- Focus on attachment
- Parenting support
- Stress and mood care
About Cathleen
Cathleen Lilavois is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in New York. She draws on several years of direct practice helping people cope with stress, anxiety, mood struggles, and challenges tied to parenting and self-worth. She emphasizes a supportive, strengths-focused way of working and encourages clients to recognize their own resilience.
Before becoming an LCSW, she spent time working in child welfare providing counseling related to abandonment, trauma, abuse, and neglect. That work included supporting young people, caregivers, and mothers who were navigating child welfare involvement. Those experiences shape how she sees safety, attachment, and trust in therapeutic work.
Cathleen also provides therapy for young adults finding their path forward and for adults coping with depression, self-esteem concerns, and compassion fatigue. She helps people identify practical steps, set small goals, and build routines that support emotional stability and clearer decision-making.
Her approach centers on listening first, then collaborating on a plan that fits each person’s needs. She invites clients to use their existing strengths while learning new skills to manage symptoms and improve relationships. Sessions aim to be straightforward and goal-oriented while remaining warm and supportive.
People considering therapy are encouraged to reflect on what they want to change and to bring that into the first conversations. Cathleen offers guidance while helping clients build the tools they need to manage stress, process past hurts, and move toward the life they want.
Approaches that guide online work
Evidence-based therapeutic techniques often focus on helping people manage symptoms and build skills they can use day to day. One common approach teaches concrete coping strategies for anxiety and stress, like paced breathing, activity scheduling, and breaking tasks into smaller steps to reduce overwhelm. This kind of work helps when worry or low mood make it hard to get things done.Another helpful approach centers on attachment and processing past hurt. It focuses on improving trust, recognizing relationship patterns, and practicing new ways of communicating so relationships feel safer and more predictable. This can be useful for people who have experienced abandonment or disrupted caregiving.
Finding the right approach is part of therapy. The therapist will work collaboratively to choose methods that match a person's goals, needs, and preferences. That process may involve trying strategies, noticing what helps, and adjusting plans together over time.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm the specific session options before booking since formats are not listed in the profile. In general, online work can make scheduling easier and allow therapy to fit around school, work, or family responsibilities. It can also let people use quieter or lower-bandwidth ways of checking in when needed and support shorter focused sessions for quick problem-solving.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
4+ years
Credentials
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with related to adoption and foster care?
Cathleen works with people dealing with abandonment, attachment issues, trauma, and the emotional effects tied to adoption and foster care experiences.
What is her therapy style like in sessions?
Her style is collaborative and strengths-focused. She listens, helps set practical goals, and supports building routines and skills that fit everyday life.
What background does she bring to this work?
She has experience in the child welfare arena providing counseling around trauma, abuse, neglect, and the feelings that arise for young people and caregivers.
What credentials and location are listed for this therapist?
She is a licensed clinical social worker, LCSW, licensed in New York and practices from that state.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available with this therapist?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as session formats are not specified in the profile.
How are fees handled for sessions?
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 with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.