About Polly
Polly Mortensen is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York with 21 years of experience. She focuses on helping people handle stress, anxiety, depression, and major life changes. Polly uses straightforward, compassionate support to help clients find practical steps forward.
She began her career in psychiatric rehabilitation and home-based therapy programs. That early work included supporting people with long-term mental health needs and individuals living with HIV.
Background and approach
She later spent many years in vocational and rehabilitation counseling in New York and Florida, helping people with disabilities pursue education and work goals. Polly has also worked with people who have trauma histories and members of the LGBT community. Her background includes work with foster care populations and a variety of emotional and behavioral concerns.
This breadth of experience informs how she tailors sessions to each person’s situation. Her style is warm and direct. Sessions emphasize practical skills, mindful awareness, and clearer thinking about choices.
Polly draws from Client-Centered ideas, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing to shape a plan together. Clients can expect an approachable counselor who listens first, then helps set small, manageable goals. Polly aims to help people build on their strengths, regain a sense of control, and move toward a life that feels more workable and rewarding.
Therapeutic approaches and online sessions that fit your life
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist listens and follows the client's lead; it helps people feel understood and decide on their own goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and patterns and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches concrete skills for regulating intense emotions, improving distress tolerance, and strengthening interpersonal effectiveness.Polly works collaboratively to find the right mix of approaches for each person. She will talk with you about your goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped in the past, then build a plan together and adjust it as needed.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video sessions let you work face-to-face when a deeper conversation is needed. Phone sessions can be a lighter option when bandwidth is limited or you need a shorter check-in. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for quick updates, brief coaching, or when written reflection feels more comfortable. These options make it easier to fit counseling into a busy life while using the approaches above to address stress, mood, relationships, career decisions, and coping with change.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Abandonment
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family conflicts
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Parenting issues
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Relationship issues
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 21 years
- Licensed
- New York
- Languages
- English