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HS Portrait of Dr. Hillary Schaefer
Online therapist

Dr. Hillary Schaefer

Compassionate psychologist offering practical support

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Credentials
NY Psychologist 022053, WA Psychologist PY.61029319
Experience
12 years
Licensed in
New York, Washington
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Hillary

Dr. Hillary Schaefer welcomes people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, parenting challenges, anxiety, or life transitions. She writes plainly and listens closely.

Her goal is to help clients find practical steps that make daily life easier. Dr. Schaefer is a licensed psychologist practicing in New York and brings 12 years of clinical work to each session.

She trained at the University of Virginia, earning a doctorate in 2013, and has worked in clinic, hospital, and university settings.

Background and approach

Her background includes directing a clinic for families and children and supporting people with a wide range of concerns. She draws on straightforward approaches that emphasize what helps in the moment and what builds skills over time. In sessions she focuses on collaboration and clear, usable tools.

Conversations aim to identify small changes that can reduce stress and improve routine functioning. She also addresses issues such as sleep, eating, mood, addiction, and caregiver strain with practical strategies. Therapeutic methods include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy among others.

These approaches are used to help clients manage anxiety, reframe unhelpful thoughts, and strengthen emotional connection where relevant. Dr. Schaefer accepts video, phone, live chat, and text-based messaging sessions.

Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time and costs vary by location and therapist availability. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a session according to availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice their thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It is useful for stress, anxiety, and making life changes by focusing on small committed steps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thinking and behavior and teaches practical skills to shift unhelpful habits; it often helps with anxiety, mood, sleep, and coping with addictive urges. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) centers on understanding emotional responses and improving how people connect and communicate during conflict or stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences and pick methods that fit. This is a collaborative process and adjustments are made over time based on what helps most.

Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video and phone sessions let conversations feel close even from home. Live chat and text-based messaging offer shorter, focused check-ins and flexible ways to practice skills between meetings. These options aim to increase access and make it simpler to use the tools developed in therapy.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Less about arguing with difficult thoughts, more about loosening their grip and acting on what matters to you anyway. Values and committed action carry the work, which suits conversation at a distance.

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.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, parenting and many related concerns such as sleep, eating, addiction, and caregiver stress.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is collaborative and practical, focusing on clear tools you can use right away while also exploring longer term goals.
What training and experience does she have?
She earned a doctorate from the University of Virginia in 2013 and has 12 years of clinical experience across clinic, hospital, and university settings.
Where is she licensed to practice?
She is licensed as a New York psychologist with license number NY Psychologist 022053 and as a Washington psychologist with license number WA Psychologist PY.61029319, and she practices from New York.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What formats are available for online sessions?
Sessions can be conducted by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How are session costs handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
12 years
Licensed
New York, Washington
Languages
English

Next step

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