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RO Portrait of Ricardo Ortega
Online therapist

Ricardo Ortega

Practical, compassionate counseling for life transitions

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Credentials
LMHC
Experience
15 years
Licensed in
New York
Languages
English, Spanish
Format
Online sessions

About Ricardo

Ricardo Ortega is a licensed mental health counselor who uses a client-centered approach to guide conversations and planning. He draws on 15 years of experience to help people manage stress, anxiety, grief, parenting concerns, and issues related to identity and relationships. Sessions are offered in English and Spanish, and Ricardo adapts his way of working to each person's needs and preferences.

He values respect, sensitivity, and compassion in the room.

Background and approach

That means clients lead the conversation while he listens, reflects, and offers practical tools when helpful. He also brings techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy to address unhelpful thoughts and patterns that get in the way of day-to-day functioning. Ricardo uses emotionally focused ideas when relationships or attachment concerns come up.

That helps people notice feelings and change patterns that cause distance or repeated conflict. He can also bring existential perspectives to conversations about meaning, values, and major life changes. Over his career he has supported people around parenting, self-esteem, addiction, career questions, depression, coping with life transitions, and a range of social and multicultural stresses.

Additional focus areas include aging and geriatric issues, disaster coping, first responder concerns, HIV and hospice-related counseling, immigration and veteran issues, and work with non-monogamous and multicultural relationship topics. Ricardo works from New York and offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.

He frames therapy as a team effort and helps each person build a plan that fits their life and goals.

Approaches and online care that fit your life

Ricardo commonly blends client-centered work and cognitive behavioral therapy in online sessions. Client-centered therapy means conversations focus on what matters to the individual, with the therapist listening, reflecting, and helping shape goals. Cognitive behavioral therapy offers concrete exercises to notice and change thoughts and behaviors that feed anxiety or low mood.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Ricardo collaborates with clients to decide which methods to try and adjusts the plan based on how things are going. That way the direction of therapy reflects personal goals, values, and practical needs.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit conversations into busy schedules, keep momentum between sessions, and pick the mode that feels most comfortable. Together these approaches and formats aim to make therapy accessible and useful for real life.

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.

Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)

Attends to the emotions underneath a recurring argument or distance, and to the attachment needs driving them. Often used where a relationship keeps returning to the same painful loop.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Ricardo address?
His practice focuses on stress, anxiety, grief, parenting, self-esteem, addictions, relationships, career issues, depression, and coping with life changes. He also lists additional areas like aging, disaster response, first responder issues, HIV/AIDS, hospice, immigration, veteran issues, multicultural concerns, non-monogamous relationships, prejudice, sexual assault, and young adult issues.
What style of therapy does he use?
He uses a client-centered approach that prioritizes listening and tailoring the plan to each person. He also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, emotionally focused therapy, and existential ideas as needed.
How much experience does he have?
He has 15 years of professional experience working with a range of concerns and populations. That experience informs how he adapts tools and conversational style for different needs.
Where is Ricardo licensed and based?
He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor - LMHC - licensed in New York with license number NY LMHC 003921. His practice location is New York.
Which languages are supported during sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
He provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to match different needs and schedules.
How are fees and payment handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. After that you can schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
15 years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English, Spanish

Next step

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