Paula Patterson

Paula Patterson is a licensed clinical social worker with 20 years of experience helping people cope when life feels overwhelming. She offers calm, direct support for stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and the fallout from trauma and abuse. Paula explains things plainly and helps people find manageable steps forward.

In sessions she focuses on what matters most to each person. That can mean learning ways to reduce panic and worry, managing compulsive behaviors, or finding new ways to handle relationship and intimacy challenges. She also assists with issues like parenting strain, addiction concerns, seasonal mood changes, and compassion fatigue.

Paula uses a mix of practical therapies depending on the situation. She draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Attachment-Based ideas to address unhelpful patterns and build new coping skills. She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy strategies and a client-centered stance when those fit better.

Her style is warm and nonjudgmental. Sessions are conversational and goal-focused, with an emphasis on real-life skills you can try between visits. Paula aims to help people notice small changes that add up to clearer thinking and steadier moods.

Paula holds an NC LCSW and practices in North Carolina. She conducts therapy in English and brings two decades of clinical experience to each meeting.

How Paula’s approaches work in online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying what matters most and taking small actions toward those values even when thoughts and feelings are difficult. It can help with anxiety, depression, and adjusting to life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to shift unhelpful patterns and reduce symptoms. Attachment-Based ideas pay attention to how early and current relationships shape emotional responses and can guide work on intimacy and relationship concerns.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. Paula will listen to a person's goals and preferences and suggest techniques that fit their situation. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust them as progress is made.

Confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Many people find online therapy easier to fit into a busy week because it cuts down travel time, allows scheduling between work or caregiving tasks, and can make short check-ins simpler. Online work also makes it possible to practice skills in the settings where problems happen and to bring real-life examples into conversation.