Treva Gilliard

My name is Treva Gilliard, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of New York. My years of experience working with individuals, children, families, and groups have prepared me to recognize clients' needs and strengths; helping them learn problem-solving skills.

My approach

I use theoretically informed models of therapy to aid in building a flexible mindset to identify self-enhancing behaviors, expand your perspective, cultivate self-compassion, problem-solve, manage your emotions, and self-regulate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and other transdiagnostic models. Research shows favorable outcomes using these methods. Through practice, clients are better able to enact self-regulation skills over time.

My focus

I provide individual therapy via HIPAA-compliant video-conferencing for adults ages 24-64 seeking help with chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. Finding pathways to reduce or resolve chronic life stressors will facilitate roads to recovery and overall wellness.

My communication style

I tend to be direct, encouraging, and “down-to-earth”. You are the expert on your life and I strive to make our time together a safe space to identify aspects of yourself that need support for growth. Human behavior is complex and as a helper, I can admit I don’t have all the answers. I would feel honored to partner with you through uncertainty and share purposeful conversations about how you envision your best life and how to get there. Finding the best therapeutic style that is a match for you is foundational to successful treatment. We will have open discussions about our goodness of fit early on in the process and will move forward as indicated.

My journey to mental healthcare

I am driven to do this work from a place of curiosity about the hope and resilience we experience as humans. What sustains our will to survive in the face of suffering and pain? This seed of curiosity was present in me at a young age. My family went through unthinkable challenges as my mother's illness tried to keep us captive from living a quality life. Throughout my life, I observed my father's leadership and how my parents responded to those challenges with optimism, love, and grace. Although there is no such thing as perfect parents they were more than good enough. I wanted to model my life after their determination to maintain a stable family. Persistence is what I learned from them. Wellness is an action verb not just something to read about. "Do your best and never give up." Wellness is something to be cultivated over time using small steps forward and chipping away at obstacles. During the pandemic, I returned to my Christian roots as a born-again believer in Jesus Christ. The teachings from my parents and the Word of God have made me believe in the hope of transformation from uncertainty, pain, sadness, worry, hopelessness, and fear. My quality of life and overall health have improved because of the values my parents instilled in me. I am still learning that my relationship with Jesus Christ has strengthened me as a whole being and has helped me understand God’s will for my life. It serves as my anchor from the storms of life and has restored my desire to be partners in hope with others.

My goals for you

My treatment approach is collaborative and supportive. Over time our partnership will develop into a therapeutic alliance that would allow space for safety and trust as we move through your transformational journey. My primary objectives are to help you sort out the thoughts, emotions, sensory experiences, and behaviors that enhance your sense of self and those that may keep you stuck in a negative cycle interacting with yourself and others. At your direction, we will have a purposeful conversation about your life and identify areas where you believe support is needed. I will encourage you to make small steps in between sessions to help you gain momentum toward your path of growth.

My first session with you

Working with me will be more formal during the initial assessment process. We will review the informed consent and practice policies where you can ask questions for clarification. We can revisit these formalities intermittently, as needed. I will ask questions to get to know you and learn about your experiences and presenting concerns. I will identify areas of your life where you may need support. We will discuss preliminary goals and objectives to move forward. There will be time before the end of the session to allow for questions about what you need and how I can help.