About Dara

Dara Damico is a licensed clinical social worker with 26 years of practice in New York. She focuses on helping people who are struggling with depression, addiction, trauma, anxiety, ADHD, and related concerns. Dara aims to create a calm and respectful space where people can speak honestly about what’s hard and start to find practical ways forward.

She draws from approaches that emphasize real-life changes and emotional understanding. Sessions often include problem-solving skills alongside attention to feelings and relationships.

Background and approach

Dara helps people build routines, manage symptoms, and reduce the daily stress that gets in the way of functioning. People meet her for many reasons - coping with life changes, managing mood episodes, dealing with grief, or addressing substance use and compulsive behaviors. She also supports issues around identity, intimacy, parenting challenges, body image, and career stress.

Conversations are straightforward and focused on usable steps the client can try between sessions. Dara describes her style as warm, direct, and collaborative. She listens for strengths and tailors strategies to each person’s situation.

Over time clients work on skills such as emotion regulation, clearer communication, and planning for relapse prevention or stressful transitions. Sessions can include mindfulness exercises, cognitive tools to shift unhelpful thinking, and skills from emotion-focused work to repair relationships and attachment wounds. Dara works at the client’s pace, helping them notice progress and adjust plans as needs shift.

Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person’s own goals and strengths, offering a respectful, nonjudgmental space to talk through choices and next steps. It helps people who need a listening ear and a plan shaped around their life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete tools to change patterns that cause distress. It is useful for anxiety, depression, ADHD-related routines, and sleep or eating concerns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication skills to reduce impulsive behaviors and improve relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Dara collaborates with each person to choose methods that fit their goals, strengths, and schedule. She combines emotional processing with practical skills and adjusts the plan as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video sessions allow for face-to-face conversation and teaching new skills visually. Phone sessions can be a lower-bandwidth option for a focused check-in. Chat and messaging are helpful for shorter updates, skill practice, and people who prefer written communication. These options make it easier to fit regular sessions into a busy life and to keep momentum between meetings.

Questions people ask

What kinds of concerns does Dara address?
She works with a range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, ADHD, eating and sleeping problems, intimacy issues, and career stress.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and straightforward, blending emotional exploration with practical skills like mindfulness and behavior change strategies.
What is her professional background?
Dara is a licensed clinical social worker with 26 years of experience working with people facing mood, trauma, and addiction-related challenges.
Where is she based and what credential does she hold?
She practices in New York and holds the LCSW credential listed as NY LCSW.
Which languages are used in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Work can be done via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Fees vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.

What this therapist works with

Experience
26 years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English

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