Aerin Skibinski, LMHC

Are you feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, grief, or a major life transition? Maybe you're struggling with relationships, self-esteem, or your relationship with substances. Therapy can be a space to better understand yourself, feel supported, and work through what feels overwhelming. I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and co-founder of Lighthouse Counseling Upstate, working with teens and adults in Rochester. For the past three years, I’ve worked extensively in substance use and prevention counseling, exploring the emotional, relational, and behavioral factors underneath.

I'm Aerin, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), and I believe therapy should feel like talking to a real person—not like sitting across from someone who is waiting to tell you what you're doing wrong. My approach is warm, down-to-earth, collaborative, and personalized.

I work primarily with adolescents and young adults experiencing anxiety, OCD, depression, grief and loss, low self-esteem, trauma, life transitions, relationship concerns, and substance use. I especially enjoy working with people who feel stuck in their heads, put a lot of pressure on themselves, struggle with perfectionism, or feel like everyone else seems to have life figured out while they’re just trying to keep up.

I use an integrative, trauma-informed approach and draw from evidence-based therapies based on your individual needs. This may include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and anxiety, Person-Centered Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Gestalt approaches, Motivational Interviewing, Behavioral Activation, and trauma-focused approaches.

I hold a graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling from Saint John Fisher University, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame. I have experience providing counseling for anxiety, OCD, grief, substance use, prevention, self-esteem, relationships, and other life challenges.

But honestly? My credentials are only one part of what I bring into the room.

I want you to feel like you can actually be yourself in therapy.

You don't need to have the perfect explanation for why you're struggling. You don't need to know whether what you're experiencing is “bad enough.” You don't need to walk in with a list of goals.

You can come in and say, “I don't even know what's wrong. I just know I'm tired.”

We can start there.

Therapy isn't just for when everything falls apart.

Maybe you're functioning. You're going to school. You're working. You're keeping up with your responsibilities. You're showing up for your friends and family.

But internally, you're exhausted.

Maybe anxiety is taking up way too much space. Maybe OCD has you caught in cycles you can't seem to break. Maybe you're grieving someone or something and don't know how to move forward. Maybe you're constantly questioning yourself or feeling like you're never doing enough.

My approach is person-centered, trauma-informed, & integrative. I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Motivational Interviewing. I incorporate techniques from Narrative Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Exposure Therapy, & other evidence-based approaches. I believe therapy should be collaborative, individualized, and grounded in your strengths and goals.

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck in old patterns, or simply feel ready for something to change, therapy can be a space to slow down, feel understood, & begin moving forward. My goal is to provide a judgment-free environment where you can be honest, explore what’s going on & work toward meaningful change at your own pace.

You don't have to wait until you're in crisis to ask for help.

Therapy can be a place to understand what's happening, learn practical tools, process the things you've been carrying, and feel more confident navigating your life.

And you don't have to have everything figured out before you reach out.

You just have to be willing to start.