Derek Bakay, LMHC

Derek Bakay is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in New York with 15 years of clinical experience. He works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, career and academic challenges, and the many practical and emotional demands that come with life transitions. His practice also addresses relationship and family concerns, intimacy-related issues, parenting difficulties, compassion fatigue, self-esteem work, and coaching for life purpose and men's issues.

Derek favors a warm, interactive, and thorough approach that balances respect, sensitivity, and genuine curiosity about each person's experience. He draws on client-centered principles, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and solution-focused methods to create a treatment plan tailored to an individual’s goals and strengths. He does not rely on stigmatizing labels and seeks to understand the whole person behind the symptoms.

Derek treats clients as collaborators in the therapeutic process, believing that people bring important expertise about their own lives and resources. He aims to support clients as they apply their strengths to overcome obstacles, clarify priorities, and move toward a more fulfilling life. He offers practical guidance while honoring each client’s unique needs and pace.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Sessions with Derek Bakay

Derek integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and solution-focused techniques to meet a range of concerns in online sessions. Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathic listening and a nonjudgmental stance, helping people explore values, build self-esteem, and make choices that fit their lives. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying patterns of thinking and behavior that contribute to anxiety, depression, and stress, offering practical strategies to change unhelpful habits and respond differently to difficult situations. Solution-focused therapy is goal-oriented and brief, concentrating on strengths and small, workable steps to address specific problems such as career decisions, relationship conflicts, or coping with change.

Finding the right approach is part of the collaborative work Derek offers. He will discuss options with each person, tailor techniques to individual goals and preferences, and adjust the plan as progress unfolds so therapy stays aligned with what matters most to the client.

Online therapy with Derek is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing for flexible scheduling and different ways to communicate. These options make it easier to fit care into busy lives, support those with mobility or caregiver responsibilities, and accommodate clients who prefer shorter check-ins or ongoing messaging between sessions.