Dr. Anthony Schefstad, LCSW

Dr. Anthony Schefstad helps people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and major life changes. He is Dr. Anthony Schefstad, LCSW, and he writes straightforwardly about practical steps people can try when life feels overwhelming. He speaks English and practices in Florida.

Clients can expect a respectful, direct approach that adapts to the person's needs. He uses conversation and focused techniques to address problems like panic, depression, low self-esteem, and compulsive behaviors. He also works with concerns tied to first responder issues, veterans and armed forces matters, and multicultural issues.

His background includes many years of clinical work and a long history helping people with substance use and process addictions such as gambling or problematic sexual behaviors. He also has experience with smoking and vaping cessation and supporting people after sexual assault and abuse. That experience informs how he shapes treatment plans and conversations.

In sessions he combines client-centered methods with cognitive behavioral techniques, motivational interviewing, solution-focused strategies, and hypnotherapy approaches that draw on Ericksonian ideas. He emphasizes practical goals and steps people can try between meetings. The work aims to help people manage symptoms, cope with loss, and rebuild daily routines.

People who choose him typically want a therapist who will listen, offer direct feedback, and tailor strategies to fit real life. He encourages a collaborative process and supports clients as they make gradual changes toward clearer goals.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person's perspective and priorities, offering a listening, nonjudgmental space where goals are set together and progress is tracked. It helps when someone needs a therapist who follows their pace and values their experience.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going and teaches practical exercises to change them. CBT works well for anxiety, panic, depression, and habit-related problems such as smoking or process addictions.

Hypnotherapy in his practice uses Ericksonian-style techniques that guide attention and suggestion to support change. People sometimes use it for smoking cessation, anxiety reduction, or to shift automatic patterns that get in the way of recovery.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. He will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences, and he adapts techniques as those goals evolve.

Confirm the current online session options before booking, since formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow focused check-ins between other responsibilities. Therapists can often use phone or video visits differently depending on what a person needs, and the clinician will help choose the best way to schedule sessions that fit everyday life.