Emily-Rose Santamaria , LCSW

Emily-Rose Santamaria is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) practicing in Connecticut with four years of professional experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, mood concerns, trauma and abuse, and relationship or family difficulties. Her approach is warm and interactive and she treats clients with sensitivity and respect.

Emily-Rose sees therapy as a team effort. She focuses on the person, not labels, and builds on each person’s strengths. Sessions emphasize practical skills alongside reflection so people can manage day-to-day challenges more easily.

Her work draws on several methods, including cognitive-behavioral ideas, attachment-focused thinking, dialectical behavior approaches, and client-centered practices. She mixes tools to fit the person’s situation rather than using one fixed method. That allows her to tailor conversations and plans to what each person needs most.

Clients often come for help with anxiety and depression, anger and mood concerns, ADHD, grief, addiction-related worries, and issues around intimacy or parenting. She also supports people dealing with family of origin problems, adoption and foster care matters, and body image or identity concerns, including LGBT matters.

Emily-Rose aims to create a respectful space where people can name their goals and try straightforward steps toward them. She encourages small, doable changes and checks in about what is working. The result is a practical, collaborative path that fits the person’s life and priorities.

Approaches that translate to online care

Attachment-based therapy looks at how past relationships shape current connections and provides ways to repair trust and closeness. It can help with intimacy issues, family of origin pain, and attachment concerns by naming patterns and trying new ways of relating. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. It offers clear, practical exercises for anxiety, depression, and stress that are easy to practice between sessions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills that help with mood swings, anger, and intense feelings.

Finding the right approach is part of treatment. The therapist will work together with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. Plans are adjusted over time based on what helps most, and clients are encouraged to give feedback about pace and focus.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and skill practice. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging let people send notes, updates, or brief coaching between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or busy schedules while keeping a steady support routine.