Philip Zarowny, LCSW

Philip Zarowny is a licensed clinical social worker with 11 years of experience helping people navigate painful and confusing life moments. He emphasizes a client-centered, strengths-based way of working and aims to create an accepting space where people can try new strategies. Philip writes in plain terms and invites curiosity about change rather than quick fixes.

He focuses on relationship concerns alongside addiction, mood and anxiety struggles, grief, trauma and identity questions. Sessions tend to be goal-focused; Philip helps people break problems into manageable steps and test what actually helps in day-to-day life. He draws on practical tools that encourage clearer thinking and steadier coping.

Philip has a background in both outpatient and residential substance-use work and most recently worked as a substance abuse counselor. That experience informed his view that many problems come together and that people often want the same simple result - more satisfaction in life. He also brings earlier experience from a long career in television news where listening and curiosity were daily skills.

As a parent of an LGBTQ+ child, he says he understands how identity questions can feel within changing social settings. He aims to support people from many backgrounds and helps them find what works for them without judgment. His approach invites practical steps, experimentation, and gradual progress.

Philip earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work in 2009 and holds the credential LCSW. He encourages people to start by naming what they want to change and then scheduling time to work on it together.

Practical therapy approaches and how they translate online

Philip uses evidence-based techniques that focus on thinking, behavior, motivation and mindful awareness. Cognitive approaches help people identify unhelpful thinking patterns and practice clearer ways of thinking that reduce anxiety and low mood. Behavioral and skills-based methods work by teaching and rehearsing small actions people can try between sessions to improve relationships and daily functioning.

Motivational methods aim to spark a person’s own reasons for change and are useful when someone is unsure about taking the next step, such as reducing substance use or changing a habit. Mindfulness practices teach brief attention and breathing skills that can lower stress and make it easier to respond rather than react.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, values and lifestyle. That choice is tested and adjusted over time rather than assumed up front.

If you are interested in online sessions, confirm the current session options before booking since formats were not specified in the original biography. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten travel time, and allow quicker check-ins on tough days. It also lets people use quieter surroundings or a phone call when bandwidth or camera use is difficult. These practical benefits often help therapy feel more manageable alongside everyday life.