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LMHC

Rita Simmonds, LMHC

  • Experience5 years
  • LocationNew York
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesClient-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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About Rita

Rita Simmonds is a licensed mental health counselor based in New York who works with people facing a wide range of emotional and life challenges, including ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief.

Background and approach

She blends practical skill-building with empathic listening to help clients identify patterns that undermine wellbeing and develop sustainable coping strategies. Rita’s practice emphasizes collaboration, meeting clients where they are while guiding them toward clearer priorities and increased emotional resilience.

Her training includes EMDR, and she draws from client-centered principles alongside cognitive and behavioral methods to tailor care to each person’s needs. Rita offers a faith-informed option for clients who want to explore spirituality in therapy, and she makes sure that any integration of Christian perspectives is led by the client’s preferences.

With five years of clinical experience, she focuses on issues such as self-esteem, attachment struggles, life transitions, social isolation, and the search for meaning, helping people move toward more authentic, purposeful living.

Approaches for Online Healing and Skill Building

Rita frequently uses EMDR to address the lingering effects of trauma and intense emotional memories; this approach helps people process distressing experiences so they feel less overwhelming. She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and cultivate practical skills for reducing anxiety and depression. Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques appear in her work when clients need structured tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and Rita emphasizes a collaborative process. She will explore your goals, preferences, and history alongside you to determine which combination of methods fits best, adapting strategies over time as needs and priorities shift.

Online sessions are offered via video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility around work, family, and other commitments. These formats make it easier to attend regularly and to practice new skills between meetings, while allowing the therapist and client to tailor interactions to what works best for the person’s lifestyle and therapeutic goals.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?
Rita works with a broad set of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem, depression, addictions, ADHD, and many relationship and life-transition concerns.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She combines a client-centered stance with evidence-based techniques such as CBT, DBT, and EMDR to balance empathy with practical skill teaching.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Rita has five years of professional experience working with clients on emotional regulation, coping strategies, and healing from past experiences.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) practicing in New York; her license number is NY LMHC 016428.
Does she offer services in multiple languages or to international clients?
Sessions are provided in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Rita offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences.
How are costs and payment handled?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule appointments according to the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteemDepression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMen's issuesVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSelf-loveSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

5+ years

Licensed

New York

Languages

English