Mary Alfinito
Compassionate clinician with 40 years' experience
LCSW-R New York
- Experience
- 40 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Grief
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Languages
- English
About Mary
Mary Alfinito, LCSW-R, brings four decades of clinical practice to people seeking support for stress, anxiety, grief, depression, ADHD, trauma and abuse, and LGBT-related concerns.
Background and approach
Her work spans many focus areas including self-esteem, career transitions, coping with life changes, and coaching, along with attention to issues such as abandonment, attachment difficulties, body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness, codependency, communication problems, and gender dysphoria. Mary approaches each person with a steady, experienced presence and an emphasis on practical skills and coping strategies.
She uses evidence-informed approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and trauma-focused methods to help clients identify patterns, build emotional regulation, and process difficult experiences. Sessions aim to be collaborative and pragmatic, with attention to real-world functioning and problem solving.
Based in New York and credentialed as an LCSW-R, Mary has worked with children, adolescents, and adults across a wide range of life stages, helping clients take the often-difficult first steps toward change and resilience.
Working Online with CBT, DBT, and Trauma-Focused Care
Mary integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy alongside trauma-focused techniques when appropriate. CBT is focused on identifying and changing unhelpful thought and behavior patterns to reduce distress and improve daily functioning. DBT emphasizes skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness to help manage intense emotions and relationship difficulties. Trauma-focused therapy concentrates on processing and making sense of painful memories and reactions so that traumatic experiences interfere less with current life.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Mary works with each person to understand their goals, symptoms, and preferences and then tailors methods that fit those needs. She emphasizes shared decision making so clients can explore interventions and adjust the plan as therapy progresses.
Online formats including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging offer flexibility for scheduling and make services more accessible for people with busy lives or mobility constraints. These options allow for consistent, ongoing work on skills, processing, and problem solving without requiring travel, helping clients integrate therapeutic tools into everyday routines.
Frequently asked questions
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What therapeutic style does she use in sessions?
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Where is Mary licensed and what are her credentials?
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
40+ years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English