Lorena Allen , LMHC

Lorena Allen is a New York licensed mental health counselor with 11 years of experience. She focuses on helping people cope with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship struggles, and major life changes. She speaks English and Spanish and works with adults facing a range of emotional challenges.

Allen has worked in family court, crisis centers, outpatient substance use programs, and outpatient mental health clinics. She has collaborated with multidisciplinary teams including school staff, psychiatrists, and court and child welfare representatives. That background informs a practical, down-to-earth way of working with clients.

In sessions she creates a welcoming space where clients can talk without judgment. Conversations are direct and focused on everyday concerns like parenting strain, blended family stress, communication breakdowns, and coping after loss. She helps people name feelings, identify small changes, and try manageable strategies between sessions.

Allen also supports people dealing with body image worries, chronic pain or illness, isolation, mood shifts, panic, PTSD symptoms, and separation or divorce. She pays attention to how those problems affect daily routines, sleep, relationships, and work so solutions fit real life.

Clients can expect a collaborative pace. The therapist listens first, then suggests practical steps to reduce distress and build coping skills. For Spanish speakers and those more comfortable in English, she offers care in both languages.

How evidence-based methods translate to online care

Two common techniques she uses are cognitive approaches and mindfulness-based work. Cognitive approaches focus on noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing them with small, real-life experiments to reduce anxiety and depressive thinking. Mindfulness work teaches short, practical exercises to help a person stay present and reduce reactivity, which can ease stress and improve sleep.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work together with each person to choose methods that match their goals, comfort level, and daily routine. That collaboration means techniques can be adjusted as progress is made or as life changes arise.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video lets people show nonverbal cues and have deeper conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a camera is not preferred. Live chat and messaging are useful for quick check-ins, short coaching-style support, or when scheduling a longer session is difficult. These options help fit therapy into work, family life, and unpredictable days while keeping the focus on practical steps and steady progress.