Dara Damico

Dara Damico is a licensed clinical social worker with 26 years of experience in New York. She focuses on helping people who are struggling with depression, addiction, trauma, anxiety, anger, and related concerns. Dara aims to make sessions straightforward and practical so people can use what they learn right away.

Her sessions begin with clear listening. She helps clients name what feels overwhelming and then works with them to find small, doable steps forward. Common topics include stress, sleep and eating problems, relationship and intimacy worries, and career or life transitions.

Dara draws on Client-Centered methods and structured tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful patterns and try new responses. She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills and mindfulness practices to manage intense emotions and reduce reactivity.

Clients can expect an affirming, nonjudgmental space where personal history matters. Dara pays attention to attachment, abandonment, adoption and foster care concerns, and caregiver stress when they relate to current struggles. She also supports people facing gender dysphoria and LGBT-related challenges.

Her work includes help for substance and alcohol concerns, obsessive-compulsive patterns, panic and post-traumatic stress, and mood conditions such as bipolar disorder. Sessions focus on practical coping tools, skill building, and longer term planning when that fits the client's goals.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Dara uses Client-Centered Therapy to follow each person's lead and build on their strengths. That approach means the therapist listens closely and helps clients set goals that matter to them, which can be useful for issues like identity, relationship concerns, and life changes.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and shift thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. CBT provides clear practiceable skills for anxiety, depression, anger, and compulsive habits. Dialectical Behavior Therapy adds skills for tolerating intense emotions and improving regulation during high-stress moments.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Dara will discuss your needs, goals, and preferences and recommend a mix of methods that fits you. That decision is collaborative and can change as progress is made.

Confirm the therapist's current online session options before booking, since formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Many people find skills practice and emotion-regulation work translate well to remote sessions with a licensed professional.