- Emotion-focused work
- Skill based methods
- Substance use focus
About Marilyn
Marilyn Bryan DeBernardo is a New York Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with 25 years of clinical experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, depression, and relationship concerns. She also supports those coping with trauma, parenting strain, eating issues, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and career-related stress.
She uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Sessions emphasize identifying feelings, improving patterns of relating, and learning practical skills to manage strong emotions. Conversations are straightforward and focused on what is happening now in relationships and daily life.
Her background includes long-term work in community and clinical settings across the Capital Region of New York. That experience means she is familiar with addiction-related concerns, codependency, and problems that come with co-occurring mental health and substance issues. She also has experience addressing grief, loss, and the stress that comes with caregiving and major life changes.
Marilyn aims to help clients notice unhelpful cycles, name core emotions, and try new ways of reacting. She combines emotion-focused work with evidence-informed skills training when helpful. Conversations may include practice assignments and short skills coaching between sessions.
People considering sessions will find clear explanations of therapeutic steps and referrals to community resources when appropriate. She works in English and accepts international clients. Before booking, confirm current session formats and scheduling details.
How her approaches translate to online work
Emotionally-Focused Therapy focuses on identifying core emotions and shifting patterns in how people respond to those feelings. Online sessions can be used to reflect on relationship patterns, practice new ways of connecting, and try emotion-focused exercises in real time.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that match their values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses short exercises to change unhelpful patterns. Both approaches lend themselves to focused practice and homework between sessions, which can be reviewed during online meetings.
Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work and will happen collaboratively. Marilyn will discuss goals and preferences, and adapt methods based on what the client needs and responds to. That makes it easier to try different tools and see what helps.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online meetings can make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, or avoid travel time. They also let people practice skills in the settings where problems occur. Ask about format lengths and scheduling when arranging the first session.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, relationship issues, trauma, parenting strain, eating issues, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and related concerns.
What approach does she use in sessions?
She uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy along with ACT, CBT, DBT, and Client-Centered approaches to address emotions, behavior, and relationship patterns.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of clinical experience working in community and clinical settings throughout the Capital Region of New York.
What are her credentials and location?
She is a New York Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing from New York.
In which language are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How does payment work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a 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.