Christine Podbielak, LMSW
Location
In-person therapy in Port Jefferson
NY and virtual therapy throughout New York State
Services
Individual Therapy
Therapy for Teens and Young Adults
Anxiety Therapy
OCD Support
Grief and Trauma Support
Relationship Support
Specialties
OCD
Anxiety
Anger
Interpersonal and Relational Issues
School Anxiety
Overwhelm
Financial Stress
Trauma
Neurodivergence
Healthcare Workers and Students
Grief and Loss
Body Image Issues
Self-Compassion
Avoidance
Self-Sabotage
When Worst-Case Scenarios Keep Running Through Your Mind
You may be moving through back-to-back classes, clinicals, work, labs, or long shifts while your mind keeps jumping to worst-case scenarios.
At night, the thoughts may get louder. What if something bad happens? What if I do not get the job? What if I did not say “I love you,” and something bad happens? What if this grief, uncertainty, or anxiety does not calm down?
I’m Christine Podbielak, LMSW, a licensed master social worker with 6 years of experience, licensed in New York. I provide therapy in Port Jefferson and online throughout New York State.
Why Work With Me
I prioritize connection and emotional safety.
Many of the people I work with are self-aware but overwhelmed. They think a lot, reflect a lot, and may even intellectualize, but still feel emotionally stuck.
You may keep repeating the same cycles in relationships, anxiety, self-sabotage, or avoidance. You may want insight and “aha” moments, but you also want real, doable changes in your everyday life.
My style is collaborative and down-to-earth. I want therapy to feel like a space where you are genuinely understood and supported, not analyzed from a distance.
The work is not about rushing into a rigid protocol or only managing symptoms on the surface. It is about understanding why certain patterns keep showing up and finding small but meaningful ways to shift what is not working.
My Approach to Therapy
My approach is collaborative, down-to-earth, and focused on small but meaningful changes that build over time.
I draw from psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. In plain language, that means we will spend time understanding patterns in your thoughts, emotions, and relationships, while also finding practical ways to shift what is not working.
In our first session, we may talk about what is going on, how you are doing, what goals you may have, and what brought you in. If you do not have clear goals yet, that is okay. We can also jump right in.
What are your goals right now? We can absolutely work toward them, but I also want to create space for them to shift or change throughout the week.
What Working With Me Is Like
Think of it like you are driving the car and I am in the passenger seat right next to you.
I am there to support you, help you stay on track, and adjust with you as you go. I am also transparent. If there is something you do not like or something that feels off, you can tell me. I would rather know how you are feeling than have you hold that in.
We may work on noticing catastrophic thoughts, identifying the “mean girl” voice in your head, or learning to call a thought a thought instead of labeling it as a fact. We may also look at relationships, grief, body image, school anxiety, work stress, anger, avoidance, or the pressure to keep everything together.
Over time, even subtle shifts can matter. You may pause before reacting, notice something sooner, respond a little differently, or relate to yourself with more self-compassion and self-love.
I am a good fit for clients who want to understand themselves deeply while also making practical, manageable changes. I may not be the best fit for clients who want very structured, protocol-only treatment with minimal exploration.
Getting To Know Me
I work with young adults, teens, adults, professionals, healthcare workers and students, neurodivergent clients, and people moving through grief, trauma, anxiety, OCD, relationship stress, and major transitions.
Outside of being a therapist, I enjoy going on walks with my energetic dog, Finn. These walks are part of my daily mindfulness practice, giving me a chance to ground myself in nature and let my thoughts come and go without holding onto them, if he’s not too busy trying to chase a squirrel.
That practice of letting thoughts come and go without holding onto them also shows up in my work with clients.
Begin Therapy in Port Jefferson
Starting therapy does not mean you need to know exactly what your goals are yet.
We can start with what is going on, how you are doing, and what feels stuck. If you have goals, we can work toward them. If they change, we can adjust together as we go.
I offer therapy in Port Jefferson and virtually throughout New York State.
If you are looking for someone who can sit beside you, support you, help you stay on track, and adjust with you as you go, you can reach out to Lightpath Counseling Group.
Clinical Training & Credentials
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Licensed Master Social Worker, LMSW
Licensed in New York
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Master of Social Work, Stony Brook University
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Psychodynamic therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Collaborative, insight-focused therapy
Practical, tools-based support
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6 years of experience
Experience supporting young adults, teens, adults, professionals, healthcare workers, students, and neurodivergent clients
Experience with OCD, anxiety, anger, interpersonal and relational issues, school anxiety, overwhelm, financial stress, trauma, grief and loss, body image issues, avoidance, self-sabotage, and self-compassion
When You Feel Nothing Changes
If part of you is tired of going in circles, that matters. If you’re at the point where you almost make a decision and then pull yourself back, that matters too. Lightpath Counseling Group offers in-person therapy in Port Jefferson and virtual sessions across New York. You don’t have to have the right words. You don’t have to have it figured out.