Saila Akhtar, LMHC - Therapist in Florida

About Saila

Saila Akhtar is a licensed mental health counselor who helps parents and families manage stress, parenting challenges, relationship struggles, and mood concerns. She offers straightforward, practical support aimed at making everyday life more manageable. Her style is interactive and down-to-earth, with conversations that focus on what’s happening now and what can be changed next.

Saila draws on eight years of clinical work and uses techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Client-Centered Therapy.

Background and approach

She adapts sessions to fit each family’s needs, mixing skill practice with space to talk through painful experiences. Sessions often focus on concrete steps for coping, communication, and problem solving. <brHer background includes work with a wide range of concerns such as anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.

She also addresses family-specific issues like blended family dynamics, adoption and foster care matters, and family of origin patterns. She brings experience helping people facing domestic violence, substance-related problems, and parenting stress. Saila is licensed as a mental health counselor in Florida and holds Florida LMHC MH18925 and New York LMHC 008338 credentials.

Sessions are carried out in English and are available via video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. Costs vary with location and therapist availability and use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. For parents ready to try something different, Saila asks that they start by completing a short matching questionnaire and then schedule according to the therapist’s availability.

The work begins with a focused conversation about goals and next steps.

Therapeutic approaches and online care for families

Saila commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy in online work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thoughts and build practical skills for managing anxiety, low mood, and difficult behaviors. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on building a trusting relationship and letting parents and family members lead the pace of change.

She also integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques when strong emotions or crisis-level stress are present. DBT offers skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication during heated family moments. The therapist will work collaboratively with each family to choose which approaches fit their goals and daily realities.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care more accessible and flexible for busy households. These options allow brief check-ins, skill practice between sessions, and scheduling that can adapt around school and work. The combination of practical techniques and flexible formats helps families keep progress moving forward even with tight schedules.

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.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Concrete skills for riding out strong emotion, tolerating distress, and handling relationships without things escalating. The skills are practised in daily life, so between-session support by message or phone fits naturally.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of family concerns are addressed?

Saila works with a broad range of family and parenting issues including communication problems, blended family challenges, adoption and foster care matters, parenting stress, and family of origin conflicts.

How would you describe her therapy style?

Her approach is interactive and client-centered, combining practical skill work with space to talk through difficult feelings and experiences.

What is her clinical experience?

She has eight years of experience working in clinical settings with people facing depression, anxiety, trauma, addictions, and family conflict.

What are her credentials and where is she licensed?

She is a licensed mental health counselor with Florida LMHC MH18925 and New York LMHC 008338 credentials and practices from Florida.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

Therapy sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different schedules and needs.

How is pricing handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Stress, Anxiety
Addictions
Family conflicts

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 8 years
Licensed: New York, Florida
Languages: English

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