Betsy Oquendo, LMHC

Betsy Oquendo is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York who helps people manage stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and major life changes. She also offers support for career concerns, social anxiety, and women's issues. Her first priority is helping clients find practical ways to feel steadier and more in control. She uses straightforward talk and skills-based work. Sessions focus on small, useful steps that reduce intense emotions and improve daily functioning. Betsy draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with client-centered and dialectical behavior approaches to match each person’s needs. Betsy emphasizes collaboration. She asks about goals, strengths, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together she and the client build a plan that fits the person’s life and values. Her style is calm and supportive. She listens without judgment and helps people practice new ways of thinking and acting. Homework and skill practice are common, but always tailored to the client’s pace. Betsy has five years of clinical experience in mental health work. She speaks English and Spanish, and she works with people from diverse backgrounds who want tools to handle mood, relationships, and identity concerns.

Therapeutic approaches and online options

CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and test new ways of thinking. It focuses on practical steps and small experiments to reduce anxiety and lift mood, often with short exercises to try between sessions.

Client-centered therapy centers the person’s own goals and experience. The therapist listens closely, reflects what they hear, and helps clients find their own solutions and strengths. This approach can help people feel heard and more able to make meaningful changes.

DBT offers concrete tools for regulating emotions and improving relationships. It teaches skills like grounding, distress tolerance, and clearer communication to manage intense feelings and reduce reactivity.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to choose or combine methods based on goals, preferences, and what proves most helpful. That planning happens together and can change over time as progress is made.

Online therapy brings these methods into formats that fit daily life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation for skills practice and role play. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can work well for quick check-ins. Live chat and text messaging offer brief tools, ongoing check-ins, and written reminders of skills. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, family, and busy schedules while keeping the focus on real-world change.