Elisa Mantel-Smith

Elisa Mantel-Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-R) based in New York. She draws on ten years of clinical practice to help people facing stress, anxiety, eating and food-related issues, grief, and relationship concerns. Her approach aims to meet people where they are and provide steady support as they work toward clearer days.

She earned a Master of Social Work from Columbia University and has provided care across individual, family, and group settings. That background includes helping people manage fertility and caregiving stress, cope with illness such as cancer, and address trauma and abuse. Elisa uses practical strategies alongside emotional support so people can handle what’s happening now.

In sessions she focuses on building an authentic, collaborative relationship. She uses client-centered methods to follow each person’s priorities, and cognitive behavioral tools to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits. Emotionally-focused and trauma-informed ways of working help when attachment, loss, or past hurt are central concerns.

Elisa also draws on solution-focused techniques to set small, achievable goals and track progress. Her work includes support for body image, obsessive-compulsive patterns, panic, and coping with life transitions. She aims to help people feel more capable and connected to their goals.

People who contact her can expect straightforward conversation and concrete steps to try between meetings. Her practice emphasizes respect, clear goals, and steady support as people change their patterns and rebuild confidence.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Elisa blends client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy to create practical, people-focused work. Client-centered therapy means the conversation follows the person's priorities, with the therapist listening and reflecting so goals feel relevant. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing different behaviors to reduce anxiety, manage mood, or change eating-related patterns.

She also uses emotionally-focused ideas when attachment and relationship patterns are involved, helping people notice feelings and how they shape interactions. Choosing the right approach is a team effort - the therapist will talk with the client about their needs, goals, and preferences and then decide together which methods to try first.

If you are interested in online therapy, confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are available. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Many people find that clear goals and practical strategies translate well to remote sessions, and a collaborative plan can help track progress between meetings.