Lori Cunningham, LCSW-R

Lori Cunningham is a licensed clinical social worker with 24 years of practice in New York. She helps people who are facing depression, anxiety, stress, and major life changes. Lori often supports people working through self-esteem challenges, social anxiety, and periods of personal transformation such as midlife transitions.

She builds a compassionate, collaborative space where conversations are straightforward and goals are practical. Sessions focus on understanding what is happening now, identifying small shifts that help, and practicing new ways of coping. Lori listens closely and tailors the work to each person’s pace and needs.

Her approach blends client-centered listening with structured techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. Lori also uses solution-focused strategies to set short-term goals and track progress. That mix lets people address emotions while learning skills that ease day-to-day life.

Lori has extensive experience helping those under caregiver strain, people wrestling with guilt or forgiveness, and those feeling isolated or unsure about life purpose. She supports both men and women navigating midlife concerns and related mood or panic symptoms.

Clients can expect clear, practical steps between sessions and a focus on building skills for real situations. Lori’s work aims to reduce overwhelm, improve communication, and help people reconnect with what matters to them.

Approaches that translate to online work

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and reflecting so people feel heard and understood; it helps when someone wants to explore feelings and values at their own pace. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions link together and teaches practical skills to reduce anxiety, panic, and low mood. Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, includes emotion regulation and distress-tolerance skills that are useful for intense emotions and improving coping.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to decide which methods fit their goals, preferences, and the issues they bring. That decision can shift over time as progress is made and needs change.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm the current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. They also let people practice new skills in everyday environments and apply techniques between sessions for faster habit change.