Hope Schaffrick, LICSW, LCSW - Therapist in Connecticut

Emotionally-Focused Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Attachment perspective

About Hope

Hope Schaffrick is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 22 years of experience. She practices in Connecticut and offers help for a broad range of concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting strain, trauma and abuse, grief, and challenges tied to ADHD and addiction.

She uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In sessions she listens for patterns in feelings and interaction, and helps people name emotions that feel confusing or overwhelming. Conversations are paced to the person's needs and focus on what feels most pressing in day-to-day life.

Her background includes long experience in clinical settings working with people who have faced trauma, emotional abuse, and complex life changes. Hope blends practical tools from CBT and ACT with an attachment-informed view to help people notice recurring relationship or emotional patterns.

Sessions often include talking through reactions, trying small experiments between meetings, and learning ways to respond to stress and intense emotions. She also addresses areas like career strain, caregiver stress, body image, and issues tied to adoption or attachment concerns.

People who value emotional clarity and concrete skills may find this approach useful. To begin, visitors complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session through the provided online options.

Approaches you can expect in online sessions

Emotionally-Focused Therapy focuses on identifying and naming core emotions and the interaction patterns that keep difficult feelings stuck. It is often used when people want clearer understanding of how emotions shape reactions and relationships.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, emphasizes noticing thoughts and feelings without getting pulled into them, and choosing actions that reflect personal values. It can help when stress, anxiety, or avoidance get in the way of everyday goals.

An attachment-informed approach brings attention to early relationship patterns and how they influence current behavior and closeness. This perspective can be useful for people exploring trust, abandonment concerns, or recurring communication problems.

Hope works collaboratively to figure out which approach or combination fits best for a person's needs, goals, and preferences. That means discussing options in early sessions and adjusting the approach as needed rather than assuming a single method from the start.

Confirm the current session formats before booking. The main practical benefits of online work include fitting therapy into a busy schedule, reducing travel time, and offering ways to check in when a shorter session is needed. Some formats use less bandwidth or do not require video, which can make it easier to keep appointments around work, caregiving, or other commitments.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse Depression Coping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesGrief Intimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependency Commitment issues Communication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separation Domestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHearing impairedHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / loneliness Jealousy Life purpose Men's issues Midlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depression Post-traumatic stress Pregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based Therapy Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential Therapy Gottman Method Jungian Therapy Mindfulness Therapy Motivational Interviewing Narrative Therapy Psychodynamic Therapy Solution-Focused Therapy Somatic Therapy Trauma-Focused Therapy Internal Family Systems Systemic Therapy

Experience

22+ years

Listed in

Washington, Massachusetts, Utah, Maine, Connecticut

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address?

She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strain, addiction-related concerns, grief, and ADHD among others.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

She blends Emotionally-Focused Therapy with ACT, CBT, client-centered and attachment-informed ideas. The focus is on naming emotions, noticing patterns, and trying practical strategies.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She brings 22 years of experience in clinical practice and has worked with people who have experienced trauma and emotional abuse.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She holds MA LICSW and CT LCSW credentials and practices in Connecticut.

Can sessions be conducted in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English.

Does she work with clients outside the United States?

She accepts international clients.

How are sessions paid for and what do costs look like?

Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I start a first session?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.

Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.