- Client-centered approach
- Practical coping tools
- Goal focused work
About Derek
Derek Bakay is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York. He brings 15 years of counseling experience and a warm, interactive approach to sessions. Derek focuses on practical steps people can use to reduce stress, manage anxiety, and navigate life changes.
He combines Client-Centered Therapy with elements of cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused work to tailor each meeting to the person in front of him. Derek pays close attention to a client's strengths and goals and helps shape short-term plans that feel achievable. Conversations are respectful, nonjudgmental, and aimed at real-life change.
Many clients seek his help for career concerns, depression, relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting strain, and caregiver stress. He also supports people dealing with chronic illness, aging or geriatric challenges, blended family dynamics, and questions about life purpose or midlife changes. Sessions often include practical tools for communication, coping, and decision making.
Derek emphasizes collaboration: he listens first, then suggests steps based on what the person says matters most. He does not use stigmatizing labels and treats each person with sensitivity and compassion. Progress is tracked in ways that match the client’s goals and pace.
To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule according to the therapist's availability. Derek works in English and practices in New York as an LMHC.
How therapeutic approaches guide online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on seeing the person first and listening without judgment. In practice this means sessions start by understanding what matters most to the client and building goals together. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts and behaviors keep problems going and teaches concrete skills to shift them, which can help with anxiety, depression, and stress. Solution-Focused Therapy zeroes in on small, practical changes and next steps that move people toward the life they want.Choosing the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will work collaboratively with each person to figure out which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That choice can shift over time as priorities change and progress is made.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy day, reduce travel time, or allow for shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets people try different ways of working without changing their routine. Licensed professionals and therapists commonly adapt pacing, homework, and communication style so the work fits into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Listed in
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does this therapist help with?
Derek helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, career concerns, and major life changes. He also supports those facing caregiver stress, chronic illness or disability, relationship and intimacy-related struggles, and questions about life purpose.
What is his therapeutic style like?
He uses a warm, interactive style that centers the person’s experience. Sessions blend Client-Centered Therapy with cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused techniques to create practical steps clients can use.
How much experience does he have?
He has 15 years of professional counseling experience working across clinical settings. That background informs his practical, strengths-based approach.
What credentials and location apply?
He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in New York. The LMHC credential is shown as provided by the therapist.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with him?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps start the process?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.