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Lillian Tsai

Therapist · New York

Lillian Tsai, LCSW

Compassionate therapist for life transitions

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Review online therapy options on BetterHelp.

  • Strengths focused
  • Trauma informed
  • English and Mandarin

About Lillian

Lillian Tsai is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 20 years of experience. She welcomes people coping with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, and life transitions. She also supports those facing caregiver strain, cancer, aging concerns, and issues like abandonment or codependency. Sessions are offered in English and Mandarin and she practices from New York.

Ms. Tsai uses a client-centered stance that builds on each person’s strengths. She works with practical skills from cognitive behavioral therapy to help manage unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Emotionally-focused ideas guide work on painful relationship patterns and on reconnecting with core emotions.

Her background includes work in hospitals, victim treatment settings, and child welfare agencies. Those roles shaped how she responds to trauma, domestic violence, and end-of-life concerns. She draws on two decades of varied clinical experience to tailor her approach to each person’s needs.

In sessions she prioritizes clear goals and small, workable steps. Solution-focused strategies are used to set short-term targets and track progress week to week. When existential questions come up, she helps people name values and find meaning amid difficult changes.

People who choose her can expect a collaborative relationship focused on practical change and emotional understanding. She encourages clients to take an active role in forming their treatment plan. To begin, follow the site’s Start Therapy flow and complete the matching questionnaire.

Areas of expertise

Also works with

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyDomestic violenceEmptinessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessMidlife crisisPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobia

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

20+ years

Credentials

New York

Languages

English, Mandarin

How her approaches shape online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy centers the person and their goals. It means sessions start from what matters to the client and build on existing strengths to solve problems. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and then practicing concrete skills to change them, which can help with anxiety, depression, and stress. Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps people tune into and name their feelings, and it can be useful when relationship wounds or intense emotions get in the way of daily life.

Choosing the right approach is a joint process. The therapist will listen to your concerns, try different techniques, and adjust the plan based on your goals and preferences. Clients and the therapist work together to decide which mix of skills work and when to explore deeper emotional material.

The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, allow for shorter check-ins during a workday, or avoid travel time to an office. It also lets people choose whether to focus on skills practice, emotional processing, or problem-solving in a given session so therapy fits everyday life.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she help with?

She helps people managing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and major life changes, as well as caregiver strain, cancer-related concerns, and issues like codependency and isolation.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is client-centered and collaborative, with an emphasis on using a person’s strengths. She mixes practical skills work with emotional exploration to meet short- and long-term goals.

What experience does she bring?

She has 20 years of clinical experience working in hospitals, victim treatment settings, and child welfare agencies, which informs her work with trauma and end-of-life issues.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She holds an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) credential and is located in New York.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English and Mandarin, and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are available?

The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking through the Start Therapy flow.

How is cost handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

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