Licensed to practice in 3 states and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Anger Management, Anxiety, Trauma and PTSD and 4 more.
(he/him)
New to Grow
Hi, I’m Dan Hoefling (he/him), a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, trauma specialist, and the founder of New Chapter Mental Health Counseling. I provide active, collaborative virtual therapy for adults across New York, Florida, and Vermont who feel stuck in repetitive loops of anxiety, childhood trauma, or intense emotional triggers like anger. My clients often describe me as patient, deeply listening, and grounded, but I am not the kind of therapist who just nods along silently while you vent. My approach is highly active and integrative, blending Internal Family Systems parts work with somatic, body-centered awareness and mindfulness tools. I believe that your current struggles, whether that looks like a harsh inner critic, an automatic defensive reaction, or a constant state of physical restlessness, are simply survival strategies that your system built to protect you. Outside of my clinical credentials as a Level 2 Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, my background in yoga and meditation heavily shapes how I work. I don't see you as a list of symptoms to be fixed, but as a whole person capable of deep resilience. Together, we work to safely step out of survival mode, replace self-blame with genuine curiosity, and help you author your next chapter.
Starting therapy can feel intimidating, especially when it is virtual. Knowing exactly what to expect can help ease some of that initial anxiety. Our very first session together is all about building a safe foundation, pacing the work to match your comfort level, and establishing a clear sense of collaboration. We will not be diving headfirst into deep trauma or heavy topics right away. We will begin our first fifty minutes with a casual introduction to help you settle into the virtual space, checking in on how you are feeling in the moment and ensuring your environment feels private and comfortable. I will also rewiew topics from the informed consent including confidentiality and limits to confidentiality, and address any questions you have. From there, we will look at what brought you to therapy right now. I will ask you about the specific loops you feel stuck in—whether that looks like racing thoughts, sudden emotional triggers, or a harsh inner critic—and we will discuss what true relief actually looks like for you in your daily life. Next, we will map out a broad overview of your story, though you only have to share what you feel completely ready to share. My goal is simply to understand the protective patterns you’ve developed over time and how they show up today. Before we log off, we will talk about next steps, discuss how frequently we should meet to maintain your momentum, and leave plenty of time for you to ask me any questions about my process. My primary goal is that you leave our first session feeling deeply heard, respected, and clear about the path forward.
The greatest strength I bring to our sessions is my clinical flexibility. I don't believe a therapist should force you into a rigid box, because your needs will change from week to week, and my approach changes with you. Some days you will walk into our virtual session carrying a heavy emotional weight and simply need a safe, patient space to be deeply heard, seen, and validated. On those days, I sit back and hold that space for you without judgment, allowing the session to flow organically wherever your system needs to go. Other days, you might find yourself completely stuck in a loop of disruptive thought patterns, self-blame, or reactive behaviors. In those moments, I take a more active, directive role. I am more likely to gently push back, challenge those old narratives, and help you look at things from a different angle so we stay anchored to your real-life treatment goals. What truly makes my style unique is this balance between deep empathy and active accountability. I operate on the firm belief that you are already doing the absolute best you can with the tools you currently have, which means my space is entirely free of criticism. However, I am also deeply invested in your real-world relief. I combine this supportive, non-judgmental presence with practical guidance, ensuring you leave our sessions not just feeling heard, but feeling equipped to handle whatever triggers show up in your daily life.
My ideal clients are adults who feel exhausted by chronic loops of anxiety, intense emotional triggers like sudden anger, or the heavy weight of early childhood trauma. Physically, they often live in a state of constant restlessness, feeling as though their nervous system is permanently stuck on high alert. Mentally, they are plagued by a harsh, critical inner voice that transforms minor setbacks into deep-seated self-blame and hidden shame. Many of the individuals who find their way to my practice are actively seeking something beyond traditional talk therapy. They are often insightful and can intellectually pinpoint exactly why they feel the way they do, yet they remain deeply frustrated because that insight hasn't translated into real-world emotional relief. They are looking for an active, specialized approach that bridges the mind and body, recognizing that their automatic defenses are actually protective patterns trying to help them survive. The primary therapy goals of my ideal clients center on reclaiming a sense of internal control and agency over their daily lives. They want to move away from reactive survival modes and step into active nervous system regulation. Together, we work to untangle old thought patterns, process early trauma wounds, and quiet that loud inner critic. Their ultimate goal is to build conscious, healthy boundaries, swap out debilitating self-judgment for genuine curiosity, and firmly establish the practical tools necessary to confidently author the next chapter of their lives.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
In my practice, I do not use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a rigid formula, but rather as a practical tool to help you identify how your thoughts, physical sensations, and behaviors impact one another. Many of our most disruptive behaviors begin as automatic thoughts or underlying core beliefs that we formed long ago to protect ourselves. By bringing these hidden patterns into the light, we can gently examine them and test out new, healthier ways of responding to stress. I use CBT to help you build active accountability and practical coping strategies, allowing you to challenge a harsh inner critic and consciously change the daily habits or thought loops that keep you feeling stuck.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
I utilize Internal Family Systems, or parts work, to help you look at your internal world with curiosity rather than self-blame. From this perspective, we understand that your mind is made up of different parts, such as an anxious part, a reactive anger part, or a perfectionist part, which all developed with the good intention of protecting you from pain or shame. Instead of fighting against these overwhelming emotions, we work together to understand their protective roles and safely heal the underlying vulnerabilities they are guarding. This gentle approach allows you to step out of internal conflict and lead your life from a place of calm, confidence, and self-compassion.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Therapy is foundational to my approach because healing cannot happen if you are constantly trapped in your head or running on autopilot. I weave mindfulness practices into our sessions to help you develop the ability to observe your thoughts, emotions, and urges in real-time without immediate judgment. By learning to anchor yourself in the present moment, you can create a crucial pause between experiencing an emotional trigger and choosing your response. This practice helps to quiet a racing mind, lower your overall stress, and build a reliable internal anchor that keeps you steady during difficult moments.
Psychoeducation
I view psychoeducation as a collaborative way to demystify what is happening inside your mind and body, making your experiences feel manageable rather than overwhelming. I share straightforward, practical information about how trauma, stress, and anxiety physically impact your brain structure and nervous system. Understanding the biological reasons behind an automatic anger response or a state of frozen anxiety helps to remove the shame often attached to these experiences. By learning how your internal defense mechanisms operate, you gain the clarity needed to actively work with your body rather than constantly fighting against it.
Somatic
Somatic therapy is central to my work because stress and trauma live deeply within the physical body long after the mind tries to move on. In our sessions, we move beyond traditional talk therapy by tracking where emotional intensity, tightness, or restlessness is physically held in your nervous system. Utilizing body awareness and yoga-informed tools, I help you connect with your physical sensations safely and at your own pace. This approach allows you to release accumulated emotional tension, complete the body's natural stress response cycles, and achieve a genuine, palpable sense of physical ease and grounding.