Christopher Boydston, LMHC

Online therapy for first responders, mandated clients, and men navigating stress and change.

I have over a decade of experience working with a diverse population, including time as a volunteer firefighter and as a therapist for incarcerated individuals in a prison setting. Working closely with corrections officers gave me a deep respect and compassion for the people who do some of society's hardest jobs — which is why I have a particular interest in working with first responders: police, firefighters, EMS providers, corrections officers, and military members.

I also have a genuine affinity for working with people who are mandated to treatment. A lot of my prison work involved clients who were there because a court ordered it — and I found that some of the most powerful change happens when someone who didn't choose therapy discovers their own reasons to stay with it.

My approach combines CBT and motivational interviewing with a client-centered, strength-based philosophy. You are the expert in your own treatment; my job is to meet you where you are — practical, direct, and without judgment — and help you find your own motivation to change.

I offer online-only therapy across New York through Octave, a free initial consultation, and in-network billing with most major insurance plans.