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LCSW

Dara Damico, LCSW

  • Experience26 years
  • LocationNew York
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Addictions, and LGBT
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Client-Centered Therapy
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About Dara

Dara Damico is an LCSW with 26 years of clinical experience based in New York who focuses on helping people navigate depression, addiction, trauma, and a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns.

Background and approach

She uses an approach grounded in compassion and evidence-informed methods to support clients as they work through issues such as anxiety, struggles with intimacy, eating and sleep problems, career challenges, and mood conditions including bipolar disorder. Her practice emphasizes a trauma-informed, client-centered stance that respects each person’s history and strengths while offering practical tools for coping and growth.

Dara integrates methods such as Internal Family Systems alongside cognitive and skills-based approaches to help clients identify internal patterns, manage overwhelming emotions, and build sustainable strategies for daily life. She aims to create an affirming space where people feel heard and supported while learning new ways to manage symptoms, reduce self-criticism, and pursue clearer life goals.

In sessions she also addresses concerns like addiction, ADHD, grief and abandonment, body-image and caregiver stress, obsessive and compulsive behaviors, and seasonally influenced mood changes. English-speaking clients in New York can expect a collaborative, steady therapeutic partner who balances empathic listening with practical interventions tailored to each person’s needs.

Integrating Therapy Approaches for Online Care

Internal Family Systems helps people understand and relate to different parts of themselves by exploring inner roles and protecting parts so clients can reduce internal conflict and access calmer, more compassionate inner voices. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathic listening and the therapist's nonjudgmental presence to help clients feel understood and to promote personal growth and self-directed change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets unhelpful thinking and behaviors with practical exercises and skills that are useful for anxiety, depression, and many day-to-day challenges.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each client to assess needs, goals, and preferences and then blend tools from these methods to create a plan that fits the individual. This collaboration helps ensure that sessions are both meaningful and aligned with what the client hopes to achieve.

Online formats such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging provide flexibility for scheduling and allow clients to engage in therapy from locations that suit them. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care and to use different communication styles for moments that require depth, quick check-ins, or ongoing skills practice.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Dara commonly address?
She works with a broad set of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related struggles, eating and sleeping problems, ADHD, and mood disorders among others.
What is Dara's therapeutic style like?
The style is trauma-informed and client-centered, blending compassionate listening with practical, evidence-based techniques to help clients explore feelings and develop coping strategies.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 26 years of experience as a licensed social worker working with diverse emotional and behavioral concerns.
What credentials and location are listed for Dara?
She holds an LCSW credential with NY LCSW 101727 and practices from New York.
In which languages is therapy offered?
Sessions are conducted in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available with this clinician?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working with her?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyAddictionsLGBTTrauma and abuseDepression

Also works with

Intimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAttachment issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressControl issuesDrug and alcohol addictionGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

26+ years

Licensed

New York

Languages

English