Meet renee macdonald, lcsw
therapist in-person in dutchess county & online across new york and Florida

Helping you face the truths you’ve been carrying alone.

Renee MacDonald, Therapist in Dutchess County & Across NY

You may not know what the answer is, but you do know that you’re exhausted.

You don’t have it in you anymore to keep going the same way you have been for so many years.

One thing’s for sure, you’re ready for meaningful change.

I’m ready when you are.

I WORK WITH…

  • Overthinkers who get stuck analyzing everything and struggle to turn off the feedback loop in their minds or make decisions.

  • High achievers who are burned out but keep pushing, feeling as if they stop or ask for help, nothing will ever get done.

  • Caretakers who anticipate everyone else’s needs while quietly neglecting their own, and feel a bit resentful that their loved ones don’t intuitively reciprocate.

  • People who constantly wonder if they’re doing life right and need outside validation to feel okay.

  • Couples who have been together for years and are tired of avoiding hard conversations.

  • Individuals who are starting to reflect on their tumultuous or lonely childhood and how it may be shaping their approach to relationships today.

  • Those whose emotional neglect can be named - and finally met.


If any of this resonates with you, you’re in the right place.

I offer a warm, curious, & customized approach to helping you become your most empowered self.

Maybe you’ve been to therapy in the past, and had a decent enough experience, but didn’t gain anything that really provided deep, transformational healing.

Here, we’ll work to uncover the roots of your struggles and find real, long-lasting solutions—so you can feel a sense of clarity, know what you want out of life, and have relationships that make you feel loved for who you are.

By now, you’re well-acquainted with harshness & self-criticism.

When we work together, I’ll invite you to lean into understanding and self-compassion instead.

SPECIALIZING IN…

IN THE WORK WE DO TOGETHER…

  • You’ve learned ways to protect yourself that have carried you this far—those patterns did their job well. But now, you might be realizing that they’re keeping you stuck. 

    Together, we’ll get curious about those parts of you that have been pushed aside, help you reconnect with what you truly want, and experiment with new ways of showing up that feel more aligned with who you are now.As you learn to listen to yourself with more compassion, you’ll start to trust your feelings, desires, and boundaries in a way that feels grounded and authentic.

  • This is your experience, and I’m here to guide you. I’m not the expert on your life—you are. My role is to bring curiosity, warmth and helpful tooas we explore what’s coming up for you and facilitate how we can use that to make meaningful change. I’ll ask for your consent every step of the way because this is a conversation, not a prescription. We’ll figure out what feels right for you, together.

  • Even when it feels like you’re backed into a corner, there are always choices. You might not love all the options, but they’re there—and we’ll explore them honestly and carefully. I’ll invite you to notice what feels right in the moment and help you practice making decisions that align with what matters most to you. Through this process, you get to design a life that reflects who you are becoming.

  • We can look at the hard stuff without it always weighing us down. I’m not afraid to go to those deeper places with you, but we’ll do it in a way that feels safe and manageable. Sometimes, it’s about holding space for the messy middle—where more than one thing can be true at the same time. And sometimes, it’s about finding moments of humor and lightness, even when things feel heavy.

  • You didn’t know what you didn’t get as a child, and sometimes that leaves you feeling like others know things you don’t. That’s okay—you get to learn and know them now. I’m here to help you make sense of your experiences, connect with the parts of yourself that need compassion, validation and empowerment to create a life that feels more whole. This is your story to write, and I’m honored to be part of the process.

Training & Education

Education & Licensure

  • MSW Adelphi University

  • LCSW, state of NY

  • Telehealth certificate, state of FL

Trainings & Certifications

  • Attachment-Focused EMDR

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples and individuals

  • T-CBT, Advanced Training

  • DBT, Advanced Training

  • Relational Life Therapy (RLT) for couples and individuals

  • Grief, Advanced Training

  • Psychodynamic Training

  • IFS training

Therapy Fee Structure & Philosophy

At my practice, I believe in making quality mental health care accessible while also ensuring sustainability. Here's my approach to fees:

  • I offer an equitable pricing scale that acknowledges different financial circumstances while respecting the value of professional psychotherapy/counseling services. My fee structure is designed with both accessibility and practice sustainability in mind.

  • Unlike larger institutions with external funding sources, independent practitioners like myself personally absorb any fee reductions offered. I've created a thoughtful tiered pricing system that allows me to:

    • Make care more accessible to those in financial need

    • Maintain the sustainability of my practice

    • Continue my professional development to serve you better

  • I've established fee tiers to accommodate varying financial circumstances. When choosing your appropriate fee level, I invite you to consider:

    • Lower fee options are specifically reserved for those experiencing genuine financial hardship

    • When clients who can afford standard rates request reduced fees, it limits availability for those who truly need financial flexibility

    • Your fee supports not just our sessions, but the ongoing training, preparation, and professional resources that enhance your care

    I trust you to honestly assess your financial situation without requiring documentation. This approach relies on our mutual respect and commitment to a therapy community where resources are allocated with integrity.

  • This is the actual service cost. All fees below this tier are considered a sliding scale/discounted fee. If you’re able to meet your basic needs and enjoy wants as well, have savings, investments, property, inherited money, retirement accounts, travel for fun, work part time (or don’t work) by choice, have regular access to health care, have potential earning power even if it’s not immediately apparent because you are able bodied, have a college degree, have generational wealth, or because of your gender, race, etc then you have economic privilege and power in our community. You belong here.

    • $190 | 50-minute, individual session

    • $215 | 75-minute, couples session

    Discounted/Supported Fee

    This is for people who have a steady income, do not spend most days worried about meeting basic needs (such as health care, housing, food, child care, transportation), and have financial space to enjoy some wants. They vacation annually or every few years without financial burden, though they may be struggling to conquer debt, build savings, or move away from paycheck to paycheck living. If paying for this service may necessitate that you scale back on luxury spending in your life (such as eating out or optional travel) but it would not create significant hardship, you belong here.

    • $165 | 50-minute, individual session

    • $190 | 75-minute, couples session

  • If you struggle to maintain access to basic needs such as health care, housing, food, child care, transportation, are living paycheck to paycheck, in significant debt, have no/very limited expendable income, have no access to savings, cannot afford a vacation or have the financial ability to take time off, are eligible for public assistance, have immigration-related expenses, and/or if you are descended from enslaved people or Indigenous Americans then you are probably dealing with hardship and belong here.

    [limited availability]

    • $135 | 50-minute, individual session

    • $175 | 75-minute, couples session

    Please discuss concerns related to fees during a free 15-minute consultation for services, available here: https://renee-giordano.clientsecure.me   

    I welcome you exactly as you are—with your unique story, strengths, and challenges—and look forward to our work together in creating meaningful change in your life.

Request Appointment

Concept, content, inspiration and credit given to: 

Alexis J. Cunningfolk 
https://www.wortsandcunning.com/blog/sliding-scale

Rebecca Wong, LCSW-R
https://rebeccawonglcsw.com/feeshttps://connectfulness.com/

Transformation begins with action—and you’ve already taken action by being here. 

All that’s left to do is accept the support you deserve.


Sessions available in-person at my office in Beacon (Dutchess County) & online across New York and Florida.