If you’ve typed “mental health counseling near me” into Google at 11 p.m. while sitting on the edge of your bed, you already know how hard the search can be. Staten Island has no shortage of therapists, group practices, and outpatient programs — but “available” isn’t the same as “right for you.” The borough’s roughly 475,000 residents are served by a patchwork of solo practitioners, boutique counseling centers, hospital-affiliated clinics, and community health programs, and sorting through all of it while you’re already stressed is exhausting.
We put this guide together to make that search shorter. Below, you’ll find an honest, side-by-side look at ten counseling centers currently serving Staten Island — what each one is known for, who they tend to fit best, and what to ask before you book a first session. Full disclosure: this guide is published by Mindful Therapy Solutions LCSW PLLC, and we’re proud to be included on it — but we’ve described every practice on this list as accurately and fairly as we could, because the only thing worse than not finding a therapist is finding the wrong one.
How We Evaluated These Staten Island Counseling Centers
We looked at five things for every practice on this list:
- Licensure and clinical oversight — are sessions led by licensed clinicians (LCSW, LMHC, LMFT, PhD) with real supervision structures, not just interns working alone?
- Range of services — can the practice support a client through different life stages and issues, or is it limited to one niche?
- Evidence-based approaches — does the practice use modalities with actual research behind them, like CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed care?
- Accessibility — location, insurance acceptance, teletherapy options, and appointment availability.
- Reputation in the community — public reviews, longevity, and how clients describe the experience of actually walking through the door.
Here’s how the field stacks up.
1. Mindful Therapy Solutions LCSW PLLC — Staten Island’s Most Comprehensive Counseling Practice
📍 12 Jefferson Blvd, 2nd Floor, Staten Island, NY 10312 | 📞 718-966-0317
At the top of our list — and consistently named among Staten Island’s top-rated counseling and mental health providers — is Mindful Therapy Solutions LCSW PLLC. There’s a simple reason this practice keeps coming up when Staten Islanders ask friends, doctors, and Facebook groups where to go: it’s built less like a single therapist’s office and more like a full clinical team, while still feeling personal.
The practice was founded by Elissa Donner-Guzman, LCSW-R, CASAC, SAP, who brings more than 19 years of clinical experience and holds advanced credentials most solo practices simply don’t have — including certification as a Department of Transportation SAP evaluator, training in Critical Incident Debriefing, and specialized work with both court-mandated reunifications and voluntary clients. Under her direction, Mindful Therapy Solutions has grown into what she calls a teaching practice: a structured, tiered training and supervision model that keeps every clinician — from newly licensed associates to seasoned clinical supervisors — accountable to the same high standard of care. That matters more than it might sound like it does. A lot of group practices grow by adding names to a website; this one grows by training people the same rigorous way the founder herself was trained.
The clinical team includes Dr. Racine Henry, LMFT and Michelle Perlongo, LMHC-D as Clinical Supervisors, alongside therapists Canada Baltimore, LMSW and Brandi Monroe-Vislosky, LMSW — giving the practice real depth across specialties rather than a single point of failure if your therapist is on vacation or fully booked.
What sets Mindful Therapy Solutions apart:
- Full-lifespan, full-issue coverage. The practice treats children, adolescents, and adults, with dedicated individual therapy, psychotherapy, depression therapy, couples counseling, and family and group therapy — so you’re not stuck switching providers as your needs change.
- Evidence-based, individualized treatment. Therapists draw from CBT, DBT, Solution-Focused techniques, mindfulness practices, and trauma-informed care, tailored session-by-session rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all script.
- A real, private, in-person office. The practice’s HIPAA-compliant Staten Island office is designed to feel calm and confidential — many clients and the team itself note that in-person sessions tend to produce faster, deeper progress than video calls alone, though teletherapy is also available for convenience.
- Addiction and co-occurring disorder expertise, a specialty that’s surprisingly rare among general counseling centers but is built into the founder’s own credentials.
