Kim Padula, LCSW

Kim Padula is a licensed clinical social worker with 26 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and mood disorders. She works with those facing grief, relationship and family concerns, career stress, and challenges related to caregiving or aging. Her tone is practical and strengths-based, aiming to help people find more choice in how they respond to life.

Kim uses a team approach in sessions. Early meetings include a review of history and relationships that have shaped current struggles. Together with each person she sets clear goals and a plan for therapy that can be adjusted as needed.

Her methods draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, client-centered approaches, and techniques from dialectical behavior therapy and existential perspectives. Sessions focus on concrete skills, clearer thinking, and ways to manage strong emotions.

She emphasizes perspective, accountability, and steady growth rather than quick fixes. Therapy is practical - identifying problems, practicing new responses, and measuring progress over time.

Kim trained in psychology at Vanderbilt University and earned a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work. She holds Tennessee LCSW credentialing and brings many years of direct practice to her work.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Kim draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thought patterns and practice new behaviors that reduce anxiety and depression. CBT focuses on concrete steps and homework exercises that translate well to online formats.

She also uses client-centered therapy, which emphasizes listening, empathy, and meeting people where they are. This approach helps build trust and supports personal insight and emotional processing during conversations over video or phone.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques are part of her toolbox for managing intense emotions and improving coping skills. DBT offers specific strategies for distress tolerance and emotional regulation that can be practiced between sessions.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Kim will work with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as progress is made. The aim is to match methods to needs rather than force a single model.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls let people talk face-to-face and use visual cues. Phone sessions need less bandwidth and can be easier during busy days. Live chat or text-based messaging allow shorter check-ins, written reflection, and follow-up between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or travel schedules.