- 20 years experience
- English and Spanish
- Focus on relationships
About Sylvia
Sylvia Leal is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience. She offers a warm, bilingual practice in English and Spanish and aims to understand each person as a whole. Her approach is collaborative and grounded in respect for diverse identities.
Sylvia helps people who are coping with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and life transitions. She also addresses relationship concerns, communication problems, and issues such as codependency and attachment wounds. Conversations focus on practical steps and clearer ways of relating to self and others.
Her work draws from several evidence-based methods. Sylvia uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking and build concrete skills. She integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques for emotional regulation and distress tolerance. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps clients clarify values and take meaningful action even during hard moments.
Sylvia also brings an attachment-based lens to understand patterns that began in early relationships. That perspective informs how she supports people to change repeating cycles and feel more connected in relationships. Sessions are collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.
Clients who prefer work in Spanish or English can expect a steady, attuned presence and straightforward guidance. To begin, people are invited to reach out through the Start Therapy process and complete a short questionnaire to match and schedule sessions.
How therapy approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice what matters to them and take small actions toward those values, even when feelings are intense. It’s often used for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns that emerge from early relationships and uses the therapeutic relationship to try new ways of relating and reduce repeating cycles. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical exercises to shift unhelpful thinking and build healthier routines.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to see which methods fit their goals and preferences. Sessions can blend elements from different approaches so the work matches the problem and the pace the person needs.
Specific session formats are not listed in the biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy days, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It can also make it simpler to continue work during life transitions or when managing chronic health needs. Licensed professionals often adapt skills-based exercises, emotion regulation practice, and values work to an online setting so progress remains focused and practical.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
New York, Connecticut
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
Sylvia works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, low self-esteem, and coping with life changes. She also addresses issues like codependency, attachment concerns, chronic illness stress, and communication problems.
What is her general therapeutic style?
Her style is warm, attuned, and collaborative. Sessions combine practical skill building with reflective work to help people change unhelpful patterns.
How long has she been practicing?
She has more than 20 years of clinical experience working with adults on a range of emotional and relational issues.
What credentials and region apply to her practice?
She is a licensed clinical social worker, LCSW, practicing in New York with licensure noted as CT LCSW and NY LCSW in her background.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Can people outside the US work with her?
She is not accepting international clients at this time.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.