Cathy O'Brien, LMSW

Cathy O'Brien is a Michigan-based therapist who holds an LMSW, a licensed social work credential. She brings a strengths-focused, empathetic approach to helping children, families, and individuals navigate a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and parenting difficulties, self-esteem challenges, ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, eating issues, anger, and career-related stress.

Cathy's clinical experience includes work with adoption and foster care matters, attachment issues, autism spectrum conditions, mood and impulse-related difficulties, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, self-harm behaviors, social anxiety, trichotillomania, and family conflict. She is trained in trauma-focused methods and has supported many people affected by abuse and loss, helping them build coping skills and stress-management strategies to face life changes.

Her therapeutic stance prioritizes a trusting relationship built on respect, sensitivity, and empathy. Cathy blends evidence-informed approaches to match each individual's needs, drawing from Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy. She has provided care in school and clinic settings as well as through virtual sessions, adapting methods to fit the context and the person she is working with.

Cathy acknowledges the courage involved in seeking help and aims to offer steady, practical support for those ready to take steps toward change. She focuses on collaboration and actionable skills so individuals can respond to challenges with resilience and purpose.