Polly Mortensen , LMHC

Polly Mortensen brings a compassionate, strengths-based approach to counseling, believing that people possess resilience they can reconnect with when given support and guidance. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), which means she holds a professional license to provide mental health counseling, and she also holds a Master’s degree in Counseling and Community Psychology. Polly has worked in the field for more than 20 years and draws on a wide range of clinical and life experience to tailor care to each person she meets.

Her early work included supporting individuals with long-term mental health challenges in a psychiatric rehabilitation outpatient day treatment program and providing home-based therapy for people living with HIV and mental health needs. She later worked with children and adults involved in foster care and with people who have experienced trauma. Polly has substantial experience serving the LGBTQIA+ community and has also spent many years in vocational and rehabilitation counseling in New York and Florida, helping hundreds of people with diverse abilities pursue education, employment, and greater independence.

Polly’s style is warm and approachable, integrating Eastern philosophical perspectives with evidence-based counseling methods. She regularly uses approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, solution-focused techniques, and trauma-informed practices, adapting the work to the client’s goals and circumstances. She aims to help people discover their inner strengths and move toward meaningful growth and healing.

Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Therapy

Polly uses several well-established approaches to support clients in an online setting. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors; it is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life changes. Mindfulness-Based Therapy teaches skills for staying present and noticing thoughts and sensations without judgment, which can reduce reactivity and support emotional regulation. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines acceptance and change strategies to strengthen skills for managing intense emotions, improving interpersonal effectiveness, and tolerating distress.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Polly works with each person to explore which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting techniques over time so the work feels practical and relevant.

Online therapy with Polly can take place by video call, phone session, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care during busy or changing seasons of life and to choose the format that helps a person engage most effectively with the therapeutic work.