Paula Donovan, LCSW

Paula Donovan is a licensed clinical social worker with twenty years of practice who combines practical, evidence-informed methods with a warm, down-to-earth manner. She draws on cognitive behavioral therapy along with client-centered and mindfulness approaches to help people cope with stress, anxiety, grief, relationship strain, mood changes, and addiction concerns. Paula keeps sessions straightforward and focused on what matters now for each person.

She believes the person in the room is the best source of information about their life. Paula uses that knowledge to map patterns, identify strengths, and try small, doable changes that make daily life easier. Sessions often include skill building, problem solving, and time to notice what is working.

Paula has lived and worked in different countries and brings that life experience to conversations about identity, culture, and transition. She also supports people facing caregiving stress, aging and geriatric issues, and end-of-life concerns. Her work addresses complicated feelings like shame, guilt, isolation, and grief with straightforward support.

In practice she mixes talk, practical homework, and simple mindfulness exercises so people can test new ways of coping between sessions. Paula favors a respectful, collaborative tone and will invite questions and feedback as therapy progresses.

Paula offers services from Virginia and conducts sessions in English. Her goal is to help people move from feeling stuck toward clearer choices and more energy for the parts of life they care about.

How Paula combines approach and online care

Paula commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try practical behavior changes that reduce anxiety and depression. CBT focuses on clear, step-by-step strategies and homework that can be practiced between sessions.

She also works in a client-centered way that prioritizes listening and meeting each person where they are. That means the therapist follows the client's lead, reflects concerns, and helps find goals that matter to the individual. Dialectical behavior therapy skills are used when stronger emotion regulation, distress tolerance, or relationship skills are helpful; these teach concrete tools for handling intense feelings and improving interactions.

Choosing the right approach is a shared process. Paula will talk with each person about goals, try methods that fit their situation, and adjust based on what helps. Collaboration and ongoing feedback guide how therapy evolves.

Online sessions are available as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility to fit work, caregiving, and travel schedules. Video is useful for full conversation and visual cues, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat and messaging allow shorter check-ins and written reflection. These options make it simpler to keep momentum while testing new skills in everyday life.