Danny El Hassan , LMHC

Danny El Hassan, M.Ed., M.A., is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in New York. He brings an integrative, strength-based perspective to therapy that draws on psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, person-centered, existential, and multicultural approaches to support adults and older adults facing a range of concerns including anxiety, depression, and mood disturbances. Danny also has clinical training in abnormal psychology and experience working with self-harming behavior, which informs his attention to safety and symptom patterns in assessment and treatment.

He prioritizes increasing self-awareness and insight by exploring unconscious factors and relational patterns, yet he is equally equipped to offer short-term, goal-focused work when clients prefer more directive strategies. His published work includes contributions to research on the experiences of LGBT elders in the Journal of Homosexuality, and he has studied micro-aggressions faced by people with disabilities, reflecting a long-standing interest in multicultural and aging-related issues.

Danny has practical experience in telehealth and phone counseling, including crisis support, and values the accessibility that remote care can offer. Across brief and longer-term work, he aims to build on client strengths and collaborate on clear, realistic goals that address stress, relationships, identity, coping with life changes, and other areas of concern.

Therapeutic Approaches That Work Well Online

Danny commonly draws on Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in online work. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a supportive, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist follows the client’s lead to build self-understanding and self-worth - an approach useful for self-esteem, relationship concerns, grief, and identity-related issues. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors with practical strategies and skill building, making it well suited for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and coping with mood or attention-related challenges.

Danny also integrates existential ideas when clients are grappling with meaning, life transitions, or feelings of emptiness, helping them explore values and personal choices. Deciding which approach to emphasize is a collaborative process - the therapist works with the client to match methods to the client’s needs, goals, and preferences, and adjustments are made as therapy progresses.

Online formats such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging can make these approaches more accessible and flexible for many people. Licensed professionals and therapists can adapt exercises, discussion, and homework to remote sessions, allowing clients to engage in therapy from home, during breaks, or while managing complex schedules.