Dr. Helen Garinger

I came to therapy by an unusual path. I spent twenty years teaching art to K-8 students before becoming a school counselor, then earning my doctorate in Counseling Psychology at UConn, with graduate training at Harvard and the Beck and Albert Ellis Institutes. That background in education and child development shapes how I work: I understand people across the lifespan, from kids navigating school to adults carrying wounds that started there. I've spent nearly two decades training the next generation of counselors, and I bring that same depth of knowledge and care to every client I see.

My approach is eclectic, but grounded in two core frameworks: cognitive-rational therapy and humanistic theory. Cognitive work, rooted in CBT and REBT, helps us examine the thoughts and beliefs that drive how you feel and act, and replace the ones that aren't serving you. The humanistic side keeps us focused on you as a whole person: your strengths, your values, and your capacity to grow. I draw on whichever tools fit the moment, including the arts as a therapeutic tool when that feels right. The goal is always practical insight you can actually use.

Our first session is a real conversation, not an intake form. We'll spend time getting to know each other, going over things like confidentiality so you feel fully informed, and most importantly, talking through what's brought you in and what you're hoping to change. I also think fit matters. Therapy works best when there's genuine connection and trust, so our first session is as much about you deciding whether I'm the right person for you as anything else. Come as you are; there's no pressure to have it all figured out.