Ms. Sheridan Bascombe Mental Health Counselor - Limited Permit

Ms. Sheridan Bascombe, Mental Health Counselor - Limited Permit, P131283 is practicing under the supervision of Gomattie Bell (New York, LMHC, 011263) at Humantold Psychotherapy.

Please, note: A clinician listed as being “clinically supervised” is completing clinical hours toward their licensure. They have one or more fully licensed clinical supervisors that often have special training. They consult with their supervisor(s) on all of their cases.

The belief that our worth is tied to our humanity rather than our achievements guides both my personal values and my approach to therapy. I reject the idea that success makes someone more deserving or that mistakes diminish a person’s value. This perspective naturally shapes my work with clients, especially those who struggle with self-worth tied to their accomplishments. When someone believes that failure makes them unworthy, they often experience intense anxiety, self-criticism, and shame. By introducing the idea that mistakes are a part of growth—not a measure of worth—I help clients move toward greater self-acceptance. This shift allows them to learn from setbacks rather than fear them, to take risks without the constant pressure of perfection, and to see themselves as whole and valuable, regardless of life’s ups and downs.

One of the most impactful lessons I learned came from a course on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) taught by Dr. Deborah Joffe Ellis, the wife of the late Albert Ellis, who created REBT. A key takeaway from that course was the idea that rigid beliefs—often expressed with words like must, should, can’t, and always—are at the root of much of our emotional distress. This insight has shaped the way I work with clients today. Rather than just addressing individual problems as they arise, I focus on uncovering the core rigid beliefs that may be driving multiple struggles. Once a client recognizes and challenges these beliefs, they often find that their ability to cope and adapt improves across many areas of their life—not just in one specific situation. This approach allows for deeper, more lasting change and empowers clients to respond to life’s challenges with greater flexibility and self-compassion.

Before joining Humantold, I had the privilege of working with children in foster care. Through that experience, I learned just how much pain can be hidden beneath anger and how important it is to look beyond surface behaviors to truly understand what someone is feeling. One of the most powerful lessons I took from that work was that healing doesn’t just happen in big, dramatic moments—it happens in the small, everyday interactions that show someone they are valued and heard. I found a particular passion for working with clients who struggled with anxiety and negative self-talk. It was incredible to witness the shift when someone realized they were stronger than they thought, that their fears didn’t have to control them, and that they deserved kindness—not just from others, but from themselves. One of the most rewarding parts of my work has been helping clients see that, no matter what they’ve been through, there are still people in the world who will treat them with respect, care, and dignity—and that they can learn to do the same for themselves.