Dr. Sugandika Subawickrama, LCPC, LPC

Dr. Sugandika Subawickrama is a licensed counselor with two decades of clinical experience. She practices in New Jersey and brings steady, practical support for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, and major life shifts. She speaks English and Sinhala and focuses on listening first, then working together on a plan that fits each person.

Her approach centers on creating an open, nonjudgmental space where people can talk about difficult feelings. Sessions often begin by identifying immediate concerns and small, doable goals. She uses proven talk-based approaches such as client-centered work and cognitive techniques to help people notice patterns and try new ways of coping.

Dr. Subawickrama also draws on mindfulness and motivational interviewing to support change. Mindfulness helps with emotion regulation and sleep problems, while motivational interviewing can help with ambivalence around substance use or other behavior changes. Narrative ideas are used when it helps people reframe personal stories and find new meaning.

She has worked in both national and international settings, bringing experience with trauma, relationship strain, parenting stress, and caregiving burdens. Her style is steady and collaborative - she listens first, then suggests practical steps. Many people come for help with addiction, grief, anger, self-esteem, or career uncertainty.

If someone wants to begin, she asks clients to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a session. Sessions operate on a subscription model that can be canceled at any time, and practical details are handled up front so people can focus on change.

How her approaches fit into online therapy

Dr. Subawickrama uses client-centered work to create a warm, listening space where people feel heard and can describe what matters most to them. This approach helps when someone needs to talk through relationship stress, grief, or emotional pain without feeling judged.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavior changes. CBT is often useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and patterns that feed addiction. Mindfulness techniques are introduced to help regulate emotions, improve sleep, and reduce stress through attention and breathing exercises.

Choosing the right approach is a team effort. She will talk with each person about their goals, try different methods when needed, and adjust the plan as progress is made. The process is collaborative and paced to the individual.

Practical benefits of online work can include fitting sessions into a busy week and keeping continuity when schedules change. Because session formats were not specified in the biography, confirm current options before booking so you know what will work best. Many people find online sessions helpful for maintaining regular check-ins and building steady momentum toward change.