David Shirly, LMHC

Approaches for online work and managing strong emotions

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and respect; the therapist follows the person’s lead and helps them feel understood. This approach often helps people who need a steady, nonjudgmental place to talk about difficult feelings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the connection between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches concrete skills to change unhelpful patterns. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and stress management. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, teaches skills for regulating intense emotions, tolerating distress, and improving relationships, which can help with anger, self-destructive behaviors, and crisis moments.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to pick methods that fit their goals, preferences, and day-to-day life. That might mean starting with skills-based CBT, adding DBT tools for emotional control, or using Client-Centered listening to deepen insight.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make therapy flexible. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation when bandwidth permits. Phone sessions are a good option when a quick check-in is needed or video isn’t practical. Live chat and text messaging can work for shorter updates, skill practice, and ongoing support between longer meetings.