Elisa Yamonaco, LMHC

Elisa Yamonaco is a licensed mental health counselor practicing in New York. She helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career strain, depression, and life changes. Elisa offers a calm, respectful presence and focuses on practical steps clients can try between sessions.

Elisa draws on short-term, goal-focused methods and a client-centered attitude. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy strategies along with Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills to address intense emotions and unhelpful thinking. Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused techniques help people find direction and build momentum toward change.

Sessions are collaborative and shaped around each person’s needs. Elisa listens first, then works with clients to set clear goals and small, manageable steps. Homework and real-world practice are common parts of her approach so progress continues outside sessions.

She brings five years of clinical experience to her work and treats challenges like panic attacks, social anxiety, grief, trauma, parenting strain, and burnout. Communication problems, guilt and shame, isolation, and mood disorders are also areas she addresses.

Elisa aims to create a space where people feel heard and respected while they make changes. Her style is direct but warm, offering structure when needed and support through hard moments.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Elisa uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors that keep problems going; this often involves specific exercises and brief homework to try between sessions. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes a supportive, nonjudgmental relationship where the person sets the pace and goals. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills come into play when strong emotions need managing, offering practical tools for distress tolerance and emotion regulation.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Elisa will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as progress is made.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for longer conversations and skill practice, phone can be a lower-bandwidth option for check-ins, live chat works for quick exchanges, and messaging fits ongoing coaching-style support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to use the format that feels most comfortable.