. Together, we will get to the root of these self-limiting thoughts and behaviors. I have experience working with adults of all ages and backgrounds. I am particularly passionate about supporting clients going through fertility challenges and entering parenthood.

Do you find yourself dealing with anxiety or relationship challenges? Are you using substances to cope with difficult feelings or situations? These struggles can feel overwhelming, but having support can make a meaningful difference. I work with individuals who feel stuck in unhelpful patterns and are looking for guidance, insight, and practical tools to move forward. In therapy, I help clients build healthy coping skills, strengthen self-esteem, and navigate life transitions. My approach focuses on becoming more aware of thoughts and emotions to better understand challenges and develop effective, lasting solutions. I specialize in working with anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma, and substance abuse. I aim to provide a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel comfortable being their authentic selves. I use an integrative, client-centered approach tailored to each individual’s unique needs and therapeutic goals. I understand that reaching out for support can feel difficult and vulnerable. I'm committed to creating a trusting therapeutic relationship where you feel safe and supported throughout the process.

You've probably been holding it together for a long time. Managing the job, the relationships, the responsibilities, the version of yourself that everyone else needs you to be. And you're good at it. That's actually part of the problem. High-functioning doesn't mean fine. It means you've gotten very good at keeping the harder stuff out of sight, including from yourself sometimes. And at some point, that stops working. The anxiety bleeds through. The relationship hits a wall. The transition you thought you were handling turns out to be bigger than you expected. Or you just wake up one day and realize you've been running on empty for longer than you can remember. That's usually when people find us. I'm Manuela Correia-Guerra, a licensed professional counselor, approved clinical supervisor, and the founder of MVCG Psychotherapy Services in Spring Lake, NJ. I've been doing this work for nearly 20 years, and what I've learned is that the people who are hardest to help on paper are often the easiest to work with in the room. Sharp, self-aware, motivated. They just need someone who won't let them intellectualize their way around the actual work. That's what we do here. At MVCG, I've built a close-knit team of clinicians who share the same core belief: that real change requires more than coping strategies and a sympathetic ear. It requires honesty, clarity, and a willingness to look at the things you've been carefully not looking at. We work from a person-centered foundation, which means you lead and we follow your pace. But we're not passive. We'll ask the questions other people won't. We'll name the pattern you've been living inside of. And we'll stay in it with you until the work is actually done. My own approach is shaped by Carl Rogers and Gestalt therapy, which is a long way of saying I believe deeply in your capacity to figure this out, and I'll be direct with you while you do. Not harsh. Not clinical. Direct. There's a difference. We see clients in person at our Spring Lake, NJ office, serving Monmouth and Ocean Counties, and via telehealth throughout New Jersey. We specialize in anxiety, high-functioning anxiety, trauma, life transitions, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), couples and marital counseling, caregiver support, and men's mental health. We accept most major insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, Horizon BCBS, Optum, Oscar, Oxford, Meritain, and UnitedHealthcare. If something here sounds familiar, that's not an accident. Reach out. We'll take it from there.

I am a holistic therapist specializing in adult and senior mental health support, offering in-person and online sessions. Do you feel overwhelmed, unable to motivate yourself, isolated, depressed, or anxious, and wonder if cognitive behavioral therapy could help with anxiety treatment? Are you in an unhealthy relationship and interested in relationship counseling? Are you struggling with low self-esteem, dealing with loss, and could benefit from grief therapy, but are unsure where to turn? I incorporate a holistic approach into my practice. We start where you are in your journey. I work with adults and seniors. I accept Medicare. You no longer have to face your struggles alone. I provide a strength-based, trauma-informed approach in treatment. I look forward to hearing from you so we can begin your healing together. My therapeutic approach is eclectic. I utilize strategies from anxiety treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other evidence-based approaches to create a personalized treatment plan. You’ll come to learn that I provide a safe, warm, non-judgmental space. I will listen. Together, we will determine the best approach to meet your goals and desired outcomes from treatment. This is your journey. I collaborate with you to achieve your goals and desired outcomes. You have taken the first step by reaching out. The next step is equally important. It’s who you decide to work with to achieve your goals. I look forward to speaking with you. I will answer any questions you may have.

I am honored to promote and guide the personal discovery and inner healing of clients with difficulties around childhood trauma, identity and values clarification, low self-esteem, family-of-origin issues, histories of abuse, childhood emotional neglect, and issues related to "sense of self." I firmly believe that we do the best we can given our current circumstances and that you are the expert of your own life. I utilize a client-centered, strengths-based approach to treatment and strive to maintain a safe, trustworthy space where each person feels seen and heard for who they are. My practice leans on pillars of Humanism and Rogerian psychotherapy, as well as attachment, family systems, and the impact that the continuum of trauma plays in our lives. These models emphasize the client's unique perspective and understanding of their own life. They encourage the client to make meaning of their experiences within the context of that individual's entire life. I welcome everyone, and I offer free consultations to answer questions, provide information, or to help you organize your thoughts and feelings as to whether my treatment approach is right for you at this time.

My approach to helping is collaborative. I hope that you and I can work as a team to explore your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, relationships, and family history. I want us to understand your needs, triggers, strengths, and coping strategies. I not only want to understand your past, but see how you manage your daily life and reach future goals. I am an interactive therapist. I want you to feel heard, understood, and respected. Therapy is not easy and we will have to face your struggles. Therefore I want you to feel safe and comfortable. I work with honesty and transparency. We will evaluate your progress to make sure that you are working in the direction of your goals and my approach fits you. I believe therapy works best if it's consistent and weekly. With effort and determination you are likely to see positive results.

You may be carrying anxiety, painful memories, or a harsh inner critic while trying to keep everything together. Or you may feel stuck in the same relationship patterns, even when you understand why they happen. Therapy can be a place to slow down, make sense of those patterns, and explore what you need. I am Dr. Jesse Smith, a licensed marriage and family therapist and the founder of Waterloo Therapy Group. I work with individuals, couples, and families around trauma, anxiety, addiction and recovery, and relationships. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is central to my approach: we get curious about the different parts of you, including those that protect you, push you, or feel overwhelmed. I also draw on EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), adapting our work to your needs and pace. I aim to offer a thoughtful, collaborative space where your identity and experiences matter. Together, we can work toward greater self-understanding, less self-criticism, and more satisfying relationships.

Whether you are anxious, depressed or going through a difficult time, I can offer you ways to gently explore your emotions with more ease. I am trained in Internal Family Systems an evidenced-based approach that is highly effective in working with symptoms of anxiety, depression and trauma. What is unique about this approach is the way in which it promotes a more self compassionate view of yourself. This awareness often reduces the self criticism and judgement that plague so many of us. I enjoy working with adults of all ages. With additional training in EMDR, I can help you to reprocess traumatic memory, potentially reducing symptoms associated with trauma. Please contact me for a free 15 minute phone consultation If you would to learn more about my approach to therapy and how it could help you. I look forward to the possibility of working together.

I approach therapy through a collaborative and relational lens, working with clients to understand their challenges within the broader context of their relationships and lived experiences. Drawing from collaborative therapy and systemic sex therapy, I partner with clients to explore how family dynamics, early life experiences, and past traumas shape present-day concerns, particularly in intimacy, authenticity, and communication. Together, we uncover unconscious patterns that influence choices and relational dynamics, fostering deeper connection and self-awareness. I support individuals and partners in navigating intense symptoms of anxiety and depression, and guide them through significant life transitions—such as career shifts, divorce, or entering college—with compassion, curiosity, and a commitment to shared meaning-making.