Stephanie Southard, LCSW

Stephanie Southard is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in New York with over 26 years of experience. She focuses on practical tools that help people manage difficult thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sessions are collaborative and centered on the person's goals. Stephanie aims to create a warm, nonjudgmental space where people can talk honestly about what matters most to them.

She draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns. She also uses acceptance and commitment strategies to clarify values and take committed action. Attachment-based ideas guide work on relationships and early patterns that keep people stuck.

Stephanie often includes role-play and hands-on exercises to practice new skills between sessions. She addresses stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, sleep problems, and parenting challenges, among other concerns. Therapy can include communication work, anger management tools, and strategies for coping with life changes.

Her background includes long experience with family dynamics, blended family issues, abandonment, codependency, and the impact of chronic illness or pain. She is familiar with systems such as child protective services and with psychiatric diagnoses and medications, and will learn unfamiliar terms when needed.

Sessions are available by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. International clients who speak English are supported. Stephanie describes her work as focused on helping people build more meaningful, peaceful, and manageable lives with fewer daily conflicts.

Online approaches that focus on thoughts, values, and attachment

Stephanie often uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT typically includes practical exercises and structured steps to reduce anxiety, manage depression, and break problematic habits.

She also uses acceptance and commitment therapy, which helps people clarify what matters most and take small actions that align with those values. ACT is useful for coping with life changes, grief, and ongoing stress when avoidance has become a pattern.

Attachment-based ideas are woven into work on relationship patterns and family dynamics. These ideas help identify early patterns that affect how someone connects, communicates, and handles conflict.

Stephanie treats finding the right approach as a team effort. She will talk with each person about goals, try approaches that fit their needs, and adjust methods as progress is made.

Online therapy is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to give flexibility. Video is good for face-to-face skill practice and role-play, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat or text are helpful for brief check-ins and between-session support. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, family, and travel schedules while keeping regular contact with a licensed professional.