Manhasset Therapist

Dr. Maryann B. Schaefer

Ph.D. – Counseling, Concentration in Psychology
NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Fellow of American Psychotherapy Association

Phone: (516) 627-1145

If you are looking for a therapist in Manhasset, you have come to the right place. Dr. Maryann B. Schaefer is an experienced psychotherapist and highly qualified mental health professional who has been helping patients with a wide range of therapeutic issues for nearly a quarter of a century.

Sometimes, we need help getting through a difficult period in life. At other times, we find that we have been stuck in a “mental rut” that we cannot escape. At these times, a mental health therapist can help loosen the emotional bonds tying us down. Professional support is crucial in navigating these challenges effectively.

Therapist Manhasset

Mental Health Services: How Therapists Can Help

Dr. Schaefer works with individuals, children, adolescents, couples, and families to make sense of life’s dilemmas and to map the routes to a better and happier life. Many problems a psychotherapist deals with have existed in families for years and even generations. Because of this, understanding these issues is the first step in learning to deal with them. Anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, grieving and grief, infidelity, mental illness, and life transitions are issues that a therapist deals with. Other problems that can be dealt with successfully in psychotherapy include parenting, learning to set limits, bullying, life transition adjustments, mood disorders, and various types of substance abuse.

Stress

Working with an experienced therapist like Dr. Schaefer is always a joint effort. Identifying the answers and implementing new behaviors will help you effectively deal with life’s curveballs. Sometimes, therapy sessions involve discovering hidden truths. Sometimes, the focus is on coaching to change one’s lifestyle. Therefore, the focus is always on what is therapeutic for the individual and their concerns.

Family Therapy and Counseling

Family therapy and counseling are essential components of our practice. Dr. Schaefer understands that family dynamics can be complex and challenging, and she is committed to providing a supportive and non-judgmental environment for families to work through their issues. Dr. Schaefer is trained in various family therapy approaches, including play therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy. She works with families to identify and address underlying issues, improve communication, and strengthen relationships. She aims to help families develop healthy coping strategies, manage conflict, and build a more robust family unit.

How Does Therapy Help?

There are things in life that we cannot change. We can learn how we process life and how these variables impact our lives and emotional stability. We can learn how to address these events and chronic situations through emotional relearning and implementing coping skills to make them manageable and, perhaps, no longer destructive. The first step forward in therapy is understanding that change is necessary and that professional help is available. Therapy provides a supportive space tailored to individuals’ unique demographics and mental health needs, fostering community and offering an environment to share experiences, gain insights, and develop coping strategies under the guidance of a therapist.

Psychotherapy helps individuals understand the origins of their beliefs and coping mechanisms, which often stem from early childhood experiences and family dynamics. These early interactions shape a person’s worldview and influence their current relationships, expectations, and responses. By working with a therapist, individuals can explore these early experiences and the resulting beliefs, learning what they needed or desired to learn as children. Psychotherapy addresses various issues, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship dynamics, and personality disorders, enabling personal growth and healing in adulthood.

What to Expect from Therapy

Therapy is a collaborative process between the therapist and the client. Dr. Maryann Schaefer strives to create a safe and comfortable environment for our clients to explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. During the initial session, she will work with you to identify your goals and develop a personalized treatment plan. Dr. Schaefer will work with you to identify underlying issues, develop coping strategies, and work towards achieving your goals. Therapy is a journey, and Dr. Maryann Schaefer is committed to supporting you every step of the way.

Who Comes to Mental Health Counselors for Help?

Although experienced mental health professionals such as Dr. Schaefer work with adults and children across a broad cross-section of challenges, most people can benefit from psychotherapy. Many therapy clients have successful business and professional lives but struggle to develop and maintain lasting and meaningful connections. They find it challenging to identify their feelings, express them in words, and very often modulate how they impact their behaviors. Relationship issues are a common challenge, leading to mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, and trauma.

In these situations, the patient and therapist work together to discover issues in the person’s early life. These can include coping mechanisms that worked great at age five, not so well at age twelve, and not at all in adulthood. Sometimes, people have been so focused on material success that they have never had the opportunity to develop interpersonal and emotional skills to nurture successful bonds. But, these skills can be learned, practiced, and improved for a better personal environment. The key is working with an experienced therapist to define the issues, identify the contributing causes, and move forward to workable solutions.

What Are the Goals of Therapy for Relationship Issues?

You can go ahead and consult a therapist with particular problems in mind. You may discover that the problems or issues were different, more complex, or even more straightforward than you believed. The first goal in psychotherapy is to find the truth as you have seen it for years and the truth as experienced by others.

Mind

Couples therapy aims to provide a supportive environment for partners to address relationship challenges, communicate effectively, and strengthen their relationship foundation with the guidance of trained professionals.

The old saying that the truth will set you free applies to psychotherapy and other forms of mental health therapy. The more you understand yourself, your emotions, your beliefs, and your methods of dealing with life, the better equipped you are to live a happy, content, and successful life. The goals you set will come from your understanding of yourself as that understanding emerges during therapy.

As such, psychotherapy goals may evolve. With years of experience, the therapist is responsible for keeping fact-finding and goal-setting on track. Good psychotherapy aims to arrive at solutions that improve a person’s quality of life. You will discover this when working with a Manhasset psychotherapist such as Dr. Schaefer.

How Long Does Mental Health Therapy Last?

Mental health treatment, such as psychotherapy, is meant to help us with life’s difficulties. Many patients experience some relief in a relatively short time. They learn key insights that they can put to work with relative ease. Other patients have more complicated issues that require time to uncover and explore.

Time

Therapy may be a valuable tool for those feeling anxious. Clinical psychologists and certified clinical social workers are two popular categories of therapists. Both types of specialists have obtained specific training in psychotherapy and are prepared to assist clients in overcoming their difficulties.

Developing coping mechanisms for challenging emotions and circumstances is a systematic therapeutic strategy. Those with superior coping mechanisms might feel more in control of their lives and be better equipped to deal with stressful events. A motivated therapist can help identify and develop each client’s most effective coping mechanisms.

Cognitive processing therapy is a different therapeutic approach that has grown in acceptance. Those who have gone through trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder are often treated with this. Clients engage in cognitive processing therapy to seek out and address harmful ideas and assumptions that could be causing them suffering.

Therapy may be a helpful tool for those who are nervous or alienated to understand their emotions and create coping mechanisms. Therapists with clinical expertise can better assist clients as they explore and comprehend their feelings in a secure setting. Even insurmountable difficulties may become more manageable with the assistance of a qualified therapist.

Patients must believe their therapist gets them. A therapist who takes the time to acknowledge and affirm a client’s emotions may facilitate a healthy therapeutic connection. Clients are more likely motivated to keep working toward their mental health objectives when they feel heard and understood.

Treatment may be a highly manageable condition for those battling a range of mental health issues. Therapy may provide a secure and supportive environment for patients to learn coping mechanisms, acquire understanding, and feel understood, whether working with a clinical psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, or a Ph.D. in counseling with a concentration in psychology.

Some may have deep-seated issues that require time to uncover. It could be a treatable problem that needs one to gain insight into a solution. The frequency of therapy visits is generally weekly, with additional sessions scheduled based on mutual agreement. In Dr. Schaefer’s psychotherapy practice, the treatment is always consistent and focuses on what is therapeutic for the individual.

Overcome Life’s Challenges

Whether you’re in Munsey Park, Plandome, or Flower Hill, if you’re feeling disconnected and need an NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor specializing in therapy and mental health issues, reach out to Dr. Maryann B. Schaefer.