Kathleen Cooley , LMSW

Kathleen Cooley is a Michigan social worker with 40 years of experience supporting people through a wide range of life challenges. She retired from full-time practice and is interested in part-time work, though she is not currently accepting clients. Holding an LMSW - a Licensed Master Social Worker - she draws on decades of experience working with children, adolescents and adults across settings from schools to community mental health.

Kathleen approaches therapy in an eclectic, person-focused way, with an emphasis on cognitive and behavioral techniques. She has additional training in Cognitive Processing Therapy, a recognized approach for treating trauma-related reactions, and integrates other methods as needed to address each person’s goals. Her background includes helping people coping with sexual and other abuse, suicidality, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, selective mutism, relationship concerns, and adjustment difficulties.

Her practice style centers on listening carefully and treating each concern as important rather than minimized. Kathleen enjoys meeting people and assisting with practical strategies and insight to manage stress, relationships, parenting challenges, mood disorders, ADHD, and life transitions. She has a preference for video-based meetings so she and the client can see one another, but she is also comfortable with phone or text-based contact when appropriate.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Kathleen commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which helps people identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors to improve mood and coping. This approach is often useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. She also incorporates Trauma-Focused Therapy, which targets responses to traumatic events and can include techniques to process traumatic memories and reduce trauma-related symptoms. In addition, she values Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship and supports people in exploring their thoughts and feelings at their own pace.

Finding the best therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Kathleen works with clients to understand their needs, goals, and preferences and tailors methods to fit each individual rather than applying a single technique to everyone. Clients and the therapist decide together which strategies make the most sense as therapy progresses.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility for people with busy schedules or mobility constraints. Sessions can be arranged as video calls to allow face-to-face interaction, or as phone, live chat, or text-based messaging when those options better suit a client’s needs. These formats make it easier to maintain consistent care and access licensed professionals from different locations.