Stephanie Camardella

You've probably tried to hold it together for a long time — and you're tired. Whether you're navigating the aftermath of trauma, managing a dual diagnosis, or simply trying to understand why life keeps feeling so hard, you deserve a therapist who meets you exactly where you are.

I'm Stephanie, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a post-graduate certification in Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) and extensive experience working with trauma, addiction recovery, and co-occurring mental health conditions. My background spans individual and group therapy across residential and outpatient treatment settings, and I've led multidisciplinary clinical teams focused on stabilization, recovery, and long-term wellbeing. I hold a Master of Social Work from Adelphi University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from SUNY New Paltz.

What sets my work apart is my certification as an EAGALA-certified equine-assisted mental health professional — an experiential modality that goes beyond the therapy room to help clients access healing in a genuinely different way. I bring that same outside-the-box thinking to every session, drawing from a wide toolkit rather than a rigid protocol.

I'm warm, direct, and deeply collaborative. I won't pretend to have all the answers, but I will show up as a grounded, nonjudgmental partner who's genuinely invested in your growth. My clients often describe our work together as challenging and affirming at the same time — because that's what real change tends to feel like.

My approach is integrative, holistic, and built around you — not a textbook.

I start from a foundation of Humanistic, Relational, and Attachment-Based Therapy, which means our relationship itself is a therapeutic tool. From there, I tailor the work using evidence-based frameworks that match your specific needs:

• For trauma and PTSD, I draw on Trauma-Focused CBT, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Seeking Safety — approaches grounded in research and designed to help you process what happened without being retraumatized by it.
• For everyday patterns and habits, I integrate CBT, ACT, Behavioral Activation, and Problem-Solving Therapy to help you identify what's keeping you stuck and build practical skills for change.
• For deeper emotional work, I incorporate Emotion-Focused Therapy, Gestalt, Psychodynamic and Jungian approaches, and when appropriate, expressive modalities like art therapy to reach what talk alone sometimes can't.
• For relationships and family dynamics, I lean on Bowen Family Systems, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, and Psychoeducational Family Therapy.
• To build on your strengths, I weave in Positive Psychology, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing — because healing isn't just about reducing symptoms, it's about reclaiming what's possible.

I believe therapy works best when it's personalized, strength-based, and honest. You are the expert on your own life; I bring the clinical training and the tools.

Your first session will feel less like an intake and more like a real conversation.

I'll ask about what brought you to therapy, your background, and what you're hoping for — but I won't rush you through a checklist. My goal for that first meeting is simple: I want you to leave feeling genuinely heard and with a sense of what our work together could look like.

By the end of the session, we'll start sketching out a personalized, strength-based roadmap — one that reflects your goals, your pace, and your life circumstances. You'll have a clear picture of how I work and whether we're a good fit.

Come as you are. You don't have to have it figured out to show up.