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About Monica Polanco, LCSW

I can help you develop an enduring connection with your loved one and a new life worth living.

I’m a bilingual Latina and New York-based therapist who specializes in treating women who are mourning a loved one.

Let’s treat your emotions with compassion and tenderness.

All of your feelings are welcome in therapy, even the anger you may feel toward your loved one for leaving you or the relief you may feel if your loved one had a long illness.

You're here because you know staying stuck isn’t serving you or your loved one.

Grief triggers a massive readjustment. Your work now is to orient yourself to a new world. That includes making sense of your loved one’s absence, reflecting on their legacy and constructing a new identity. This is a profound form of spiritual learning.

After the burial, after your friends and family have returned to their daily rhythms, you’re left with the silence. I will meet you there. Together, we will tune our ears to the wind, listening for the call of beloved memories, the wail of pain and the flutter of new melodies.

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How I work:

At the core of my approach to therapy is a belief that you are innately resilient and creative.

Grief launches you into a relationship with yourself like nothing else. Once you accept that your loved one is never coming back and that your life is forever altered, the energy that was shackled to the past becomes liberated. Now, you can dream again and take action.

Therapy with me is…

  • I pride myself in listening deeply and respecting your pace. I take things one step at a time, building awareness, compassion and connection as we go. I consider you the expert of your grief. I will walk beside you, highlighting your strengths and exploring stepping stones on your path.

  • I create a personalized treatment plan that considers your skills, goals and readiness for change. A soulful listener, I incorporate your use of language and metaphor into our sessions. I draw on a range of techniques, honed during my nearly 15-year career, to support your evolving needs.

  • I prioritize your goals during each session. I ask questions that inspire breakthroughs when you need them most. I suggest activities outside of therapy that help you feel more energized,  accomplished and proud of yourself.

Specializing in…

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My Training & Education

    • New York University, Master of Social Work

    • Licensed Clinical Social Worker, License #084483

    • Facilitating Adaptation to Loss: Incorporating PGT Principles in Clinical Work.

    • The Lived Experience of Grieving.

    • Integrating Grief: A Strengths-Based Approach.

    • Gestalt Therapy

    • Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Older Adults

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Get in touch

I can help you heal.

Healthy living is cultivated by having someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to. If you’re ready, I’d be honored to help you create an unbreakable connection to your loved one and discover a new sense of belonging and meaning.

Click this link to choose a day and time for a free, 15-minute consultation.

— Receive compassionate support.

— Create an enduring bond with your loved one.

— Reconnect with your vitality.

— Receive compassionate support. — Create an enduring bond with your loved one. — Reconnect with your vitality.