Raven O'Rourke, LCSW

Raven O'Rourke is a licensed clinical social worker with eight years of experience helping people manage mood disorders, trauma, and family conflict. She holds a Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Health from Tulane University. Raven practices in Tennessee and offers online sessions for residents there.

Raven focuses on what is happening now and helps people build practical coping strategies. She listens with empathy and gives direct, gentle feedback when it fits the situation. Sessions emphasize clear steps you can try between meetings.

Her work draws on cognitive behavioral approaches along with client-centered and solution-focused methods. That means she helps clients notice unhelpful thoughts, name values and strengths, and set small, achievable goals. Mindfulness and motivational interviewing also inform her way of working when exploring readiness for change.

Raven commonly supports people facing depression, anxiety, grief, relationship strain, and stress related to chronic health issues like HIV. She also addresses intimacy concerns, non-traditional relationship styles such as polyamory, and topics related to kink and alternative sex culture. Her approach is straightforward and nonjudgmental.

Sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text messaging on weekdays with very limited weekend contact. She typically responds to messages during the workweek and less often on weekends. To get started, clients follow the site's matching steps and schedule a session according to therapist availability.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Raven uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and try small behavior changes that can improve mood and reduce anxiety. She also relies on Client-Centered Therapy, which means she prioritizes empathic listening and follows the client's pace and values when planning next steps. Mindfulness Therapy is used as well to build awareness of thoughts and bodily sensations and to teach simple grounding practices useful during stress.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. Raven will work with each person to figure out which methods fit their goals and preferences. She discusses options, sets shared goals, and adjusts strategies over time so the work stays relevant and doable.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video is helpful for face-to-face conversation and observing nonverbal cues. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier to fit into a busy day. Live chat or text messaging can support shorter check-ins, step-by-step problem solving, or ongoing coaching between sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while balancing daily life.