Stephanie Donley

Stephanie Donley is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who helps people coping with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and changes in life. She also supports those struggling with eating and food-related issues, compassion fatigue, relationship concerns, and feelings of low self-esteem. Her manner is warm and engaging, and she aims for straightforward, respectful conversations that avoid stigmatizing labels.

Stephanie focuses on practical steps and strengths. She uses client-centered and solution-oriented methods to help people notice what’s working and build on it. She often draws from cognitive behavioral ideas and mindfulness to help shift unhelpful thoughts and create new habits.

In sessions she keeps language simple and concrete. Expect a collaborative pace where goals are set together and progress is reviewed. She encourages people to identify small, doable changes that fit their daily life.

Her background includes about 10 years working across multiple care settings, including supporting people through cancer survivorship and end-of-life concerns. That experience informs a compassionate approach to grief, caregiver stress, and chronic illness-related issues.

Stephanie describes her practice as affirming of LGBT people and attentive to individual needs. She emphasizes discovery of personal strengths and learning from both setbacks and successes. Reaching out is framed as an important first step toward feeling more settled and purposeful.

Therapeutic approaches that translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and take action toward those values despite difficult thoughts or emotions. It’s useful for anxiety, depression, and managing life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and testing new behaviors to reduce distress and improve functioning. It often helps with anxiety, mood, and eating-related concerns. Mindfulness Therapy encourages present-moment noticing and simple attention practices to reduce reactivity and increase self-awareness, which can support stress and emotion regulation.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about needs, goals, and preferences and then try methods that feel like a good fit. Decisions about which techniques to use are collaborative and may change as goals evolve.

Session formats are not listed in the supplied biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, shorten travel time, and offer a way to check in during a lunch break or between errands. Some people prefer video for face-to-face interaction, while others find phone or shorter check-ins easier to manage when they need less screen time. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT, CBT, and mindfulness practices to work well across different formats, helping people build everyday skills and track progress.