Bernice Springer Richards, LCSW

Bernice Springer Richards is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in New York with 18 years of experience. She helps people who are overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, relationship strain, anger, and life changes. She also supports clients facing ADHD concerns and those thinking about adoption, foster care, aging and geriatric issues, body image, money matters, and questions about life purpose.

Her approach is collaborative and straightforward. She starts by listening to what matters most to the person in front of her, then sets clear, achievable goals together. Sessions focus on practical steps and small changes that add up over time.

Bernice uses client-centered methods alongside cognitive behavioral techniques and solution-focused strategies. That means she helps people notice unhelpful thoughts, test new behaviors, and build plans that match their daily lives. Motivational interviewing is used when people want to boost their motivation for change.

In sessions she aims to make progress feel manageable. Work may include setting short-term goals, practicing new skills between meetings, and checking what works. This can be a useful way to move through a specific problem or to build longer-term resilience.

She offers help in English. To begin, readers select the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire before scheduling a time based on therapist availability.

How her approaches fit into online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person's own goals and experience, with the therapist listening closely and reflecting back what matters most. This helps people feel heard and shapes the direction of work around their priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions; it uses practical exercises and experiments to change unhelpful thinking and habits, which can help with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative way to explore ambivalence and strengthen a person's own reasons for change, useful when motivation feels stuck.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Bernice will partner with each person to decide which methods fit best based on their goals, needs, and preferences. That choice can shift over time as goals change and progress is made.

Confirm the current session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and remove the time spent commuting. It also often lets people try exercises at home and then discuss how they went at the next meeting. These practical benefits can help therapy fit into everyday life without requiring major schedule changes.