PuttingFamilyFirst

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SR Portrait of Dr. Shari Richardson
Online therapist

Dr. Shari Richardson

Compassionate guidance for family and life transitions

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Credentials
LCSW
Experience
15 years
Licensed in
New York
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Shari

Dr. Shari Richardson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York with 15 years of clinical experience. She focuses on family and parenting concerns alongside a broad range of emotional and relational issues.

Her work centers on practical help for people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, and relationship challenges. She brings experience with adoption, foster care, and attachment difficulties. She also addresses common family strains like blended family issues, communication problems, divorce and separation, and caregiver stress.

Background and approach

Dr. Richardson integrates several therapy styles to match each person’s needs rather than using a single method for everyone. Her approach is straightforward and collaborative.

Sessions are a place to talk through what’s happening, identify patterns, and try small changes that add up. She emphasizes understanding how past experiences shape current feelings and behaviors while supporting clients in taking realistic steps forward. Dr.

Richardson uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy to spot unhelpful thinking, and she draws on solution-focused methods to set short-term goals. Motivational interviewing helps when people are ambivalent about change, and trauma-focused ideas inform care for those with painful histories. She accepts English-speaking clients and works with people both locally in New York and internationally.

Practical concerns such as cost and scheduling vary; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, someone would use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Therapy approaches and how they work online

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person’s experience. The therapist creates space for people to express themselves and helps them make their own decisions about change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaches clear, practical ways to test and change them, which can help with anxiety, depression, and stress.

Finding the right approach usually happens together. The therapist will talk with each client about goals and preferences and try methods that fit those needs. If one way of working isn’t helping, adjustments are made so the plan stays useful and realistic.

Online therapy offers several practical options: video calls for face-to-face conversation, phone sessions when video isn’t practical, and live chat or text-based messaging for shorter or more frequent check-ins. These formats make it easier to fit sessions into busy family schedules and to connect when in-person meetings are difficult. Licensed professionals can use these tools to keep work steady while tailoring sessions to what each person finds most helpful.

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.

Motivational Interviewing

A way of working through mixed feelings about change without being pushed. The therapist helps you weigh things up and find your own reasons, which often makes a difficult decision feel less stuck.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and a wide range of relationship and family issues including parenting, communication problems, adoption and foster care concerns.
How would you describe her therapy style?
The style is collaborative and practical. Sessions focus on talking through current problems, spotting patterns, and trying manageable steps toward change.
What background and experience does she bring?
Dr. Richardson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of experience and a Doctorate in Social Work, with extensive work around family stressors and attachment issues.
Where is she located and what are her credentials?
She practices in New York and holds the New York LCSW license number NY LCSW 082121.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Yes, she accepts international clients and provides services to English-speaking people outside the U.S.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling based on the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
15 years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English

Next step

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