About Marissa
Marissa O'Connor is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in New York who focuses on stress, anxiety, trauma, and relationship struggles. She helps people navigate depression, grief, parenting strain, and challenges like sleep or eating problems. Her work also addresses burnout, compassion fatigue, and attention-related concerns such as ADHD.
She aims for a warm, nonjudgmental tone in sessions. Marissa listens first and helps clients name what matters most. Then she and the client set clear goals and practical steps to move forward.
How Marissa works
Her approach mixes several evidence-based methods. She draws from client-centered techniques to build trust and from cognitive behavioral strategies to change unhelpful thoughts and habits. Dialectical behavior skills and mindfulness practices are used to manage strong emotions and reduce reactivity.
Marissa frames therapy as collaborative coaching at times. She helps people rehearse new skills and try small experiments between sessions. Motivational interviewing is part of how she supports shifts in behavior and commitment to change.
With seven years of clinical experience, she tailors treatment to each person's needs. Marissa explains options plainly and adjusts pacing so clients feel capable of making progress. Sessions are offered in English for people located in New York.
Marissa lists 9 ways of working on the entry:
What Marissa works with
The areas below are the ones Marissa selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Domestic violence
- Eating and food-related issues
- Eating disorders
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Life purpose
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sleeping disorders
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 7 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | New York |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How these approaches work online
Client-centered therapy focuses on understanding each person's experience and building a trusting relationship. In practice that means the therapist listens closely, reflects feelings, and helps clients identify their own solutions for issues like relationship strain or grief.Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people notice thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going, then practices new ways of thinking and acting. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, panic, and many habits related to sleep or eating.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) provides concrete skills for handling strong emotions and improving interpersonal communication. It can help with impulsivity, intense anger, and situations where people feel overwhelmed.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with clients about goals, try methods that fit those goals, and adjust the plan together. This collaborative process helps identify what feels most helpful for each person.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and exercises. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a camera is not wanted. Live chat and text messaging work well for brief check-ins, coaching-style support, or between-session communication. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and maintain momentum between meetings.
Start online instead of waiting
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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