Dr. Kari Schlessinger

Dr. Kari Schlessinger is a New York psychologist with 18 years of professional experience. She emphasizes a respectful, person-focused approach and invites people to take the first step toward change. Her tone is straightforward and encouraging, aimed at helping someone who feels overwhelmed find a way forward.

Dr. Schlessinger helps people manage stress, anxiety, anger, and low self-esteem. She also supports those dealing with parenting pressures, caregiver stress, and struggles with motivation and confidence. Her practice addresses mood concerns, isolation, impulsivity, first responder issues, communication problems, and growing self-love.

In sessions she treats people as the expert on their own life, and looks for strengths to build on. Conversations often center on practical steps that lead to clearer thinking and easier choices. She uses techniques that help shift unhelpful thoughts and change patterns that keep problems going.

Her approach mixes client-centered listening with cognitive behavioral methods and motivational interviewing. That means clients can expect a combination of steady listening, skill-building, and focused steps to strengthen motivation and follow-through.

Dr. Schlessinger holds the credential NY Psychologist 016617 in New York. She encourages anyone who is nervous about starting therapy to recognize that beginning the process is a meaningful move, and she offers a calm, direct style for people ready to work on change.

How these approaches work for online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding a person’s experience. The therapist follows the person’s lead, reflects what they say, and helps them notice their own strengths and choices. It is useful when someone needs a calm, nonjudgmental space to sort out strong feelings.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It uses simple exercises to test unhelpful thoughts and build different behaviors that reduce stress and improve mood. This approach can help with anxiety, anger, and low self-esteem by teaching concrete skills.

Motivational Interviewing concentrates on boosting a person’s own reasons for change. It uses targeted questions and feedback to strengthen motivation and commitment. This can be helpful when starting new habits or addressing impulses that get in the way of goals.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Clients can expect the plan to be adjusted over time as progress and obstacles appear.

Confirm current session options before booking so you know what formats are available. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into busy days, shorten check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It can also allow people to access a licensed professional from where they are located, while the therapist helps translate in-person methods into practical remote exercises.