Therapists for college students near New York University

I work with individuals, couples, and families, am certified as an Emotionally Focused Couples therapist and as a sex therapist, and have experience treating a variety of problems including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, sexual issues, and problems with academic and job performance and with career advancement.

With over 20 years of experience, I’m an anxiety specialist who helps college students navigate overthinking, self-doubt, avoidance, uncertainty, academic stress, relationship challenges, and the demands of balancing school, work, and personal responsibilities. I also support students experiencing OCD, panic attacks, depression, and ADHD. I integrate evidence-based approaches, including CBT, ERP, and ACT, tailoring treatment to your individual needs and goals. ERP is considered the gold-standard treatment for OCD, while CBT and ACT provide effective tools for managing anxiety, difficult emotions, and unhelpful patterns. We’ll work together to understand what may be keeping you stuck and find more effective ways to respond when anxiety, difficult emotions, or uncertainty arise. You’ll leave sessions with practical strategies to apply in your everyday life. Whether you’re adjusting to college, struggling to keep up with competing demands, navigating relationships, or preparing for life after graduation, I’d be glad to help.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

We are a private psychotherapy practice that offers culturally competent counseling services to adolescents, adults and couples. Using a Cognitive Behavioral strength based approach we help clients cope with the difficulties of everyday life, medical problems, stress, depression, anxiety, bereavement, family or relationship issues, and other problems.

I work with clients who have experienced trauma, are navigating difficult family and relationship dynamics, or are looking to better manage their anxiety, depression, or chronic stress. I have experience working with diverse client populations and the LGBTQIA+ community. We will work together to establish a treatment plan that fits your needs, and pursue it in a collaborative environment where you feel heard, supported, and affirmed.

I chose social work because I believe in helping the whole person. I recognize that we are all shaped by the environments and systems we live in, and I use this broader perspective in our work together. I specialize in adolescent, and emerging adult mental health, I have 6 years of experience supporting children, teens, and families across various settings, including schools and home-based services. Adolescence and emerging adulthood are periods of intense change, and my priority is offering a safe, non-judgmental space where young people can feel heard and truly understood. My therapeutic style is grounded in strength-based approaches and trauma-informed care. We might explore things using psychodynamic ideas to understand patterns, read and discuss books, music, and poetry through Bibliotherapy, or just have an open, honest talk therapy session. My approach is always about meeting people exactly where they are.

Hi! I am Dr. Monica Johnson. If you’re reading this, it means you are taking your mental and emotional health seriously and researching someone who will be a good fit for your journey. This is exciting! Let me tell you more about me to help you with your decision making process. I am a Licensed Psychologist in NYC, but some people think of me as a problem solving pro, empowerment guru, and self-compassion guide! I partner with my patients to find pathways to a better life. I work best with people who are tired of being stuck and ready to make changes. I can’t change you. Only you can do that, but I’m super excited to be your side kick on the journey and help you highlight roads to success. One of the most important things to know about me is that I am NOT a smile and nod type of therapist. I get down in the trenches with you. I’m down to earth and real with you through this process which means I will call you out on your BS and help you figure out what to do with it. We will work hard and laugh a lot. For the record, there is nothing off limits or shameful in therapy. I’ve seen it all and heard it all. If you need to talk about sex, money, medical issues, or “that one time in Amsterdam,” don’t hesitate! I work with people of all backgrounds (race, gender, sexuality, religion, alternative relationships) and you should expect that I will affirm your identity while helping you to develop a fuller self concept. My job is to help you tap into strengths you already possess (we all have them even if we can’t see them yet) and create new ones! If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, feel constantly overwhelmed by your emotions, past traumas, poor relationships, low self esteem, or just deciding what the next step is in your career/life, I can help.

I work mainly with young adults (18-40) who may be dealing with mental health challenges that include ADHD, anxiety and depression. Most of my clients face a build-up of stress related to identity, relationships, school or career. I help clients build positive and healthy mental health practices into their lives. Please visit my profiles on Headway.

