About Kayla
Kayla "Kai" Coca is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) practicing in New York with four years of clinical experience. Kai moved into counseling after several years doing crisis work and brings that background into regular sessions. They prioritize a trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming approach that centers each person's goals.
Kai speaks English and uses straightforward language to make starting therapy feel manageable. In sessions Kai listens first to understand what matters most to the client.
Background and approach
They focus on concrete steps and practical tools, not long lectures. Clients can expect a conversational style that combines problem-solving with emotional support. Kai uses ideas from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy among other methods.
These approaches are adapted to each person - some people want skills they can practice, while others prefer to look more at patterns from the past. The work is guided by the client's needs rather than a single technique. Common areas Kai helps with include LGBT concerns, trauma and abuse, coaching, and ADHD.
They also address attachment issues, autism and Asperger syndrome, body image, chronic pain and illness, dissociation, eating and food-related issues, and gender dysphoria. Kai is attentive to multicultural concerns and hearing-impaired needs. Sessions are offered remotely in formats like video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.
New clients use a simple matching questionnaire to begin and schedule based on the therapist's availability. The subscription can be canceled at any time.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify personal values and take small committed steps toward those values. Online sessions can focus on brief exercises and practice between meetings to build momentum. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets unhelpful thoughts and habits with practical tools and short exercises. In remote work CBT often uses worksheets, behavior experiments, and real-time skill coaching during video or chat sessions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills. Online DBT-style work can include coaching around specific moments, skills practice, and check-ins via text-based messaging.Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work with the client to pick methods that fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That choice can shift over time; sessions are collaborative and adapt as goals change.
Online therapy offers flexibility and many practical benefits. Video calls allow deeper conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth or camera use is a concern. Live chat or text-based messaging supports brief check-ins, coaching between sessions, and people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to use different formats for different needs.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Coaching
Also works with
- ADHD
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Body image
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Dissociation
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Gender dysphoria
- Hearing impaired
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Personality disorders
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-harm
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 4 years
- Licensed
- New York
- Languages
- English