Steven Van Schaick , LCSW

Steven Van Schaick is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and trauma specialist with more than 10 years of clinical experience helping people navigate intense and persistent mental health challenges. He built a career outside the typical office setting, providing care in residential treatment centers, in-patient psychiatric units, and through in-home counseling with high-risk families, which shaped his direct, practical approach to therapy.

Accustomed to high-pressure environments, he focuses on work that moves efficiently and produces tangible progress for people who may not have patience for drawn-out treatment. He specializes in supporting individuals facing depressive episodes, panic and anxiety, strained family relationships, parenting challenges, trauma and abuse, substance and process addictions, anger, and mood disorders. He also addresses communication problems, control issues, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, self-harm, social anxiety, and life transitions.

Steven uses multiple evidence-based strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all model, recognizing that inner healing looks different for each person. He emphasizes practical, experience-informed work and partners with clients to identify the roots of their struggles and to apply tools that fit their lives. Steven values the therapeutic relationship and strives to earn trust through competence, consistency, and a commitment to helping people regain balance and functioning.

Approaches That Translate Well to Online Therapy

Steven often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. CBT is practical and skills-based, making it well suited to structured online sessions.

He also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques when emotion regulation, distress tolerance, or interpersonal effectiveness are central concerns. DBT offers concrete tools for managing intense feelings and improving relationships, and those skills can be taught and practiced in remote formats.

Trauma-Focused Therapy is another key approach Steven applies for people with histories of abuse or traumatic experiences. This work aims to process traumatic events and build coping strategies that reduce the impact of trauma on daily life.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Steven collaborates with each person to determine which combination of methods fits their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress is made. He treats selection of techniques as a shared decision between therapist and client.

Online therapy offers practical benefits for this style of work. Video calls allow for real-time conversation and guided exercises, phone sessions provide an accessible option when video is not possible, and live chat or text-based messaging can support people between sessions or suit those who prefer written communication. These options increase flexibility and make it easier to maintain consistent work toward change.