Counseling · Online in New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Massachusetts
Counseling for the pressure, change and pace of working life.
You’re doing well on paper, but work is wearing you down. Our counselors help working adults handle burnout, career changes and the stress of being “the only one” on the team, with practical steps you can use the same week. Sessions are by secure live video (telehealth).
- Short-term, goal-focused counseling for adults who are ready to act
- Culturally responsive care for professionals of color
- Use your EAP benefits, many BCBS, UnitedHealthcare and Optum plans, or private pay
Free 15-minute consultation with our intake team, as availability allows.
Our approach
What counseling with us is like
Counseling here is active. We set clear goals in the first session, then work on them together: what’s draining you, what you want instead, and the next practical step. Some clients come for a focused stretch of sessions; others stay longer as their goals change. If deeper work would help, such as healing from racial trauma, we’ll talk about psychotherapy.
What we help with
What people come to us for
Burnout and work stress
Long hours, constant demands and feeling like you can’t switch off.
Career transitions
Starting your first job, changing fields, stepping into leadership, a layoff or a return to work.
Life dissatisfaction
Success that doesn’t feel like enough, or a sense that something needs to change.
Microaggressions and racial trauma at work
The daily toll of bias, code-switching and being overlooked.
Perimenopause and menopause
Mood, sleep and focus changes that show up at work and at home.
Relationships
Couples and family counseling when work stress spills into home.
Professionals of color
Being the only one in the room
Many of our clients work at large companies, including Fortune 500 firms, where they’re often the only person of color on their team. That can mean being questioned more, credited less, and carrying the extra work of deciding when to speak up. In counseling, you don’t have to explain why it matters. We help you name what’s happening, protect your energy and decide your next move on your terms.
Cultural humility
Care that centers you
Cultural humility is a standard of care, not an extra. Clinicians are trained not to treat their own culture as the default and yours as the exception, in an effort to do no harm. Yet most clients of color report microaggressions in therapy: between 53% and 81% across studies, and 81% in a study of more than 2,000 clients. At Proactive Wellness, we do the work of decentering ourselves, so your culture, career and full story shape your care from the first session.
Our practice is led by clinicians of color. Black clinicians are a small share of the mental health workforce: about 4% of psychologists and 2% of psychiatrists. We don’t ask you to leave your culture at the door. Your identity, family, faith, community and history are part of the conversation, because they shape how stress shows up and what support works for you.
After a layoff
If you lost your job in 2025
2025 was a hard year for many Black women at work. The Economic Policy Institute found that employment among Black women fell by about 79,000, with deep losses in federal and public-sector jobs and among college graduates. If you were laid off, pushed out or watched your field shrink, counseling gives you room to grieve the loss, steady yourself and plan what’s next.
Methods
How we work
We draw on approaches with strong research behind them and fit them to your goals:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- DBT-informed skills for stress and strong emotions
- Trauma-informed care
- Solution-focused counseling
- Action-oriented goal setting
Your clinician
Who you’ll work with
You may work with Nikita Banks, LCSW, or with a clinician on our team who works under her licensed supervision. We’ll match you based on your goals, schedule and coverage.
Cost and coverage
Paying for counseling
EAP benefits
If your employer offers an Employee Assistance Program through Revive (formerly BHS), Lyra or Spring Health, you may be able to use your sessions with us. See how EAP counseling works.
Insurance
We’re in network with many Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare and Optum plans. We check your plan before your first session.
Private pay
Private-pay sessions are $225 for 50 minutes. The first assessment (60 minutes) is $250, and couples or family sessions are $275. Paying on your own? You’ll get a Good Faith Estimate before your first session. See our payment options.
Getting started
How to get started
1. Reach out
Call 347-566-5629 or request a consultation.
2. We check coverage
We check your EAP, insurance or private-pay options.
3. Meet by video
You meet your counselor by secure live video.
4. Set goals
Together, you set goals and start working on them.
Free 15-minute consultation with our intake team, as availability allows.
Guides
Guides for your line of work
Burnout looks different in every job. These guides cover the pressures of specific roles and how to use your benefits for support.
Teacher and School Staff Burnout: Recognizing When You Need Support
Signs of burnout in schools and when to get support.
Caregiver Burnout: Mental Health Support for Healthcare Workers
Compassion fatigue, shift work and moral distress.
Mental Health Support for Attorneys, Paralegals and Legal Professionals
Billable hours, high stakes and constant availability.
Manufacturing and Warehouse Worker Stress: When Physical Work Takes an Emotional Toll
When physical work takes an emotional toll.
Dispatchers and Fleet Managers: Managing Stress in High-Pressure Operations
Managing stress in high-pressure operations.
Mental Health Support for Public Employees and Their Families
Support for public employees and their families.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between counseling, therapy and psychotherapy?
Very little. The words are often used interchangeably. On our site, counseling means focused, goal-based support for work and life changes; psychotherapy covers deeper work like trauma and long-standing patterns; and online therapy explains how telehealth sessions work. You can see everything we offer on our therapy services page.
Can I use my EAP or insurance for counseling?
Often, yes. We work with EAP benefits through Revive (formerly BHS), Lyra and Spring Health, and we’re in network with many BCBS, UnitedHealthcare and Optum plans. Call us and we’ll check your coverage before your first session.
How much does counseling cost without insurance?
Private-pay sessions are $225 for 50 minutes. The first assessment is $250, and couples or family sessions are $275.
Do you offer a free consultation?
Yes. You can book a free 15-minute consultation with our intake team, as availability allows.
Do you offer couples or family counseling?
Yes. We see couples and families, including when work stress, career changes or life transitions are affecting home.
Which states do you serve?
New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Massachusetts. For telehealth, your therapist must be licensed in the state you’re in during each session. You don’t have to be in the same state as your therapist, but traveling outside these states may affect your care or your provider’s ability to treat you.
How long does counseling take?
It depends on your goals. Some clients come for a focused number of sessions; others continue longer. We review progress with you along the way.
Is this crisis care?
No. If you’re in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 or call 911.
Consultation Inquiry
Tell us how you would like to access therapy.
Choose your payment or benefit route. Your email app will open with a prepared message for you to review before sending.