Kathleen Pear, LCSW

Kathleen Pear is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who helps adults navigate stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and changes in life circumstances. She focuses on practical steps people can use right away to feel steadier and more capable. Her tone is warm and nonjudgmental, and she aims to make sessions feel comfortable and respectful.

Kathleen draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered ideas to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different ways of responding. She also uses psychodynamic perspectives to look at how past patterns influence present feelings. Sessions mix practical skills with gentle reflection about life history.

In the room she encourages people to identify strengths and small successes. Then she helps set clear, manageable goals and tracks progress over time. This makes change feel more doable when daily life already feels busy or overwhelming.

Her background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, where she concentrated on mental health. She has 14 years of experience working in health and mental health care settings with adults.

People who reach out often want help with mood changes, relationship stress, family issues, caregiver strain, chronic health challenges, or loneliness. Kathleen works with each person to tailor the pace and focus to their needs and priorities.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

Kathleen commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered methods in online sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and understanding so someone can explore feelings and choices at their own pace.

She also brings psychodynamic ideas into conversations when it helps to understand recurring patterns or how past relationships affect current struggles. Choosing the right mix of methods is a team effort; Kathleen will work together with each person to decide which approaches fit their goals, comfort level, and preferences.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation for skill practice and deeper discussion. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging are helpful for brief check-ins, tracking progress, or fitting brief sessions into a busy day. These options make scheduling more flexible and can help people keep therapy consistent alongside other responsibilities.