Alanna Kardon-Alkalay , LCSW

Alanna Kardon-Alkalay is a licensed clinical social worker with 15 years of experience based in New York. She has worked in agencies, schools, and private practice, helping adults who face depression, anxiety, ADHD, eating concerns, relationship and parenting stress. Her background includes supporting people who have experienced trauma, sexual and emotional abuse, and neglect.

She earned a Master’s degree at Fordham University in Tarrytown, New York, where she trained in individual counseling and family systems. That training shaped her focus on understanding how personal history and relationships affect current struggles. She draws on a mix of approaches rather than a single technique.

In sessions she often uses cognitive behavioral methods to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She also works in client-centered and narrative ways, listening for each person’s story and helping them find meaning. Mindfulness practices are offered for grounding and managing stress when that fits a client’s needs.

Alanna describes therapy as a collaborative process. She builds individualized plans with input from the person in front of her and adjusts them as life changes. She emphasizes trust and ethical practice as central to the work.

People who come to her usually want practical strategies combined with time to reflect on how past experiences shape the present. She focuses on clear goals and uses treatment approaches that match each person’s situation and preferences.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Alanna often uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people identify patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to anxiety, depression, and stress. CBT offers practical tools and steps people can use between sessions to see real changes in mood and routine.

She also works in a client-centered and narrative way, listening carefully to each person’s story and helping them make sense of life events. This approach focuses on the person’s goals and values, and it can be useful for relationship issues, parenting stress, and questions about life purpose.

Choosing the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will ask about goals, history, and preferences and then try methods that fit those needs. Plans are adjusted over time so techniques that don't help are replaced with different ones.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls let people work face-to-face when bandwidth allows. Phone sessions can be a good option when video is not possible or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and text work well for ongoing check-ins, quick coping strategies, or when someone prefers writing over speaking. These options make scheduling easier and let people get consistent support around work, parenting, and life changes.