Cynthia Malek, LCSW
New York · 14 years in practice
Cynthia Malek is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York who uses a systemic perspective in therapy.
License and registration
- LCSW, New York
- 082979 · expires November 2026
- NPI
- 1154519528 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 14
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Cynthia
Cynthia Malek is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York who uses a systemic perspective in therapy. She focuses on making sense of how relationships and patterns shape stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma, and depression. Cynthia aims to help people feel more able to manage intense feelings and to make practical changes in everyday life.
She brings 14 years of clinical experience and a background in social work.
Background and approach
Cynthia earned a Master of Social Work from Syracuse University in 2008 and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from SUNY Oswego in 2005. Her training and practice draw on several approaches so each plan fits the person’s needs. In sessions she combines client-centered listening with techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing.
That means clients get a space to be heard and clear, doable strategies to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She also uses psychodynamic ideas to look at long-term patterns that repeat across relationships. Cynthia works with concerns like attachment and abandonment, codependency, control issues, body image, dissociation, and co-occurring substance concerns.
She helps people talk through communication problems, divorce and separation, domestic violence histories, guilt and shame, and the aftermath of trauma and abuse. Her approach is practical and collaborative. Cynthia helps clients set small goals, notice what’s working, and adjust strategies as needed.
Sessions aim to be straightforward and focused on what the person needs now.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Cynthia lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Depression
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Body image
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Cynthia names
- Systemic Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How Cynthia’s Approaches Work Online
Systemic therapy looks at patterns across relationships and daily life to pinpoint what keeps problems going. Online sessions let the therapist and client map those patterns and try new ways of interacting that fit the client’s real routines.Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and understanding. The therapist offers empathetic, nonjudgmental support so the client can set the pace and priorities for change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches practical skills to shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, such as breaking cycles of avoidance, managing anxiety, or changing responses tied to cravings.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Cynthia will work with each person to decide which methods match their goals, needs, and comfort level. Plans are reviewed and adjusted as progress is made so therapy stays relevant to what the person wants to achieve.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful when visual cues and a fuller conversation help, while phone sessions work well when bandwidth is low or a quieter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging can be good for brief updates, homework check-ins, or more frequent short contacts between sessions. These options make scheduling more flexible and help therapy fit into everyday life.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does Cynthia address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, and depression. Additional focuses include attachment and abandonment, codependency, body image, dissociation, and related problems.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She uses a blend of client-centered listening, cognitive behavioral techniques, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic ideas. The style aims to combine understanding with practical steps clients can try between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Cynthia has 14 years of experience working with people on a range of concerns, including substance-related issues and trauma-related problems.
Where is she located and what are her credentials?
She practices in New York and holds the LCSW credential, listed as NY LCSW.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
Sessions can be conducted by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging according to client preference.
How does cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Cynthia?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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