- Stress and anxiety
- CBT and mindfulness
- Trauma informed care
About Cathy
Cathy O'Brien is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) practicing in Michigan with six years of direct clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, ADHD, and other mood and behavior concerns. Cathy also addresses family-related problems, grief, eating concerns, anger, self-esteem, and career-related stress.
Cathy prefers straightforward, practical work. She begins by building a trusting relationship so people feel comfortable talking about difficult matters. Sessions include clear skill-building for stress management and techniques to handle anxiety, panic, and mood swings.
Her work draws on Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to look at unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors. She also uses Emotionally-Focused techniques to help people understand reactions in close relationships. Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing appear when clients want tools for staying present or for making changes they find important.
Cathy has experience supporting people who have lived with trauma, adoption and foster care concerns, attachment issues, autism spectrum challenges, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and impulse-control problems. She has helped people manage symptoms related to bipolar conditions, panic attacks, and disruptive mood patterns.
Work is practical and goal-oriented. Cathy uses exercises, short-term strategies, and conversations that examine patterns in daily life. She asks about each person’s priorities and adapts the focus to fit what they want to change.
To start, a person completes a short matching questionnaire and schedules a first session. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time, and sessions are provided in English within Michigan.
How her approaches translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person’s experience, helping them feel heard while they identify goals and priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses practical exercises to change patterns that cause distress. Emotionally-Focused techniques pay attention to how emotions influence relationships and help people notice and respond to those patterns more effectively.Choosing an approach is collaborative. She will discuss what matters to the client, try strategies that fit the client’s goals, and adjust methods based on what helps. Clients and the therapist decide together which combination of approaches to use.
The biography notes she has worked virtually as well as face-to-face, but it does not list specific session formats here. Confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life - for example, shorter check-ins between commitments, avoiding travel time, or choosing a format that uses less bandwidth if needed. Therapists work with clients to set realistic goals and use exercises you can practice between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
Michigan
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, ADHD, eating concerns, grief, anger, and related mood or behavior issues.
What is her therapeutic style?
She uses a mix of Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally-Focused approaches, mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing to address thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She holds six years of direct clinical experience and has worked in school and clinic settings as well as in virtual formats.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an LMSW - Licensed Master Social Worker - based in Michigan.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people from other countries work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Sessions use a subscription model that varies with location and can be canceled at any time; costs depend on the subscriber’s location.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.