Francelly Rodriguez-Collins
I am a bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over a decade of experience in social services, child welfare, and mental health. My professional background includes working with children, adolescents, adults, and families as they navigate emotional, behavioral, and life challenges. My experience in both school-based and clinical settings has given me a deep understanding of how family dynamics, relationships, life experiences, and environmental stressors can impact emotional well-being. I specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Play Therapy, and mindfulness-based approaches. I work with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, life transitions, relationship difficulties, parenting challenges, and everyday stressors. My approach is compassionate, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and tailored to each client's individual needs.
Helping Children, Teens & Adults Navigate Life’s Challenges with Confidence and Compassion
I believe therapy should be a collaborative process where clients feel genuinely heard, understood, and supported without judgment. I bring warmth, empathy, patience, and a practical, solution-focused perspective to my sessions. I also believe in balancing compassion with gentle accountability, helping clients gain insight into their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while developing the tools needed to create meaningful change. My goal is to provide a safe and welcoming space where clients can explore their experiences, recognize their strengths, build resilience, and develop healthier ways of navigating life's challenges. Whether I am helping a child build emotional regulation skills, supporting a teenager through social and academic pressures, or guiding an adult through relationship difficulties and major life transitions, I strive to meet each client where they are and empower them to move toward greater confidence, emotional wellness, and personal growth.
First session
Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other, begin building a trusting therapeutic relationship, and establish a foundation for our work together. I understand that starting therapy, especially for the first time, can feel intimidating or overwhelming, so my priority is to create a welcoming, comfortable, and judgment-free environment where you can feel at ease. During our initial session, we will review your intake paperwork and any completed screening assessments to better understand your current symptoms, emotional well-being, and areas of concern. We will also discuss confidentiality, what to expect from the therapeutic process, how sessions are structured, and what our roles and responsibilities will look like. Most importantly, I want to learn about you beyond the challenges that brought you to therapy. We will explore your background, life experiences, relationships, strengths, and current stressors while identifying what you hope to gain from our time together. We will also begin discussing potential treatment goals and what meaningful progress might look like for you. I believe therapy is a collaborative process, and I encourage clients to ask questions, share their expectations, and communicate what they need to feel comfortable and supported. There is no pressure to share everything during our first meeting, and we will move at a pace that feels appropriate for you. My goal is for you to leave your first session feeling heard, understood, and supported, with a clearer understanding of the therapeutic process and a sense of direction for our work together.
Strengths
I bring empathy, patience, cultural sensitivity, and a nonjudgmental approach to every session. I believe one of my greatest strengths is my ability to build genuine connections with clients and create a safe, supportive environment where they feel heard, understood, and comfortable being themselves. As a bilingual clinician, I am able to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds and provide culturally responsive care. I also bring creativity, flexibility, and a practical, solution-focused approach, tailoring interventions to each client's unique needs. I strive to balance compassion with gentle accountability, helping clients recognize their strengths, develop healthy coping skills, and make meaningful progress toward their goals.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who is seeking support, personal growth, and a better understanding of themselves, regardless of where they are in their journey. I enjoy working with children, adolescents, and adults who may be experiencing anxiety, depression, emotional regulation difficulties, relationship challenges, family conflict, life transitions, or everyday stressors. I also enjoy supporting individuals who struggle with self-esteem, setting healthy boundaries, managing expectations, or navigating overwhelming emotions. I recognize that starting therapy can feel intimidating, and I don't expect clients to have everything figured out or even know where to begin. Whether someone is feeling stuck, overwhelmed, misunderstood, or simply looking to develop healthier coping strategies, I welcome them with empathy, patience, and without judgment. I especially value working with clients who are open to self-exploration, building self-awareness, and making meaningful changes at their own pace. My goal is to help clients recognize their strengths, challenge unhelpful patterns, develop practical coping skills, and build confidence in their ability to navigate life's challenges. I believe progress looks different for everyone, and I strive to create a collaborative environment where clients feel empowered, supported, and encouraged throughout their therapeutic journey.
