- Years in practice
- 21
- Credentials
- LMHC
- Licensed in
- New York
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- LGBT
- Focus
- Self esteem
About Polly
Polly Mortensen is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 21 years of experience. She practices in New York and brings a calm, straightforward style to sessions. Parents often find her practical and encouraging when facing everyday strains and big transitions.
She began her career in psychiatric rehabilitation and home-based therapy programs. That work included supporting people with serious, long-term mental health needs and individuals living with HIV. Later roles involved counseling people in foster care and providing services to members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Background and approach
Polly also spent many years in vocational and rehabilitation counseling in New York and Florida. As a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor she has experience helping people consider educational and career choices and build skills for greater independence. Her approach mixes client-centered conversation with evidence-based tools.
She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and mindfulness practices to address mood, anxiety, and coping skills. Sessions focus on clear strategies, small steps, and the client’s own goals. Typical concerns she addresses include stress, anxiety, parenting strains, grief, relationship concerns, ADHD, and work-related challenges.
She tailors each plan to what the client wants to accomplish, offering guidance without overwhelming homework. Polly aims to help people reconnect with their strengths and find practical ways forward. Her tone is warm and direct, with an emphasis on steady progress over time.
What Polly works with
Everything Polly lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Polly helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Personality disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Polly lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening, acceptance, and building trust. It lets clients set the pace and topics, which is helpful for parents who want a supportive space to talk through real-time concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thought and behavior and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful habits. It is useful for anxiety, low mood, and managing stress through concrete steps.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will review goals and preferences and suggest methods that fit those aims. Together they adjust techniques over time so sessions match what actually helps the client in daily life.
Online sessions make regular care easier to fit into busy schedules. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when in-person meetings aren’t possible. Phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for quick reflections, check-ins between sessions, or for people who prefer writing over talking. These options support continuity of care and flexible scheduling for parents and working adults.
Questions people ask about Polly
What concerns does Polly address?
She works with issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, grief, trauma and abuse, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and relationship problems.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is warm and straightforward. She combines client-centered conversation with practical strategies from CBT, DBT, and mindfulness.
What kind of background does she bring to sessions?
Polly has two decades of clinical experience including psychiatric rehabilitation, home-based therapy, and work with people in foster care and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Where is Polly licensed and based?
She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) licensed in New York and practices there.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English only.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different scheduling and communication needs.
How does payment and cost work?
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?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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