Desiree Polonis, LCSW journaling at a table with tea, symbolizing mindfulness, reflection and grounded therapeutic support.

Desiree Polonis, LCSW

Desiree Polonis, LCSW, online therapist providing therapy, psychedelic integration, and clinician consultation in Florida, California and Colorado.

More about my approach and certifications:

My therapeutic approach is person centered, mindful, and grounded in the belief that healing begins with feeling truly heard. Together we move at a pace that feels right for you, allowing the work to unfold naturally.

I integrate evidence based practices when helpful, including mindfulness, somatic techniques, and CBT tools. Some sessions focus on coping skills, while others explore emotions, patterns, or meaning. The path we take depends on what feels most important for you that day.

In addition to traditional psychotherapy, I am a Psychedelic-Informed Practitioner: Preparation, Harm Reduction, and Integration, certified through VITAL. I have completed Zendo Project’s Sitting and Integration Training, and I am trained as a Lead Session Monitor (Facilitator) for the Cybin EMBARK program for clinical research in psychedelic-assisted therapy. These experiences allow me to support clients who are processing psychedelic experiences from their own lives or research settings, always within safe, legal, and ethical boundaries.

I am also a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), with experience supporting older adults with neurological conditions and their caregivers who support them.

Therapy is about you, but if you’re curious to learn more about my background and what led me to this work, you can read more below.

Before becoming a social worker, I earned my BA in Journalism from the University of New Mexico. I chose journalism because I dreamed of becoming a music journalist, since music has always been a meaningful part of my life. If music resonates with you too, we can explore ways to incorporate it into sessions as grounding or mindfulness work. My first career was in the corporate world, where I spent eight years as an editor and project manager. Over time, I realized I wanted my work to feel more connected to people, their stories, and their healing.

This brought me back to school to earn my Master of Social Work at Fordham University in New York City. I began my clinical career working in private practice while also working full time at a major NYC hospital on a cardiac unit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I supported patients and families through high stress and rapidly changing medical situations, work that shaped my understanding of resilience, vulnerability, and the emotional weight of uncertainty.

As a travel social worker, I later worked within large hospital systems in Los Angeles and Albuquerque, supporting patients in outpatient oncology, inpatient medical units, and palliative care. These roles taught me how deeply people are affected by illness, uncertainty, and change, and they strengthened my ability to hold space during some of the most challenging moments in someone’s life.

My path eventually led me to a neurology practice, where I provided therapy for individuals living with neurological conditions and for caregivers navigating ongoing stress and life transitions. These experiences deepened my commitment to offering a mindful, person-centered, and compassionate approach to therapy.

At the heart of my work, I believe that therapy is about connection. While I bring clinical experience and training, I see you first and foremost as a human, and I show up as one too. Life transitions are one of my specialties, and part of why I connect so deeply with this work is that I have lived them myself. Having moved through both personal and professional change, I understand how disorienting and overwhelming these periods can feel. This perspective helps me meet clients with authenticity, care, and a deep respect for their resilience.

Outside of work, I’m a huge animal lover who finds joy in nature, music, travel and discovering the best coffee shops a city has to offer. I love spending time with my partner and exploring new places together, usually in search of the perfect oat milk latte… which feels like a very elder millennial thing to say. When it’s time to slow down, I never shy away from an occasional Schitt’s Creek or Curb Your Enthusiasm marathon, (most likely with a cat on my lap).