About

“I’m not sure if resilience is ever achieved alone. Experience allows us to learn from example.  But if we have someone who loves us – I don’t mean who indulges us, but who loves us enough to be on our side – then it’s easier to grow resilience, to grow belief in self, to grow self-esteem. And its self-esteem that allows a person to stand up”
- Maya Angelou

Luz Cotto-Charneski, LCSW

CT | NY

At New Light Psychotherapy, I see therapy as a space for deeper understanding. Much of the work we do together involves exploring how earlier experiences—especially relationships, emotional wounds, and unresolved patterns—continue to shape the way we see ourselves and others.

Sometimes these patterns are easy to recognize. Often, they are quieter, appearing through recurring relationship dynamics, self-doubt, or a persistent sense that something within feels unsettled.

You don’t have to be in crisis to seek therapy. Many people I work with appear capable and steady on the outside, yet carry deeper questions about connection, meaning, or emotional fulfillment. Therapy offers a place to explore these questions with curiosity, honesty, and care.

My Therapeutic Style

My work is rooted in relational and psychodynamic psychotherapy, shaped by attachment theory, depth psychology, and analytic traditions. In our work together, we pay close attention to emotional patterns, relational experiences, and the ways past experiences continue to influence the present.

Therapy unfolds at a thoughtful pace. Rather than rushing toward solutions, we create space to understand the deeper themes that shape your inner world and relationships.

Over time, this process allows new insight to emerge—often leading to stronger emotional awareness, clearer boundaries, and a more grounded sense of self.

My role is not to direct your life, but to walk alongside you as you begin to understand yourself more fully and move toward the life that feels most authentic to you.

Education & Certifications
  • Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from Smith College School for Social Work
  • Certification from The Mitchell Center for Relational Studies in New York City
  • Analytical Training from the Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy
Insurance

New Light Psychotherapy is an out-of-network practice, which allows therapy to remain guided by your needs rather than the restrictions often required by insurance companies.

If your insurance plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement. After each session, you will receive a superbill that you can submit to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement according to your plan.

If you have questions about this process, I’m happy to discuss it with you during our consultation.

Fees

Individual Therapy Session — $250
Couples Therapy Session — $400
Session fees are due at the time of service.



If you find yourself recognizing parts of your own experience here, therapy may offer a meaningful place to begin. Reaching out for support can feel like an important step, and it’s essential that the therapeutic relationship feels right for you. I welcome the opportunity to connect and explore whether this work feels like a good fit.

Our Style

At New Light Psychotherapy, therapy is shaped around the person who walks through the door. I listen closely, allowing space for your story, your rhythm, and your needs to unfold. Here, you are seen. You are heard. You are deeply understood.

Rooted in the wisdom of psychodynamic and relational traditions, this work is informed by analytic thought, attachment theory, and a deep respect for the complexity of the inner world.

With a relational heart, I walk beside you — not rushing, not retreating — allowing space for deeper understanding to emerge, where meaningful and lasting change can take root.

We honor the quiet ache of old wounds; the invisible marks that time and experience can leave behind. These burdens, often carried silently, can shape how you love, how you trust, and how you move through the world.

You are not alone.

Together, we approach these tender places with courage and compassion.
With presence.
With care.

So that you may begin to rediscover your wholeness, reclaim your peace, and move forward feeling more grounded, renewed, and fully alive.

The meaning behind the name New Light.

Have you ever heard someone say, “That person brings new light into the world,” and paused to consider what that means?

Light has long symbolized hope, healing, and truth—something that breaks through darkness and reveals what was once difficult to see. Long before electricity, light meant life itself: a tended fire, a lamp in the night, or the first glow of dawn signaling safety and renewal.

New light invites us to see with fresh eyes. It softens what feels heavy and opens space for new understanding. Like the sunrise after a long night, or the way light dances across water, it reminds us that clarity, beauty, and possibility remain.

A Thoughtful Place to Begin

Reaching out for therapy is often the first step toward understanding experiences that have felt confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to carry alone. Whether you are seeking support for yourself, your relationship, or a deeper understanding of your inner life, therapy offers a space to begin that work thoughtfully. A brief consultation allows us to connect, talk about what brings you to therapy, and explore whether working together feels like the right fit.

This is a private pay practice.

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