Dr. Patricia Frueh

Dr. Patricia Frueh offers calm, straightforward care for people coping with eating concerns and other life challenges. She meets people where they are and looks for small, steady steps toward feeling better. Her manner is warm and often gently humorous, which some clients find relaxing when hard topics come up.

Patricia is a Michigan psychologist with 28 years of experience. She listens for strengths and resilience while also attending to pain from depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship strain, parenting stress, and habit or addiction concerns. Eating and food-related issues are included among the areas she addresses.

Her work blends practical strategies with attention to values and daily living. She uses approaches that include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and solution-focused techniques as appropriate. Sessions emphasize clear goals, skills practice, and noticing what is already working.

Patricia describes herself as trauma-aware and may include trauma-focused ideas when needed. She also draws on positive psychology and mindfulness meditation practice to help people build coping skills and increase moments of meaning and pleasure.

People who choose her often want a respectful, collaborative relationship and concrete tools to manage symptoms and life changes. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Therapeutic approaches you can use in online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice their values and take committed steps toward them. It uses mindfulness and practical experiments to reduce avoidance and increase meaningful action, which can help with anxiety, mood problems, and issues around eating and habits.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. It includes straightforward exercises such as tracking patterns, testing unhelpful beliefs, and practicing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like panic, low mood, or disordered eating patterns.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) brings skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. It can be useful when emotions feel intense or when relationships and communication are a struggle.

Choosing the right approach is a team process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they adapt techniques from different approaches to match the client’s needs and pace.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm the current session formats before booking. Online options can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, require less travel, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Discussing practical needs and preferences early helps shape a plan that fits daily life.