Dr. Robert "David" San Filippo, LMHC

Dr. Robert "David" San Filippo is a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman veteran who has provided mental health support to fellow veterans since the Vietnam era. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with 40 years of professional counseling experience, and he focuses on bereavement, death and dying issues, traumatic injuries, and post-traumatic stress. In addition to his counseling practice, he serves as the Clinical Director for BlueLine Support, a peer-to-peer support service for law enforcement personnel and their families.

His clinical style combines a supportive stance with cognitive-behavioral techniques, offering practical coping strategies alongside empathic listening. That approach informs his work with people facing grief, trauma and abuse, relationship struggles, anxiety and depression, career stress, compassion fatigue, and challenges related to aging, hospice care, or military and first responder service. Dr. San Filippo brings decades of experience addressing end-of-life concerns and long-term effects of traumatic events, guiding clients toward clearer daily functioning and improved emotional resilience.

Throughout his career he has maintained a focus on trauma-informed care and bereavement support, helping individuals process loss, navigate major transitions, and rebuild self-esteem and interpersonal connections. His background as a veteran and his leadership role with BlueLine Support shape a practice oriented to the needs of veterans, first responders, and those coping with profound loss or post-traumatic stress.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Trauma and Grief Care

Dr. Robert "David" San Filippo uses Client-Centered Therapy to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where the client's experience guides the pace and goals of treatment. This approach helps people who need empathetic support as they explore difficult emotions and personal values.

He also employs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and building practical skills to manage symptoms like anxiety, depression, and stress. CBT is often used for coping with trauma-related responses and improving day-to-day functioning.

The right approach is found collaboratively. Dr. San Filippo works with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies over time to reflect progress and changing circumstances.

Online therapy with Dr. San Filippo offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules or to connect from different locations. These options support continuity of care and make it more convenient for veterans, first responders, caregivers, and others to access consistent therapeutic support.