Margaret Sicari, LCSW

Margaret Sicari is a licensed clinical social worker with decades of practice in New York. She goes by Peggy and offers calm, straightforward support for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, substance use concerns, grief, and other life changes. Her style is warm and collaborative, aiming to make people feel heard right away.

Peggy uses a mix of approaches that focus on practical skills and personal insight. She helps people learn coping tools, notice patterns that hold them back, and try small steps that can change daily life. Sessions are conversational and goal-focused, with attention to what feels most useful to each person.

Her background includes private practice work, agency-based clinical roles, school social work, clinical supervision, and program direction. That variety shaped a flexible approach to many common problems, including trauma, low self-esteem, addiction, and family conflict. She has 34 years of overall experience in social work and therapy.

Peggy often guides people through recovery from substance use and supports those affected by a loved one’s addiction. She also helps people manage mood disorders, panic, and the everyday demands of parenting and caregiving. Her work addresses both immediate coping and longer-term patterns.

People who choose Peggy usually want practical skills plus a clearer sense of themselves. She emphasizes building a trusting relationship first, then setting small, realistic goals. The focus is on steady progress people can use outside the therapy hour.

How her approaches fit into online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy puts the person’s perspective first. It focuses on listening, empathic response, and shaping goals around what matters most to the client. This approach is useful for people needing a supportive space to talk through relationship, identity, or self-esteem concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps people identify unhelpful thinking and change patterns that lead to anxiety, low mood, or panic. It often includes practical exercises and small behavioral steps that can be practiced between sessions to build new habits.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices that reduce reactivity and improve emotional regulation. It pairs well with skill-building approaches when someone wants tools to manage stress or strong emotions.

Choosing the right approach is a team effort. Peggy will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and history, then suggest ways to combine methods. Clients can try an approach and revisit the plan if something doesn’t fit; the work is collaborative and goal driven.

Online therapy with video, phone, live chat, or text messaging offers flexibility. Video sessions let people use visual cues and a fuller conversational flow. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in fits a work break. Live chat and text messaging let clients share thoughts between sessions and keep momentum on homework or quick concerns. These options help people fit therapy into busy lives and keep steady progress.