Elisa Mantel-Smith, LCSW-R

Elisa Mantel-Smith is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-R) based in New York. She brings ten years of experience helping people facing stress, anxiety, grief, and major life transitions. Elisa aims to meet each person where they are and offer steady, practical support.

She uses clear, practical methods in sessions. Conversations focus on what is happening now and what steps feel doable. Clients learn tools to manage overwhelming thoughts, handle strong emotions, and respond differently in their relationships.

Elisa’s background includes work around fertility, caregiving strain, adoption and foster care, and cancer-related concerns. She also supports people dealing with addiction, trauma and abuse, and compassion fatigue. Her experience includes addressing eating and body image issues, obsessive and compulsive patterns, panic and phobias, and challenges tied to ADHD and autism spectrum differences.

In therapy she blends Client-Centered care with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Emotionally-Focused ideas. That means sessions combine listening, practical skills, and attention to emotional patterns that show up in life and relationships. Elisa keeps things straightforward and focused on goals clients name.

Sessions are offered in English and provided online by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. Elisa works with each person to plan steps that fit their day-to-day life and to track progress across the weeks.

Practical approaches for online care

Elisa draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thinking and try small behavioral changes that reduce distress. CBT is useful for anxiety, panic, obsessive patterns, and mood concerns by breaking problems into clear steps and experiments.

She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which means sessions begin with listening and reflecting so the person feels heard and understood. That approach helps people clarify goals and build on their own strengths. Emotionally-Focused Therapy is part of her work when relationship patterns and strong emotions are central; it focuses on naming feelings and shifting how people connect in close relationships.

Choosing the right approach is collaborative. Elisa will discuss options with each person, test what helps early on, and adapt methods to match goals and day-to-day life. She checks in about what feels useful and adjusts the plan as needed.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls let people use visual cues and longer conversation. Phone sessions can fit a break at work or require less bandwidth. Live chat or text messaging can work for brief check-ins, ongoing feedback, or when someone prefers typed communication. These options make it easier to schedule therapy around school, work, and caregiving commitments.