Paula Donovan , LCSW

Paula Donovan greets visitors with a warm Irish accent and the calm presence earned over a long life of work and travel. She came to the United States more than 40 years ago to work at the World Bank and later retrained as a clinical therapist to focus on supporting individuals and couples. As an LCSW - a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - she combines formal training with wide-ranging life experience from both international and U.S. settings.

Paula believes that each person is the foremost expert on their own life, and she uses what clients choose to share to help ease and energize the here-and-now while planning next steps. Her work centers on identifying and reinforcing the strengths, relationships, patterns, and practices that support resilience and well-being. She draws on multiple clinical approaches to tailor care to each person’s needs, and she emphasizes that the essential ingredient is a trusting therapeutic relationship - often with room for a little laughter.

Paula recognizes how unfair life can feel when losses and disappointments bring grief, isolation, or exhaustion, and how trauma and ongoing stress can leave bodies and spirits on high alert. Relationships, illness, and profound life changes sometimes produce a sense of being stuck or empty of meaning. Even so, she honors the decision to seek help as a meaningful step toward new possibilities and encourages people to explore that opportunity.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Paula uses client-centered therapy to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where the client’s perspective guides the goals and pace of work. This approach is especially helpful for people seeking to explore personal values, strengthen self-understanding, and rebuild confidence after loss or life transitions.

She also integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and develop practical strategies for managing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. When patterns of intense emotion or interpersonal conflict arise, elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) are used to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and communication skills.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Paula works with clients to choose and adapt techniques based on individual needs, goals, and preferences, and she revisits that plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy with Paula is available by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for busy schedules, caregiving responsibilities, and mobility concerns. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care and integrate therapeutic work into daily life while working with licensed professionals and therapists who tailor their methods to each person’s situation.