College is supposed to be one of the best times of your life, so why does it sometimes feel like the hardest? Maybe you're juggling more than you ever have before - classes, deadlines, relationships, and the pressure to perform academically while somehow also figuring out who you are and where you belong. Maybe the adjustment to college life has been harder than you expected - the homesickness, the new environment, the feeling that everyone else seems to be thriving while you're just trying to keep your head above water. Maybe anxiety has become your constant companion, or stress has made it hard to enjoy the things you used to love. Maybe you're asking bigger questions too - who am I, really? What do I actually want? Where am I headed? - and the pressure to have it all figured out feels overwhelming. Or maybe nothing dramatic has happened, and that almost makes it harder to explain. You just know something feels off, and you're not quite sure where to turn. Here's what I want you to know: you don't have to have it all together to reach out. You don't need a crisis to deserve support. College is one of the most profound transitions of your life - a time of incredible growth, but also real uncertainty, loneliness, and pressure that often goes unseen. I offer warm, collaborative, judgment-free therapy for college students navigating exactly this. Together we can work through anxiety and stress, explore who you are and who you want to become, and help you find your footing - so you can actually show up for your life, not just get through it. You deserve a space that's entirely yours - and finding the right therapist should feel like a good fit, not another stressor. That's why I offer a free 15-minute consultation - no pressure, no commitment - just a chance to chat, ask questions, and see if this feels right for you. Think of it as a low-stakes first step toward feeling more like yourself again. I'd be honored to be that space. Please reach out anytime. I'm here whenever you're ready.

Clients come to me when they feel overwhelmed in life. The challenge is that the college experience can exacerbate these issues. It can be hard to navigate not only the academic expectations, but also the issues in our relationships. College is a unique and fleeting experience. I would be happy to support you in managing stressors to make this a positive experience. Our work together is based on radical kindness, cultural understanding, and empathy.

I work collaboratively with children, teens, young adults, and families, offering individualized, strengths-based support. I incorporate narrative and art therapy, play and social skills work, and mindfulness, and I specialize in supporting parents balancing home, school, and work demands. My approach is practical, personalized, and focused on helping families build happier, healthier lives.

College and the years around it can be a lot, academic pressure, anxiety, relationships, identity, and sometimes experiences that are genuinely hard to carry alone. I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who helps students and young adults find steadier ground. I specialize in trauma and have worked directly with college students, including those facing prejudice on campus and communities navigating crisis. My style is warm and judgment-free, and I use evidence-based tools including CBT, DBT, and EMDR alongside trauma-informed care and skills for building safety, so you leave sessions with more than just a place to vent. Telehealth makes it easy to fit therapy around a packed schedule. If you're ready, I'd love to help.

Living with a chronic medical condition can feel like an exhausting, uphill battle that touches every single part of your life. Whether you are navigating the unpredictable daily realities of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) or adapting to a new diagnosis, the mental toll is just as real as the physical one. You don't have to carry that weight alone. As a licensed clinical social worker with 11 years of experience in medical settings, I specialize in the profound intersection of physical health and mental well-being. My approach is rooted in deep empathy and clinical expertise, helping individuals navigate the grief, anxiety, and daily hurdles of living with chronic illness. Together, we will work on reclaiming your quality of life, building practical coping strategies, and finding a sense of peace and agency in a body that has felt unpredictable.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I believe therapy is a place where I can help facilitate your growth, where together we can help build a tool box that you can take with you into your life. I have a psychodynamic approach to treatment, mixing various interventions and modalities. I use an eclectic and integrative set of techniques in order to address the multiple ways in which we live in the world and experience our lives. Principles of equality, social justice, and rehabilitation drove me to the field of Social Work. But it is the incredibly rewarding experiences providing clinical services and advocacy for both adolescents and adults that has helped me to develop an incisive and expanded understanding of these principles. I am licensed (LCSW) by NY State to practice psychotherapy. I am a member of the National Association of Social Work. Whether it is your first time coming to therapy or you are interested in expanding your set of tools, therapy will offer a safe space to explore issues together. Please contact me for fee information. This site does not allow me to list pricing based on the type of appointment (Individual/Couples/Families).

My therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that every person has unique strengths and inner resources to draw from. I strive to create a safe and supportive space where clients feel heard, valued, and empowered to explore their goals at their own pace. My approach is person-centered and culturally responsive, honoring each individual’s identity, background, and lived experiences. I draw on trauma-informed and evidence-based practices to support clients through life’s challenges, whether that means navigating transitions, managing stress, strengthening relationships, or building resilience. I see therapy as a partnership, where we work together to develop practical skills, deepen self-awareness, and foster greater balance and well-being. At the heart of my work is a commitment to helping clients feel more connected to themselves, to others, and to their communities. My goal is to walk alongside each person as they discover new ways of coping, healing, and growing.

I'm so glad you've started this journey to improve your mental wellbeing. I know how difficult beginnings can be—I’ve worked with a number of first-time and returning therapy clients from backgrounds as diverse as New York City itself. I particularly enjoy working with LGBTQIA+ clients and people with disabilities and neurodivergences. I do my best to honor your cultural experience as we tackle some of life’s biggest challenges together: depression and anxiety, trauma and grief, chronic illness and medical issues, relationship difficulties and life transitions, and problematic drug use or other behaviors that may no longer be serving you. My own career began in worker organizing, then moved into community social work and social policy research. I have a deep appreciation for how relationships and social realities impact mental health and prioritize a relational and social change-oriented approach. Disability justice, racial justice, and gender justice are core tenets of my practice. My work is also influenced by my own experiences as a therapy client: I strive to be as transparent as possible about what we’re doing and why, so you can be a full partner on the journey and never feel left in the dark. Above all, I am person-centered: I start by learning who you are as an individual, your strengths and challenges, and then figure out which clinical approaches can work best for you. I often draw from Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and am pursuing further training in these modalities. I very much look forward to meeting you and taking this journey together!

Welcome to Pleasantville Therapy. With locations in Pleasantville and Manhattan, and available for teletherapy in New York State, we are a group of clinicians who offer comprehensive psychotherapy, postpartum support, counseling, and speech-language services for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. We believe that the therapy process shouldn’t be a mystery. Our clinicians work compassionately and collaboratively with clients to make positive life changes. We are committed to helping people manage anxiety and depression, change hurtful and unhealthy relationship patterns, and cope with stressful or challenging life events. Additionally, our highly qualified speech therapist provides articulation and language therapy, as well pragmatic and social skills support. We are here to support you. Contact us so we can begin making positive changes together.

College can feel overwhelming—you may be juggling classes, relationships, family expectations, and major life decisions all at once. You deserve support that helps you feel grounded, focused, and able to grow during this time. I take a strengths-based approach, recognizing the resilience and determination you already bring. As a parent who completed my degree while working full-time, I understand firsthand the challenges of balancing multiple roles. That experience shapes how I help students build boundaries, stay focused, and create sustainable strategies for success. I work best with students who want more than a space to vent. Together, we focus on practical tools, clearer direction, and meaningful change you can apply in daily life. I especially enjoy supporting working parents, adult learners, and first-generation college students navigating anxiety, cultural or family pressures, identity concerns, and relationship stress. As a bilingual (English/Spanish) LCSW with over 10 years of experience, I provide a supportive, structured space to help you feel more confident, connected, and empowered in college and beyond.

As a therapist I focus on developing a greater sense of awareness and presence. I believe that we all want to be understood and accepted at a deep level. I respect your courage and time investment to be willing to look within and make uncomfortable changes. I work in collaborative way and strive to create a safe, accepting and caring environment that I hope is also challenging and insightful to my clients. committed to resolving unhealthy thinking, perceptions, and behaviors. My goal is to work interactively with you to identify flawed schemas that no longer serve you to come together to build new patterns of being. I'm not the kind of therapist who nods & asks: "How do you feel about that?" My approach is integrative and I am trained in IFS, EMDR, and Psychodynamic modalities.