Ongoing work together
Our ongoing work together will be a collaborative and individualized process focused on helping you better understand yourself, navigate challenges, and make meaningful progress toward your goals. I believe therapy is not a one-size-fits-all experience, so I tailor each session to your unique needs, strengths, and circumstances. Throughout our sessions, we will explore your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, and life experiences to identify patterns that may be contributing to your current challenges. Depending on your needs, I may incorporate evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and Play Therapy for younger clients. Together, we will work on developing practical coping strategies, improving emotional regulation, strengthening communication skills, building healthier relationships, and increasing self-awareness. I strive to create a balance between providing a supportive space to process your experiences and helping you develop actionable tools that you can apply outside of our sessions. At times, this may include practicing new skills, reflecting on situations between appointments, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, or exploring different ways to respond to life's stressors. We will also regularly check in on your progress, revisit your treatment goals, celebrate your accomplishments, and make adjustments as your needs evolve. I value open communication and encourage feedback about what is or isn't working for you. Above all, my goal is to help you feel empowered and confident in your ability to navigate life's challenges. I want therapy to be a space where you feel comfortable being yourself, supported through difficult moments, and gently challenged to grow. Ultimately, I hope you leave our work together not only feeling better but also equipped with the insight, skills, and confidence to maintain meaningful, lasting change.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients better understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors and how these patterns influence their everyday experiences. Together, we explore unhelpful thinking patterns, negative self-talk, and beliefs that may contribute to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, or difficulty navigating life's challenges. My approach is collaborative, practical, and tailored to each client's age, needs, and goals. I help clients learn to recognize and challenge unhelpful thoughts, develop more balanced perspectives, strengthen problem-solving skills, and practice healthier ways of responding to stressful situations. With children and adolescents, I often incorporate age-appropriate activities, games, and visual tools to make these concepts engaging and easier to understand. I also emphasize applying what we discuss in therapy to real-life situations. This may include practicing coping strategies, developing positive self-talk, gradually facing fears, or completing small exercises between sessions. My goal is to help clients build greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and confidence while developing practical skills they can continue using long after therapy ends.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help clients develop practical skills for managing intense emotions, navigating stressful situations, improving relationships, and responding to challenges in healthier, more effective ways. My approach focuses on helping clients find a balance between accepting themselves and their emotions while also recognizing opportunities for growth and positive change. I incorporate the four core components of DBT: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Together, we work on identifying emotional triggers, increasing self-awareness, managing impulsive reactions, setting healthy boundaries, and developing effective communication and coping strategies. I tailor DBT skills to each client's age, individual needs, and personal goals. With children and adolescents, I often use interactive activities, relatable examples, and age-appropriate exercises to make these concepts easier to understand and apply. With adults, I focus on helping them navigate emotional challenges, relationship difficulties, everyday stressors, and overwhelming life experiences. My goal is to help clients feel more confident in their ability to manage difficult emotions, respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively, build healthier relationships, and develop the skills needed to create a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Trauma-Informed Care
I use a trauma-informed approach to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard, respected, and empowered throughout their therapeutic journey. I recognize that past experiences, including childhood adversity, difficult relationships, loss, and other stressful or traumatic events, can significantly influence how individuals think, feel, behave, and connect with others. My approach emphasizes safety, trust, collaboration, cultural sensitivity, and personal empowerment. I understand that trauma affects everyone differently, and I strive to meet clients where they are without making assumptions or placing pressure on them to share experiences before they feel ready. Together, we explore how past experiences may be influencing current emotions, behaviors, relationships, and coping patterns while identifying strengths and building healthier ways of navigating challenges. I incorporate strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and other supportive interventions to help clients develop emotional awareness, strengthen coping skills, establish healthy boundaries, and improve their sense of safety and control. With children and adolescents, I use developmentally appropriate activities and creative approaches to help them express emotions and process experiences in ways that feel comfortable and manageable. My goal is to help clients move beyond simply managing symptoms by fostering resilience, rebuilding confidence, and developing a greater sense of emotional stability and self-understanding. I believe healing is not a linear process, and I am committed to providing a compassionate space where clients can work toward meaningful growth at their own pace.
Play Therapy
I use a trauma-informed approach to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard, respected, and empowered throughout their therapeutic journey. I recognize that past experiences, including childhood adversity, difficult relationships, loss, and other stressful or traumatic events, can significantly influence how individuals think, feel, behave, and connect with others. My approach emphasizes safety, trust, collaboration, cultural sensitivity, and personal empowerment. I understand that trauma affects everyone differently, and I strive to meet clients where they are without making assumptions or placing pressure on them to share experiences before they feel ready. Together, we explore how past experiences may be influencing current emotions, behaviors, relationships, and coping patterns while identifying strengths and building healthier ways of navigating challenges. I incorporate strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and other supportive interventions to help clients develop emotional awareness, strengthen coping skills, establish healthy boundaries, and improve their sense of safety and control. With children and adolescents, I use developmentally appropriate activities and creative approaches to help them express emotions and process experiences in ways that feel comfortable and manageable. My goal is to help clients move beyond simply managing symptoms by fostering resilience, rebuilding confidence, and developing a greater sense of emotional stability and self-understanding. I believe healing is not a linear process, and I am committed to providing a compassionate space where clients can work toward meaningful growth at their own pace.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Licensed in
- ConnecticutLicense 15058
- New YorkLicense 099894