BDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHoardingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMen's issuesVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSexual assault and abuseSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems
As listed on the therapist's profile. You can check a license with the state licensing board and an NPI in the national registry.
Mindfulness informed
Practical coping tools
Collaborative approach
About Hillary
Dr. Hillary Schaefer welcomes people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain about next steps. She writes in a direct, calm way and focuses on making therapy useful from the first session. Dr. Schaefer is a psychologist working in New York who combines practical tools with attention to daily life challenges.
She earned her doctorate from the University of Virginia in 2013 and has twelve years of clinical experience. Her background includes work in clinic, hospital, and university settings, and she has also worked in military contexts. Those settings shaped how she approaches problems like stress, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem concerns.
In session she aims for a collaborative tone. She listens first, and then offers strategies you can try between visits. Her methods draw on mindfulness, acceptance and commitment ideas, cognitive techniques, and client-centered practice to fit each person’s needs.
She has worked with concerns such as parenting, relationship and intimacy issues, addiction and substance concerns, eating and sleeping problems, and career stress. Additional focus areas include body image, blended family struggles, caregiver stress, and matters related to kink and BDSM culture.
Her stated priorities are transparency and practical change. She wants clients to leave sessions with clear next steps and tools they can use that week. If you prefer a therapist who blends evidence-informed methods with attention to daily life, she may be a good match.
How her approaches shape online care
Dr. Schaefer commonly draws on Mindfulness Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in her work. Mindfulness Therapy focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without judgment and can help with stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes. ACT emphasizes identifying values and taking small, practical steps toward them while accepting uncomfortable thoughts and sensations to reduce avoidance and drift from important goals.
She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which centers the conversation on the person in front of her and prioritizes empathy and understanding as a base for change. Together these approaches give room for practical skill-building and honest reflection, and she will work with clients to choose what fits their situation best.
Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. She will collaborate with each client to test methods, review what helps, and adjust plans over time. For online work, confirm the session options before booking since the biography does not list specific formats. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a weekday routine, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Therapists can also adapt practices like mindfulness exercises or ACT worksheets to use during or between sessions so clients leave with concrete next steps.
These summaries are based on the profile information listed on BetterHelp. Listing mindfulness as an approach does not mean a therapist holds a formal mindfulness training or certificate.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, parenting issues, relationship and intimacy difficulties, addiction, eating and sleeping problems, and career stress.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is collaborative and practical. She blends listening with actionable tools that clients can try between sessions.
What is her clinical background?
She earned a doctorate from the University of Virginia in 2013 and has twelve years of clinical experience across clinic, hospital, university, and military settings.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is listed as NY Psychologist 022053 and WA Psychologist PY.61029319 and practices from New York.
In which languages can sessions be held?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are used?
Please confirm the current session options before booking, as session formats are not specified in the biography.
How does payment or cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Therapists on BetterHelp do not prescribe medication. A doctor can talk with you about medical options. If you are thinking about suicide, call or text 988; in an emergency, call 911.
