Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy NYC
CBT Therapy For Overthinking And Self-Criticism
WHEN YOU KEEP DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT, BUT STILL FEEL STUCK
You stay on top of things. You follow through. You think things through carefully, sometimes more than once. From the outside, it looks like you’re handling your life well.
And in many ways, you are.
But underneath, there’s a different experience. The overthinking that doesn’t fully resolve. The pressure to get things right. The second-guessing after conversations. The mental replaying, the what-ifs, the quiet sense that you should be able to figure this out but somehow it keeps repeating.
You’ve probably already tried to work on it. You’ve read, reflected, maybe even done therapy before. You understand why you think the way you do. But the patterns themselves haven’t changed enough.
With the right, evidence-based approach, these patterns can begin to evolve, so you’re not pulled into the same loops and can respond in ways that feel more intentional.
HOW CBT HELPS YOU SHIFT PATTERNS THAT AREN’T SERVING YOU
In our work together, we focus on what’s happening in real time, your thoughts, your reactions, and the patterns that keep repeating. Rather than staying at the level of insight, we work directly with what’s maintaining the anxiety or overthinking so you can begin to respond differently.
CBT focuses on the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we identify what’s reinforcing the cycle and begin to shift it in practical, concrete ways. I also draw from closely related approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps you create space from unhelpful thought patterns, and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which focuses on reframing beliefs shaped by stressful or overwhelming experiences.
This might include stepping back from unhelpful thinking, responding differently to anxiety when it shows up, or changing behaviors that keep the pattern going. The work is active, collaborative, and designed to carry into your day-to-day life.
CBT can help you:
recognize unhelpful thinking patterns
reduce overthinking, second-guessing, and mental loops
respond to anxiety in ways that feel more resonant and effective
alter beliefs that contribute to stress, pressure, or self-doubt
build more consistency, clarity, and follow-through
As a CBT therapist in New York, I offer a structured, thoughtful approach that is both evidence-based and tailored to you. Our work is focused and practical, with an emphasis on creating meaningful, lasting change.
We can start with a consultation, a simple way to talk through what’s been going on and how this work can support you.
I’m Hilary, a CBT Therapist in New York
I support adults who feel stuck in patterns that haven’t shifted, even with insight.
Many of the people I work with understand why they think or react the way they do, but still find themselves caught in overthinking, pressure, self-criticism, or the feeling that their mind never fully turns off.
Together, we focus on what’s actually maintaining those patterns and begin shifting them in ways that feel practical, noticeable, and sustainable in everyday life.
Clients often describe me as steady, thoughtful, and direct. I listen closely, ask precise questions, and offer tools you can use in real time, so therapy leads not only to insight, but to feeling less reactive, more clear internally, and more trusting of yourself.
If you’d like to learn more, you’re welcome to reach out for a consultation, a simple way to start a conversation about what’s been going on and how CBT therapy in New York can support you.
Feeling More Clear and In Control
If you’ve been living in overdrive and wondering why relief doesn’t stick, CBT therapy offers a way to slow things down with a different approach. Together, we focus on what’s actually keeping the patterns going, so you can respond in ways that feel more helpful and sustainable.
Build a more consistent way of responding to your thoughts, emotions, and daily stress
Frequently Asked Questions about Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in New York City
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based approach that focuses on how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected. Instead of only exploring why you feel the way you do, CBT helps you identify patterns that are keeping you stuck and learn practical ways to shift them.
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CBT is more structured and focused on the present. While insight is part of the work, the emphasis is on creating change, helping you respond differently to your thoughts, reduce unhelpful patterns, and build skills you can use in your day-to-day life.
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CBT can be helpful for a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, chronic overthinking, stress, burnout, self-criticism, perfectionism, trauma-related symptoms, relationship challenges, and patterns that leave you feeling emotionally stuck or constantly “on.” It can also support people who struggle with decision-making, setting boundaries, follow-through, or getting caught in cycles of worry, avoidance, or second-guessing themselves.
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In a CBT session, we’ll look at the thoughts, emotional patterns, and behaviors that may be contributing to anxiety, stress, overthinking, or self-doubt. Together, we identify the patterns keeping you stuck and begin practicing more balanced and effective ways of responding. Sessions are collaborative, practical, and insight-oriented, while also helping you apply what you’re learning to everyday life outside of therapy.
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Yes. CBT is designed to support change outside of sessions, not just during them. You may leave therapy with practical tools, exercises, or new ways of responding to anxious thoughts, self-criticism, stress, or relationship patterns that you can apply in your everyday life. Over time, these strategies can help you feel more confident, grounded, and less stuck in automatic patterns.
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It depends on your goals, the patterns you’re working through, and how long those patterns have been present. Some people begin noticing changes within a few weeks, especially as they start applying new tools and ways of responding outside of sessions. For deeper or more long-standing patterns, therapy may take longer, with the focus on creating meaningful and lasting change over time.
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No. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is not about forcing positive thinking or pretending difficult feelings do not exist. It’s about helping you recognize the patterns that may be keeping you stuck, understand how those patterns affect your emotions, relationships, and behavior, and learn more balanced and effective ways of responding to yourself and the situations you face.
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Yes. Many of my clients have done therapy before and already understand their patterns intellectually, yet still find themselves stuck in the same cycles of overthinking, self-criticism, anxiety, or relationship stress. CBT can help bridge the gap between insight and change by helping you respond differently to the patterns that continue showing up in everyday life.
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Yes. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most well-researched and widely used forms of therapy, with strong evidence supporting its effectiveness for anxiety, stress, and trauma-related concerns. I also draw from evidence-based approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) when clinically appropriate, particularly for anxiety and trauma work.
In our work together, I use these approaches in a way that feels flexible, practical, and tailored to you, so therapy is not just insightful, but genuinely useful in your everyday life.