Laura White, LCSW-R

Laura White is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-R) practicing in New York with four decades of experience in social work and psychotherapy. She began her career in 1980 as a research assistant at Suffolk County Jail, an early professional experience that shaped her commitment to helping people through complex life challenges. Over the years she completed a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, a Master of Social Work, and additional masters-level coursework in gerontology. She is also certified in EMDR Level One, attained in 2001.

Her clinical style blends a client-centered orientation with family systems thinking, the Socratic method, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral techniques. She emphasizes finding and building on strengths to support self-esteem and practical change. Laura works across the lifespan and with people from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, including LGBT clients. She addresses a wide range of concerns such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, trauma and abuse, addictions, eating difficulties, ADHD, relationship and family struggles, grief and end-of-life issues, caregiving stress, chronic illness and pain, and intimacy-related problems.

Laura brings both professional and personal perspective to her work - having lost three parents to cancer, she understands caregiver stress firsthand. Her approach is supportive and goal-oriented, and when additional services are needed she researches and facilitates referrals for medication management, rehabilitation, or other local resources. She is available evenings and weekends and welcomes new patients.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support

Laura White integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and EMDR into her practice and adapts these methods for online work. Client-centered therapy focuses on creating a collaborative, empathetic environment in which the therapist follows the client's lead to build self-awareness, resilience, and clearer personal goals - it is helpful for general life transitions, self-esteem, and relationship concerns. CBT is a structured approach that helps people identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors; it is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related struggles because it emphasizes practical skills and problem solving. EMDR is a trauma-focused method that involves guided processing of distressing memories; Laura holds an EMDR Level One certification and applies this approach when trauma or abuse histories are central to a person's difficulties.

Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. Laura works with each person to understand their needs, goals, and preferences and then recommends or combines methods that fit best. She frequently blends supportive, goal-oriented work with skill-building techniques to promote measurable progress.

Online therapy offers flexibility in how people connect - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging allow therapy to fit into busy schedules, accommodate mobility or geographic constraints, and make continuity of care easier. These options support regular attendance and timely access to licensed professionals while maintaining a therapeutic focus on the client’s priorities.