Dr. Irina Gelman, VA Psychologist 0810006096, FL Psychologist PY10735

Dr. Irina Gelman uses cognitive behavioral therapy as a core way to help people change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She blends this with acceptance and commitment techniques and client-centered care to make sessions practical and approachable. Dr. Gelman practices in Florida and communicates in English.

She has nine years of experience working with people who face anxiety, depression, stress, and relationship worries. She also focuses on concerns around eating, body image, self-esteem, grief, and coping with life changes. Her background includes treatment across intensive settings and outpatient care for eating and food-related issues.

In sessions she keeps the tone warm and interactive. People can expect straightforward strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy alongside mindfulness exercises and skills from dialectical behavior therapy when useful. Dr. Gelman emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and a strengths-based viewpoint in each meeting.

She aims to avoid stigmatizing labels and instead helps people name patterns they want to change. That might look like identifying thought patterns, practicing new behaviors, or building routines that support recovery and self-care. Work on relationships can focus on communication and managing conflict rather than assigning blame.

Appointments can include goal setting, skill practice, and homework tailored to daily life. The approach is collaborative: goals and pace are set together so work fits the person’s needs and schedule.

How CBT and acceptance approaches work online

Dr. Gelman commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT sessions focus on practical exercises, behavior experiments, and homework that can be done between meetings to build new habits. Acceptance and commitment therapy is also part of her work and teaches people how to notice difficult feelings, clarify values, and take committed action despite discomfort.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will collaborate with each person to see which methods fit best with their goals and preferences. Sessions often combine skill teaching, practice during the session, and plans to try techniques between meetings so progress is practical and trackable.

Online therapy is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video lets people practice skills face to face, phone can be a good option when bandwidth is limited, and messaging is useful for shorter check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family, and daily life while keeping the focus on skill building and recovery.