Frequently Asked Questions

Who do you work with?

We work with kids (ages 6+), teens, adults, and parents. Most of our clients are navigating anxiety, OCD, avoidance, or emotional dysregulation, and looking for structured, practical therapy that leads to real change.

What kind of therapy do you offer?

We use evidence-based therapies like CBT, ERP, SPACE, and DBT-informed treatment. Our work is collaborative, structured, and focused on helping you (or your child) build lifelong tools, not just vent once a week.

Do you take insurance?

We’re an out-of-network practice, which means we don’t accept insurance directly. However, we can provide monthly superbills for reimbursement if your plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits.

What's the difference between weekly therapy and intensives?

Weekly sessions are our most common format. Intensives are short-term, accelerated programs that meet multiple times per week. This is ideal for school breaks or clients who want faster progress on specific anxiety or OCD challenges.

Can you tell me more about therapy intensives

Our therapy intensives are designed to help you or your child make meaningful change in a shorter period of time. Instead of meeting once a week, we meet multiple times per week over a few weeks to tackle a specific challenge head-on. These are structured, high-frequency therapy programs for kids, teens, adults, or parents. It’s ideal when a weekly session just doesn’t cut it, or when time is limited (like summer break, a school transition, or before starting college).

Do you offer therapy for parents even if the child isn't in session

Yes. We offer SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), a parent-only approach that reduces accommodation and helps families stop walking on eggshells around anxiety, without needing the child in therapy. When working with kids, we often incorporate parent-only sessions to provide support or help with managing behavior. An advantage of working with a team is that parenting sessions can be done with a different therapist if meeting with the same clinician would cause concerns about the child’s relationship with their therapist.

What if I've already tried therapy and it didn't find it helpful?

We hear this often, and it’s one reason we built Helm. Our therapy is structured, active, and results-oriented. We don’t just talk about your anxiety, we teach you how to respond to it differently, in session and in life.

Why did you start Helm?

Helm was created to solve a gap we kept seeing in mental health care: families paying too much, traveling too far, or getting therapy that wasn’t working. We wanted to offer accessible, evidence-based care that actually leads to change, by building a model that uses a supportive and growth-oriented approach to attract superb therapists who are dedicated to lifelong learning.

Do you offer virtual sessions?

Yes. All of our clinicians offer telehealth across New York State. In-person sessions are also available in Brooklyn Heights and Manhattan.

What type of clients aren't the right fit for this practice?

We’re not the best fit for clients dealing with high-conflict divorce or those requiring comprehensive DBT programs for chronic suicidality or self-harm. We also do not specialize in Autism Spectrum Disorders unless symptoms are mild, and the goal of therapy, is related to improving anxiety, OCD, or picky eating.

Do you offer evening or weekend sessions?

Yes. Several of our clinicians offer evening and after-school availability. Weekend appointments may be limited.

What's SPACE and why do you offer it?

SPACE is a treatment model for parents of anxious or avoidant kids, or kids with OCD. It teaches parents specialized skills for supporting anxious or avoidant kids or those with OCD, and how to support them through anxious moments.

Do you use ERP for OCD?

Yes. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the most effective treatment for OCD, and all clinicians at Helm are trained in this approach with both adults and kids. We tailor ERP (a therapist-supported way of facing fears and reducing compulsions) to each client’s developmental stage and real-world needs.

Do your therapists have experience working with anxiety and OCD?

Yes. Every clinician at Helm is trained in evidence-based therapy for anxiety and OCD. Clinicians are selected for their clinical strength, warmth, and deep training in our specialty areas, all clinicians are trained and supervised by Dr. Zendegui.

How experienced are your clinicians?

Our therapists have a range of experience levels, and all are smart, well-trained, and enthusiastic about their work and continued growth. Everyone also has high-level oversight from an experienced psychologist. It’s a supportive, collaborative model of care.

Will I have to do exposures in public or outside the office?

You don’t have to do anything! For some clients, especially those with social anxiety or OCD, we may recommend real-world exposures (like taking a phone call, riding public transit, or trying feared foods). Facing your fears in the actual situation with the support of a therapist is a fantastic way to work through anxiety. We always discuss these plans with you and get full consent before doing anything outside the office.

What is your cancellation policy?

If you need to cancel or reschedule, please do so at least 24 hours in advance. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice (or missed appointments) will be charged the full session fee.

I am not sure what kind of therapy I need. Where do I start?

Start with a free phone consultation with Dr. Elaina Zendegui. She’ll talk through your goals, answer questions, and match you with the right clinician for your needs.