Lillian Rishty, LCSW

“Awareness is the first step, but change happens when insight meets action.”

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Lillian Rishty, LCSW's style

Why Lillian Rishty, LCSW chose to be in the helping profession

I’ve always been drawn to understanding people, what shapes us, what we carry, and how those experiences continue to show up in our lives. Over time, I began to notice how many high-achieving, thoughtful women were quietly navigating anxiety, self-doubt, and the constant pressure to hold everything together. On the outside, things often looked fine, even successful, while internally there was a very different lived experience. I chose this work because I wanted to create a space where those inner experiences could be spoken about honestly, explored with curiosity, and met with real compassion. That kind of space can feel rare, and I wanted to be part of making it more available.

Personally and professionally, I’ve come to believe that struggle is not something we need to eliminate in order to live meaningful, fulfilling lives. What matters more is having the support, language, and relationship to navigate it in a way that feels grounding and human. I see therapy as a place where people can begin to understand themselves with more clarity and less judgment. Being part of that process with my clients is deeply meaningful to me, and I approach it with care, presence, and respect for each person’s pace.

Lillian Rishty, LCSW's approach

My approach is integrative, drawing from psychodynamic, CBT, and DBT frameworks. In practice, that means we’ll explore both the why and the how. The why looks at how your past experiences, relationships, and learned patterns continue to shape what’s happening in the present. The how focuses on practical tools to help you manage anxiety, regulate emotions, and move forward in a way that feels more steady and supported in your day-to-day life.

I’m an active, engaged therapist, and I don’t just sit back and listen. I’ll offer reflections, share observations, ask thoughtful questions, and help you make connections that might not be immediately obvious on your own. At the same time, I make space for you to go at your own pace and process things in a way that feels right for you. My work is grounded in creating a warm, nonjudgmental environment where you can feel safe showing up fully, without needing to filter or perform.

I specialize in working with women navigating anxiety, body image and disordered eating, relationship challenges, and perinatal mental health. That includes support through trying to conceive, pregnancy, postpartum, and the early stages of motherhood. These transitions can bring up a lot, both expected and unexpected, and I work with clients to help them feel more supported, grounded, and understood through it all.

What you can expect from sessions with Lillian Rishty, LCSW

You can expect a space where you don’t have to have everything figured out. Our sessions are a place to slow down, reflect, and begin to understand yourself more deeply without pressure or judgment. There’s room here for uncertainty, for questions, and for the parts of your experience that may feel harder to name or make sense of right now.

At times, we’ll explore patterns and emotions that feel difficult or uncomfortable, and I’ll be there to help you stay with them in a way that feels safe, manageable, and meaningful. Other times, we’ll shift toward more concrete strategies to help you cope with anxiety, navigate relationships, or make decisions with greater clarity and confidence. The work is flexible and responsive to what you need in the moment, rather than forcing a single way of doing things.

Over time, my goal is to help you build insight, develop more self-compassion, and feel more grounded in who you are so you can move through your life with greater ease and intention. It’s also very important to me that you feel connected and comfortable in the process, and that you feel able to be honest and open as we navigate this work together.

Lillian Rishty, LCSW's experience working with the Jewish community

I have extensive experience working with the Jewish community across both clinical and community-based settings. This includes my private practice, as well as formative training experiences at Brooklyn College Hillel and Yeshivah of Flatbush. I’ve also worked within community organizations such as Sephardic Bikur Holim, which has given me a broad and grounded understanding of the different needs, life circumstances, and support systems within the community.

Through this work, I’ve developed a deep understanding of cultural values, family dynamics, and the unique considerations that can come up across different Jewish communities. I’m attentive to how identity, tradition, and belief systems can shape emotional experiences and relationships, while also recognizing that each person’s connection to their identity is personal and nuanced. My goal is to provide care that is culturally sensitive and respectful, while also staying closely attuned to each individual’s lived experience and what they need most in their own process.

Lillian Rishty, LCSW's Book Recommendation Zone

• 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder
  A practical, compassionate guide that helps you challenge disordered eating patterns and rebuild a healthier relationship with food and your body.
• Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts
  A validating and accessible look at postpartum anxiety and intrusive thoughts, reminding new moms they’re not alone, and not broken.
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
  A deeply human and insightful look at therapy from both sides of the couch, blending storytelling with powerful emotional truths.

Approaches

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
• Intuitive Eating
• Postpartum Recovery
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Trauma Focused Therapy

Concerns

• Anxiety
• Body image
• Dating
• Depression
• Eating disorders & disordered eating
• Infertility
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Panic attacks/panic disorder
• Postpartum depression
• Prenatal, perinatal, & postpartum mental health
• Relationships
• Stress management
• Time Management
• Transitions & Change

12 years in practice

Licenses

• LCSW by NY 2017. License number 086743
• LCSW by NJ. License number 44SC05791700
• LCSW by FL TPSW3772
• LCSW by CT

Degrees

• LMSW by NY 2014

Trainings

• Perinatal Mental Health Certified by Postpartum Support International 2024

Average costs per session

$0 - $300

Payment Methods

• Sliding Scale
• Free consultation
• Credit Card
• Zelle Quick Pay
• Venmo