PuttingFamilyFirst

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EB Portrait of Eric Bolella
Online therapist

Eric Bolella

Trauma-focused, practical therapy for parents

Credentials
LMFT
Experience
10 years
Licensed in
Connecticut
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Eric

Eric Bolella is a licensed marriage and family therapist who draws on a trauma-focused, systemic approach to help people navigate family and parenting challenges. He uses practical, solution-focused conversations and telehealth to make therapy fit into busy lives. Eric seeks to create a straightforward space where parents and individuals can talk about stress, grief, and relationship struggles without jargon.

He trained at Central Connecticut State University and earned a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2013.

Background and approach

Over the past decade he has worked in outpatient settings in New Britain, Connecticut, serving inner-city youth and low-income families. He has clinical experience running therapeutic group homes for adolescent boys and girls. Eric also managed a state-funded nonprofit program addressing domestic violence.

That work emphasized changing abusive behaviors and repairing family bonds to reduce the chance of state intervention. Those experiences shaped his practical focus on safety, communication, and accountability. In independent practice he uses a mix of approaches.

He blends client-centered listening, solution-focused strategies, and trauma-informed work. He also draws from narrative methods and Internal Family Systems influences to help people name patterns and shift them. Common issues he addresses include trauma and abuse, anxiety, depression, parenting strain, grief, relationship and intimacy problems, and caregiver stress.

He works with clients interested in clearer communication, managing big emotions, and coping with life transitions. Sessions are offered via telehealth to fit around family life.

Practical approaches for online family and parenting work

Eric uses client-centered methods to create a calm, listening-first space where parents and individuals can speak about what matters most to them. This approach focuses on understanding each person’s experience and helping them find their own solutions rather than imposing answers.

He also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect. CBT helps with anxiety, depression, and stress by teaching specific skills to change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Eric collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. That means trying strategies, checking what helps, and adjusting the plan together.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into family schedules, handle sudden needs between sessions, and keep continuity during life transitions. The variety of formats supports different comfort levels and practical needs while maintaining a consistent therapeutic relationship with a licensed professional.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Mindfulness Therapy

Attention training: noticing thoughts and physical feelings as they arrive without being carried off by them. Much of it is practice you do yourself, so guidance over video or audio works much as it would in person.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Eric commonly address?
He helps people facing trauma and abuse, grief, stress, anxiety, depression, parenting strain, relationship and intimacy issues, and caregiver fatigue. Additional focuses include attachment and family of origin issues, body image, codependency, and responses to domestic violence.
What is his therapy style like?
He combines client-centered listening with solution-focused conversations and trauma-informed techniques. Sessions tend to be practical and conversational, aiming to identify patterns and find workable steps forward.
What kind of background does he have?
He has ten years of clinical experience working in outpatient settings and therapeutic group homes. He also managed a state-funded domestic violence program focused on behavior change and family healing.
Where is he licensed and based?
He is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with credential CT LMFT 1755 and practices in Connecticut.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Next step

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