- A pattern of genuinely warm client experiences. Visitors to the practice’s testimonials page describe a front-desk and clinical staff that “go above and beyond,” with one Brooklyn client writing that the people working the desk are “welcoming, friendly, and genuine” — the kind of detail that’s hard to fake.
If you’re trying to decide where to start, Mindful Therapy Solutions is the rare practice that can realistically be a long-term clinical home — for you individually, as a couple, or as a family — rather than just a single-issue stop. You can read more about the practice’s mission, browse answers to common questions on the FAQ page, or go ahead and request a free consultation to set up an initial assessment.
2. My Quiet Place Counseling
📍 2381 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10306
Led by Marina Krugolets, LMHC, LPC, My Quiet Place Counseling has served the South Shore since 2014, offering individual, couples, and family psychotherapy along with parenting consults. The practice is known for an eclectic approach blending CBT, mindfulness, and person-centered therapy, and it has built a notable specialty in geriatric psychotherapy and adjustment issues related to aging, dementia, and chronic illness — a niche many general practices don’t cover. Both in-person and video sessions are offered.
3. SilverLake Psychotherapy Associates
📍 Staten Island, NY
One of the longest-running practices on this list, SilverLake Psychotherapy Associates has served Staten Island and Richmond County since 1998. It’s a multi-clinician group practice offering individual, couple, child, and family psychotherapy, with senior clinical staff supervising care across the team. The practice accepts a wide range of insurance plans (including GHI, HIP, Aetna, Cigna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield) and runs a DBT-informed treatment track specifically for adolescents and their families.
4. Crasmere Psychiatric Services
📍 Staten Island, NY
Crasmere positions itself as a one-stop option for clients who may need both psychiatric medication management and talk therapy under the same roof. The multi-specialty group includes psychiatrists, psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers, and the practice offers individual therapy, group therapy, parenting classes, and marriage counseling. It treats a broad range of conditions, from mood and anxiety disorders to more complex psychiatric presentations.
5. Silver Lake Behavioral Health
📍 Staten Island, NY (North Shore, near Silver Lake)
Originally established in 2001 as Silver Lake Support Services, this outpatient center focuses primarily on chemical dependency and co-occurring mental health treatment, including DUI/DWI screening, case management, and family therapy components for clients in recovery. It’s a strong option specifically for Staten Islanders whose mental health concerns are intertwined with substance use, though its scope is narrower than a general counseling practice.
6. Tree of Life Mental Health Counseling
📍 2460 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314
Founded in 2015 by Krystie DeCicco, Tree of Life was built around the idea that Staten Island residents shouldn’t have to commute to Manhattan or Brooklyn for quality, creative therapy. The practice specializes in anxiety, social anxiety, depression, and life transitions, and is notable for offering Sand Tray Therapy, a more experiential, less talk-heavy approach that can work well for clients (including teens) who find traditional talk therapy hard to access.
7. Holistic Mental Health Counseling Services
📍 2460 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314
This women-owned practice takes a body-based approach to trauma, anxiety, and depression, using somatic techniques like Brainspotting, Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), and Internal Family Systems work. The core idea is that trauma is stored in the body, not just processed in the mind — so sessions look and feel different from standard talk therapy. It’s worth a look for clients who’ve tried traditional CBT and felt like something was still missing.
8. Island of Hope Counseling
📍 Staten Island, NY 10308
Established in 2016, Island of Hope is a team-based practice offering psychotherapy to children, teens, adults, and older adults, with particular focus on anxiety, depression, panic attacks, behavioral problems, and marital counseling. The practice is known for flexible scheduling, including evening and weekend appointments, and works to stay in-network with a wide range of insurance plans.
