- Years in practice
- 5
- Credentials
- LMHC
- Licensed in
- New York
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
- Focus
- Grief
About Rita
Rita Simmonds is a licensed mental health counselor who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and parenting concerns. She practices in New York and brings five years of clinical experience to each session. Rita aims to make therapy feel direct and usable for daily life.
Rita draws on gentle, person-focused methods and practical skills to address emotional pain and relationship struggles. She uses Client-Centered techniques to create a respectful space where a person’s priorities guide the work.
Background and approach
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps break unhelpful thinking patterns, and she also uses EMDR for processing trauma when appropriate. Rita includes conversations about values and meaning as part of her approach. She can integrate a Christian-informed perspective when a client wants faith to be part of therapy, and she lets the client lead how that is used.
Her work often focuses on building coping skills, improving communication, and increasing self-compassion. Sessions aim to be collaborative and straightforward. Clients can expect to identify small, practical steps between meetings.
Rita also addresses issues like sleep, eating concerns, addiction, anger, and burnout in therapy. She provides sessions through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules. All work is offered in English and is shaped around each person’s needs and goals.
What Rita works with
Everything Rita lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Rita helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Rita lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-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.
Approaches and online options that fit daily life
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the client. It emphasizes empathy and support so the person sets the pace and priorities. This approach helps with self-esteem, relationship concerns, and figuring out values.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It uses practical exercises to change unhelpful thinking and build better coping habits. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, sleep and eating issues, and stress management.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR, is a trauma-focused method that can help process distressing memories and reduce their emotional charge. It is offered when trauma work is appropriate and when a client and therapist agree it is a good path.
Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. Rita works with each client to find what fits their needs, goals, and comfort level. She checks in regularly and adjusts methods if something isn’t working.
Online therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video lets people work face-to-face when schedules allow. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or when audio is preferable. Live chat and text messaging suit brief check-ins, notes between sessions, or people who express themselves better in writing. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy days and different life rhythms.
Questions people ask about Rita
What kinds of concerns does Rita help with?
She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, grief, self-esteem, addictions, sleep and eating concerns, and related issues.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is collaborative and down-to-earth, combining client-centered listening with practical tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and other approaches.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Rita has five years of experience working as a licensed mental health counselor in New York.
What are her credentials and practice location?
She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, NY LMHC, and practices out of New York.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Rita offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does someone get started?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session based on the therapist's availability.
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