Rita Simmonds

Rita Simmonds, LMHC, offers direct, empathetic support for people coping with anger, stress, anxiety, grief, and other difficult emotions. She works with clients in New York to name what’s hard and to build skills that make day-to-day life more manageable. Sessions focus on practical steps and clear goals rather than jargon.

Rita uses a mix of familiar therapy approaches to meet each person where they are. She combines client-centered work with cognitive behavioral strategies to spot unhelpful thought patterns and change behaviors. Dialectical behavior tools add skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance.

Her background includes five years of clinical practice and a New York Licensed Mental Health Counselor credential. Rita also incorporates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, when appropriate, to support processing of traumatic memories. She offers a faith-informed option for clients who want a Christian perspective, and this is always guided by the client.

In sessions, Rita emphasizes clear communication, problem solving, and building everyday coping skills. She helps people address concerns such as relationship strain, parenting stress, career doubts, and issues like impulsivity or isolation. Work is collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.

Rita aims to help clients develop greater self-understanding and stronger emotional resilience. Together she and a client set practical steps for change and check progress as they go.

Approaches used in online sessions and what they do

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and understanding a person's experience without directing it. This approach helps people feel heard and clarifies their own goals for change.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It teaches practical exercises to reduce anxiety, shift negative thinking, and change behaviors that fuel anger or depression.

Dialectical behavior therapy, DBT, provides concrete skills for managing intense emotions and improving relationships. It is useful for people who want tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. Rita will discuss options with each client and tailor techniques based on individual needs, goals, and preferences rather than using one fixed method.

Confirm the current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins between commitments, and offer different ways to connect when in-person visits are difficult. Licensed professionals can work with clients to choose the approach and session rhythm that fits everyday life.