Dawn Rodriguez-Insanalli, MS, MFT Associate

Dawn Rodriguez-Insanalli, MFT Associate, is a compassionate Marriage & Family Therapy Associate at Live Better Counseling PLLC who works with individuals, couples, adolescents, and families in a supportive, collaborative, and emotionally attuned therapeutic environment. Dawn is part of a dedicated team of mental health professionals committed to meeting clients halfway through flexible scheduling, personalized treatment planning, compassionate care, and limited sliding scale availability when appropriate.

Dawn helps clients navigate anxiety, relationship concerns, family conflict, trauma, emotional stress, and major life transitions while creating a warm and welcoming space where clients feel safe, understood, and supported throughout the therapeutic process. Her approach emphasizes empathy, communication, emotional insight, and helping clients develop healthier relational and behavioral patterns that support long-term personal growth and emotional well-being.

Dawn is especially passionate about working with couples and is continuing to expand her focus in couples therapy, premarital counseling, and marital relationship work. She supports couples in strengthening communication, rebuilding emotional connection, navigating conflict, and developing healthier relational patterns before and during marriage. Dawn is a certified facilitator for the PREPARE/ENRICH premarital and couples counseling program, an evidence-based assessment and skill-building approach designed to help couples strengthen their relationships and prepare for long-term partnership success.

She works with clients experiencing:

• Anxiety and chronic stress 
• Relationship and communication challenges 
• Premarital and marital concerns 
• Family dynamics and conflict 
• Emotional regulation difficulties 
• Infidelity and betrayal recovery 
• Hoarding disorder 
• Life transitions and adjustment challenges 

Depending on each client’s individual needs, Dawn incorporates therapeutic modalities including Solution-Focused Therapy, Strategic Therapy, and Structural Family Therapy to support meaningful and goal-oriented change.

Dawn earned her Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iona University and also holds a graduate degree in Mass Communications. Prior to becoming a therapist, she spent more than 40 years working in nonprofit higher education, healthcare, and substance misuse prevention organizations, bringing extensive life experience, professionalism, compassion, and strong communication skills into her clinical work.

As part of the clinical team at Live Better Counseling PLLC, Dawn practices under clinical supervision while continuing to expand her professional training and clinical experience. She is committed to helping clients feel emotionally supported while building practical tools for healthier relationships, stronger communication, and lasting emotional wellness.

Dawn offers virtual therapy appointments on weekday evenings and in-person sessions on Friday evenings and Saturdays, making it easier for individuals, couples, adolescents, and families to access care outside of traditional business hours. This flexible schedule is designed to accommodate working professionals, students, and busy families who may find daytime appointments difficult to attend.

As a Marriage and Family Therapy Associate, Dawn practices under the clinical supervision of Kira Akulova-Nickerson, LMFT, LPC, ensuring clients receive thoughtful, collaborative, and evidence-informed care. This supervisory relationship provides ongoing clinical consultation and support while maintaining the highest standards of ethical, compassionate, and quality therapeutic services.