Dr. Shari Richardson , LCSW

Dr. Shari Richardson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a Doctorate in Social Work, based in New York. With a deep background in working with individuals and families, she focuses on challenges related to foster care, adoption, attachment, interpersonal relationships, anxiety, depression, and trauma. Her practice addresses both acute and long-term life stressors, helping people navigate complex emotional responses and relationship dynamics.

Her clinical work is integrative, drawing on cognitive behavioral techniques to identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns, client-centered principles to honor each person’s lived experience, and solution-focused strategies to set achievable goals. This blend aims to move clients from deficit-focused thinking toward practical steps for change. Dr. Richardson emphasizes that recognizing the need for change is often easier than sustaining it, and she supports clients through the often difficult process of follow-through.

She approaches therapy as a collaborative partnership, encouraging vulnerability as a strength that contributes to healing. Dr. Richardson seeks to understand how a person’s history and current circumstances interact to shape emotions and behaviors, and she works with clients to build the skills and insights needed to pursue the life they want.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Dr. Shari Richardson integrates approaches that support practical change and compassionate understanding. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the individual's experience, offering a respectful, nonjudgmental space where someone can explore feelings and values and build self-directed solutions; it is helpful for relationship issues, self-esteem, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify and modify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, making it useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with stress. Trauma-Focused Therapy addresses the effects of traumatic experiences by helping people process distressing memories and develop coping strategies for symptoms related to past abuse or loss.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Dr. Richardson works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their goals, needs, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds. Licensed professionals and therapists bring different tools, and she aims to align those tools with what matters most to the client.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can occur by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging - which makes it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life changes, and access care from different locations. This range of options supports ongoing engagement and helps people pursue consistent progress toward their goals.