Toni Spera
Hopeful, practical support for lasting change
LCSW New York
- Experience
- 5 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Addictions, LGBT, Relationship
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Toni
Toni Spera is a licensed clinical social worker based in New York who supports people facing addictions, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, anxiety and stress, grief, parenting challenges, and a range of emotional and behavioral concerns.
Background and approach
With five years of professional experience, she emphasizes clients' strengths and capacity for change while offering practical strategies to manage symptoms and build more fulfilling routines. Her practice blends evidence-informed methods including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), client-centered techniques, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and motivational interviewing.
Toni approaches each client as the expert on their own life, partnering to set goals and tailor interventions that reflect personal values and circumstances. She encourages courageous steps toward better functioning and greater self-compassion while providing steady support through periods of transition.
Clients can expect a collaborative, respectful style that balances skill-building with empathetic listening. Toni works with issues across mood, trauma, relationship, and addictive patterns, and integrates coaching-oriented tools when helpful to foster long-term resilience and self-direction.
Approaches That Guide Online Sessions
Online work with Toni often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based strategies to help clients notice unhelpful thinking patterns and develop more adaptive coping skills. CBT focuses on identifying and changing thought and behavior patterns that contribute to distress, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, and many everyday challenges. Mindfulness therapy encourages present-focused awareness and acceptance skills to reduce reactivity and improve emotional regulation.She also uses client-centered principles to ensure the therapeutic relationship remains collaborative and respectful; this approach emphasizes listening, empathy, and tailoring interventions to each person's goals. Choosing the right mix of techniques is a shared process, and Toni will work with clients to determine which approaches align best with their needs and preferences as treatment unfolds.
Online sessions are available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These formats make it easier to fit consistent care into busy lives and to continue therapy during transitions or when in-person visits are not practical.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English