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Elizabeth Kotkin

Elizabeth Kotkin

LMFT

New York

Compassionate therapist focused on practical change

Continue with Elizabeth

At a glance

Credentials
LMFT
License
LMFT, New York / 000974; LMFT, California / 19511
Experience
35 years
Languages
English
Location
New York

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.

    • Motivational interviewing
    • Trauma informed care
    • Practical skill building

    About Elizabeth

    Elizabeth Kotkin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 35 years of clinical experience. She practices in New York and focuses on helping people who are facing depression, anxiety, grief, and major life changes. Her style is warm and straightforward, aimed at making therapy practical and understandable for busy lives.

    She uses Motivational Interviewing to help clients find their own reasons for change and build momentum. She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where people can talk through painful memories. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used when practical skill-building can ease symptoms and change unhelpful patterns.

    Kotkin has long experience working with trauma and abuse, including post-traumatic stress and recovery after sexual assault. She also supports people dealing with addiction, codependency, and family of origin issues. Many clients seek help for relationship and intimacy-related concerns, social anxiety, and difficulty managing stress and sleep.

    Her work often focuses on women navigating midlife, but she helps anyone coping with abandonment, divorce, aging, or the strain of caregiving and compassion fatigue. She guides people through grief, anger, and the challenges of parenting and ADHD-related struggles.

    Sessions emphasize clear goals, steady progress, and practical tools for everyday life. Prospective clients who want to begin are invited to use the site’s Start Therapy flow to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

  2. How her approaches translate to online work

    Motivational Interviewing helps clients clarify their own goals and motivation. Sessions focus on conversations that uncover personal values and small, doable steps toward change, which can be paced over several appointments. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and acceptance; in practice this means the therapist offers a respectful space for people to tell their story and be heard without judgment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers concrete tools and exercises to shift thoughts and behaviors, such as sleep strategies, activity planning, and techniques for managing anxiety.

    Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist works collaboratively with each person to decide which combination of methods fits their needs, goals, and preferences. That plan can change as work progresses, with the client and therapist checking in regularly about what is helping.

    Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. They also let people use tools like worksheets or behavior plans between meetings, so therapeutic work can continue between sessions.

  4. Areas of expertise

    Primary focus

    AddictionsTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteemDepression

    Also works with

    Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

    Additional focus areas

    AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesCodependencyDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionFamily of origin issuesGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessMidlife crisisPost-traumatic stressSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

    Therapeutic approaches

    Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Motivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

    Experience

    35+ years

    Listed in

    New York, California

    Languages

    English

  5. Frequently asked questions

    What concerns does this therapist address?

    She helps people with depression, anxiety, trauma and grief. Other focus areas include addictions, relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting, sleep problems, and ADHD.

    What is her therapeutic style like?

    Her style is warm and direct. She emphasizes practical tools, goal setting, and conversations that help clients find their own reasons for change.

    How much clinical experience does she have?

    She brings 35 years of professional experience working in therapeutic settings across New York and California.

    What credentials and where does she practice?

    She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with CA LMFT and NY LMFT credentials and practices in New York.

    Which languages are supported for sessions?

    Sessions are offered in English only.

    Can international clients work with her?

    She is not accepting international clients at this time.

    How are fees and payment handled?

    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?

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

  6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

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Elizabeth Kotkin Continue with Elizabeth