9. Karen L. Goldman, LMHC, BCPC
📍 Staten Island, NY 10310
A solo practice with deep roots in the community, Karen L. Goldman has provided grief and bereavement counseling on Staten Island for over 25 years. She’s also the founder of Emma’s Place, Staten Island’s only not-for-profit grief education and counseling center for children. For Staten Islanders navigating loss specifically — whether sudden or after a long illness — this is one of the borough’s most specialized resources.
10. Love Yourself First Counseling, LCSW, PLLC
📍 2483 Arthur Kill Rd, Staten Island, NY 10309
Founded by Brianna Postelnek, LCSW, this boutique South Shore practice works with older adolescents, adults, and elderly clients on ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, and grief, using CBT alongside creative arts and music therapy delivered by an LCAT on staff. It’s a good fit for clients specifically interested in a smaller, closely-held practice with a non-traditional, arts-integrated treatment option.
How to Choose the Right Mental Health Counseling Center in Staten Island
Every practice above is staffed by licensed professionals, but “licensed” is the floor, not the ceiling. A few questions worth asking before your first appointment:
- Is the clinician licensed at the level your concern requires? An LMSW typically works under supervision; an LCSW, LCSW-R, LMHC-D, or LMFT carries independent, advanced licensure. For complex trauma, addiction, or co-occurring conditions, ask specifically about the supervising clinician’s credentials.
- Does the practice treat your specific issue, or just “everything a little”? A practice that names anxiety, depression, trauma, or family conflict as core specialties (rather than a long, generic list) tends to have more developed protocols for that issue.
- In-person or teletherapy — which actually fits your life? Both formats have real research support, but many clients find that in-person sessions in a private, calming office reduce distractions and build trust faster, especially for trauma work.
- What happens if your first therapist isn’t the right match? Larger group practices like Mindful Therapy Solutions can usually re-match you with another clinician on the team without starting your search over from scratch — something a solo practitioner can’t offer.
- Does the practice make it easy to actually start? A free consultation or initial phone call should leave you with a clear next step, not more confusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the best mental health counselor in Staten Island for my specific situation?
Start by naming your primary concern as specifically as you can — anxiety, a relationship issue, grief, a teen’s behavior — and look for a practice that lists that as a core specialty rather than an afterthought. From there, a free consultation call is the fastest way to gauge fit before committing to a full intake.
Does insurance cover mental health counseling in Staten Island?
Many local practices, including group practices with multiple in-network clinicians, accept major insurance plans such as Aetna, Cigna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Coverage details vary by plan and provider, so it’s worth confirming directly with the practice — most, including Mindful Therapy Solutions, are happy to verify benefits before your first session.
What’s the difference between an LCSW, LMHC, and LMFT?
All three are independently licensed mental health clinicians in New York, but their training emphasizes different lenses: LCSWs (Licensed Clinical Social Workers) are trained with a strong focus on the whole person and their environment; LMHCs (Licensed Mental Health Counselors) focus on counseling theory and technique; and LMFTs (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists) specialize in relational and family systems work. In practice, all three can treat anxiety, depression, and trauma effectively — the better question is the individual clinician’s specific experience.
Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?
Research generally shows teletherapy can be effective for many concerns, particularly ongoing maintenance care. That said, many Staten Island providers — including Mindful Therapy Solutions — note that clients who start with in-person sessions in a private, distraction-free office often build rapport and momentum faster, which is especially true for trauma-focused or family work.
How much does therapy typically cost in Staten Island, and are sliding-scale options available?
Costs vary widely depending on whether you’re using insurance, paying out-of-pocket, or working with a community health program. Group practices with multiple clinicians and broad insurance networks tend to offer more flexibility on cost than solo, fee-for-service practitioners. It’s reasonable — and expected — to ask about session fees during your initial consultation.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’ve read this far, you’re already doing the hardest part: deciding it’s time to get support. Mindful Therapy Solutions LCSW PLLC offers a free consultation to help you find the right fit on the first try — whether that’s individual, couples, or family therapy. Contact us today at 718-966-0317 or schedule your initial assessment online.