Kathleen Cooley, LMSW

Kathleen Cooley is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with four decades of social work experience who now offers part-time counseling after a long career in a variety of settings. She understands that reaching out to a counselor can feel intimidating for first-timers and makes it a priority that people feel heard and respected as they share their life experiences.

Her approach is broadly eclectic, grounded mainly in cognitive and behavioral techniques and Reality Therapy, and augmented with other methods as needed. She has recent training in Cognitive Processing Therapy, a recognized treatment approach for post-traumatic stress, and draws on that training when working with trauma and abuse. Kathleen has supported children in school settings, college-age adolescents, and adults across a wide range of presentations from severe mental illness to adjustment difficulties.

She has worked with sexual and other forms of abuse, suicidality, grief and loss, relationship concerns, depression, anxiety, and less-common issues such as Selective Mutism. Kathleen enjoys meeting people and helping them address the concerns they bring, and she advises against minimizing one’s own struggles if they are prompting a search for help.

Kathleen prefers video-based sessions when possible because she values being able to see the person she is working with, though she is also available for phone and text-based contact. With a welcoming, attentive style, she looks forward to connecting with those who reach out for support.