Mary Alfinito, LCSW-R

Mary Alfinito is a licensed clinical social worker in New York with 40 years of experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, attention challenges, and life transitions. Mary also supports those facing LGBT issues, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and career concerns. She aims to make the first step easier for people who are unsure about reaching out.

Mary keeps sessions direct and practical. She focuses on clear strategies people can use between meetings. She listens for patterns in thinking and behavior, then works with each person to try different ways of responding. Sessions combine problem-solving with room to process feelings.

Her background includes long-term clinical work across many settings in New York. This history gives her familiarity with common challenges like abandonment, attachment issues, body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and communication problems. She also addresses topics such as codependency, control issues, and forgiveness.

Mary uses a mix of approaches selected to fit the person and the issue. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify and change unhelpful thinking. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers practical skills for emotion regulation. Trauma-Focused Therapy is used when past harm affects current functioning.

Conversations are straightforward and paced to what each person needs. Mary encourages small experiments and regular check-ins on progress. Before scheduling, people are invited to complete the short matching questionnaire to find a good fit and then book based on availability.

How Mary Uses Evidence-Based Methods Online

Mary integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy into her work in straightforward ways. CBT focuses on spotting unhelpful thinking and testing new ways of thinking and behaving, which can ease anxiety or depression. DBT teaches concrete skills for managing strong emotions, tolerating distress, and improving communication in daily life.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Mary treats choice of method as a collaboration. She will discuss goals and preferences, try approaches that fit, and adjust plans based on what helps most.

Session formats are not listed here, so please confirm current options before booking. For many people, online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, shorten travel time, and keep regular momentum between meetings. Online meetings can also allow for brief check-ins when a quick conversation helps maintain progress. Licensed professionals tailor pacing and homework to match each person’s routine, helping therapy feel useful and manageable.