Carmen Ayala

Carmen Ayala accepts Prime Health, UnitedHealthcare/Oxford/Optum, Empire BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, Mount Sinai Employee UMR (United Healthcare), Oscar, Cigna Healthcare/Evernorth, and Centivo. Octave clients pay an average of $28 per session through insurance, and more than 95% pay less than $45 per session. Your exact cost depends on your plan’s copay or deductible. You can use the cost estimator to see what you would pay before your first session. If you would rather pay out of pocket, self-pay sessions in New York are estimated at $180-250 per session.

Carmen Ayala is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Carmen is licensed to practice in New York, so clients located in New York can book sessions. Carmen’s New York license number is 11460, and you can look it up through the state licensing board. Octave verifies every therapist’s license before they begin seeing clients, and licenses are kept current as a condition of practicing with Octave.

Carmen Ayala has been practicing therapy for 5 years. Carmen’s education and training include MA - Mental Health Counseling, Iona College. Over that time, Carmen has worked closely with BIPOC, Asian / Pacific Islander community, Black community, Indigenous Americans, Parents, Immigrants, Neurodivergence, and Students.

Carmen Ayala works with BIPOC, Asian / Pacific Islander community, Black community, Indigenous Americans, Parents, Immigrants, Neurodivergence, and Students and specializes in Anxiety, Burnout, Cultural Issues/Racial Stress, Depression, Family Conflict, Grief, IPV/DV, Life Transitions, Panic, Relationship Concerns, Sleep, Stress, Women's Issues, and Workplace Stress. These are the areas where Carmen spends most of their clinical time. If the concern you want help with isn’t listed here, a Care Navigator can tell you whether Carmen is a good fit or match you with another Octave therapist who specializes in it.

Carmen Ayala draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Harm Reduction, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Psychodynamic, Solution-Focused, and Strengths-Based. In sessions, Carmen’s style is authentic, empowering, holistic, open-minded, and warm. In Carmen’s words: “I strive to create a welcoming space where you feel truly seen, heard, and supported.”

Carmen Ayala (she/her) offers therapy in English and Spanish. Carmen identifies as Hispanic/Latinx.

Carmen Ayala offers online sessions over secure video, so you can meet from home or any private space. Carmen is licensed in New York, and you need to be located in that state at the time of each session. All you need is a device with a camera and a stable internet connection.

Your first session with Carmen Ayala is a chance to talk through what brought you to therapy and what you want to work on. Carmen will ask about your background, your current concerns, and your goals, and together you will start shaping a plan for your sessions. It is also a chance to see whether Carmen’s style feels like a good fit for you. After their first session, 9 in 10 Octave clients say their therapy experience has been good or better.

Octave regularly asks clients to select a rating based on their experience about their provider about their therapy sessions. Providers are prohibited from soliciting reviews from their clients.

Only clients who have completed a session with this provider can leave a rating for them.