- CBT strategies
- DBT skills
- Attachment work
About Sylvia
Sylvia Leal is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in New York with 20 years of clinical experience. She works in English and Spanish and helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, low self-esteem, and life changes. Her practice also lists work with abandonment, attachment issues, caregiver stress, chronic illness, body image, codependency, divorce, and domestic violence among other concerns.
Sylvia’s style is collaborative and attuned. She listens for patterns that keep people stuck and points out practical steps to try differently. Sessions often include skill-building for emotion regulation and tools to manage symptoms in daily life. She also uses conversation to clarify values and what matters to each person.
Her clinical work draws on several evidence-based approaches. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice thoughts that fuel distress and practice small behavior changes. Dialectical Behavior Therapy contributes skills for managing strong emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy supports identifying values and making value-based choices even when feelings are difficult.
Sylvia pays attention to how early relationships shape current patterns. Attachment-focused work helps people understand and shift repetitive relationship habits. She combines insight-oriented reflection with hands-on skill practice so ideas turn into different choices.
She frames therapy as a practical process of learning and trying new ways of coping. People who have carried guilt, shame, or ongoing self-criticism often look at how those feelings influence choices and relationships. Sylvia uses her bilingual capacity to support English and Spanish speakers through those struggles.
How evidence-based approaches translate to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and take value-driven actions even when difficult feelings are present. It focuses on noticing inner experiences and choosing behavior that aligns with personal values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact and teaches practical exercises to test and change unhelpful thinking and habits. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improving communication in relationships.Choosing which approach to use is not fixed at the first session. The therapist will work collaboratively to match methods to the client's goals, needs, and preferences. That means trying strategies, checking what helps, and adjusting the focus over time so the work fits the individual.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know how sessions are delivered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week by removing travel time and allowing shorter check-ins when needed. It can also let people join sessions from a quieter spot, use fewer data-heavy tools if bandwidth is limited, or schedule around work breaks. Licensed professionals and therapists adapt practices so exercises and skills work well in a remote format.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
New York, Connecticut
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
Sylvia works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, low self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Her listed focus also includes abandonment, attachment issues, caregiver stress, chronic illness, body image, codependency, divorce, and domestic violence.
How does she approach feelings of guilt and shame?
She combines talk-based reflection with practical skills from CBT, DBT, and ACT to notice unhelpful thought patterns and practice different responses to painful feelings.
What experience does she bring?
She has 20 years of clinical experience working with adults on relationship challenges, mood concerns, and life transitions.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with licensure in Connecticut and New York and she practices in New York.
Does she offer sessions in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions scheduled and what does cost look like?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.