Elias Gootzeit

Elias Gootzeit is a licensed clinical social worker with four decades of experience helping people manage anger, stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. He works with individuals who are facing big life changes, caregiver strain, or struggles with feeling isolated. Elias offers straightforward support to help people build coping skills and move toward steadier daily functioning.

He draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques to address emotional regulation and attachment concerns. Sessions focus on practical strategies, clearer thinking about relationship patterns, and ways to reduce impulsive reactions. Elias explains steps in plain language and helps clients practice new responses between visits.

Many people come to him for help after divorce, in the wake of abuse or disaster, or when dealing with persistent guilt and shame. He also supports those navigating young adult transitions, post-traumatic stress, and parenting stress. The work often combines short-term problem-solving with deeper work on past wounds.

Elias trained at Fordham University, earning a Masters in Social Work in 1978, and holds a New York LCSW-R license. He describes his stance as liberal and non-religious and aims to create an atmosphere without judgment.

His approach emphasizes resilience and practical tools. Clients leave sessions with clear next steps they can try at home. Elias encourages questions and frames therapy as collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.

Practical approaches for emotion and behavior change

Evidence-based techniques are used to address anger, emotional regulation, and trauma-related symptoms. One common approach focuses on teaching concrete emotion-regulation skills - learning to notice triggers, slow down reactive patterns, and practice alternative responses. This helps reduce impulsive reactions and gives people tools to try in tense moments.

Another strand emphasizes addressing attachment and relationship patterns. This work looks at how past relationships shape current responses and helps people form different habits in how they communicate and set boundaries. It can be useful for parenting stress, separation, and feeling isolated.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist works collaboratively with each person to match techniques to their goals and comfort level. Decisions about which methods to use are made together and can shift as progress is made.

Confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow follow-up conversations without disrupting a workday. It also lets people keep momentum between sessions by using brief check-ins or regular appointments that match their schedule.