Caridad Baez, MA PLPC

Everyone has a story, but many have not been given an opportunity to share or feel safe in sharing because of what’s happened to them. Being heard can start you on the road toward healing.

I am a retired NYC First Responder, who is motivated to help people move from surviving to thriving. I believe that relationships help people thrive and flourish in their lives, but sometimes, relationships can also hurt, cause trauma, and prompt a person to function under “survival mode.” I hope to help my clients find understanding, meaning, and redemption while exploring their past and present experiences which impact how they view their future.

I use a trauma-informed approach when engaging with my clients and their story. My question is not, "What is wrong with you?" but instead I ask, "What happened to you?" My aim is to empower my clients by educating them about their options and giving them an active role in their care. I see the importance of understanding someone's past story, and its impact in how they respond to the present. I believe in creating a safe and secure environment where I collaborate with my clients to work through these things together. In working with couples, my goals center on helping improve communication, understanding, and then equipping them with tools to relate to one another successfully.

Motivated by the Gospel message of loving our neighbor as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31), I hope to cultivate a space that is built on empathy, compassion, curiosity, without judgment, and respect for my clients’ personhood. I use an Interpersonal Process counseling model, which integrates of elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Attachment Theory, Emotion-Focused Approaches, Family Systems, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). I also use a Wellness approach, which helps identify potential barriers to healing. I am currently completing training in Basic EMDR (August 2023) and as a Certified Trauma Professional (September 2023). I have additional training in working with Abuse, Trauma, and the Emotionally Destructive Marriage (Leslie Vernick/LightUniversity), Shame, Narcissistic Abuse, and Gaslighting.

I work with individuals, married couples, families, and First Responders dealing with issues of depression, anxiety, relational difficulties, sexual brokenness, life transitions, work/family struggles, anxiety, grief, and spiritual confusion.