- 40 years experience
- Video preferred
- Practical strategies
About Kathleen
Kathleen Cooley, LMSW, offers support for stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, parenting strain, and codependency. She speaks plainly and listens closely so people feel heard when they first reach out. Kathleen understands how hard it is to contact a counselor and aims to make the first step feel easier. She prefers meeting by video so she can see people, though she can also use phone or text when needed.
She has practiced social work for 40 years and now works part time after retiring from other roles. Her experience spans schools, college settings, and adult mental health, including work with severe mental illness and adjustment problems. She has supported people coping with suicidality, sexual and other abuse, selective mutism, and end-of-life concerns.
Kathleen describes her style as eclectic, with a strong emphasis on cognitive and behavioral approaches and Reality Therapy. She also uses trauma-focused methods and solution-oriented strategies when they fit a person’s needs. Sessions focus on practical steps people can try between meetings as well as talking through how past experiences affect today.
She was trained recently in Cognitive Processing Therapy, a trauma-focused approach used for PTSD. Kathleen combines that training with attachment-aware listening to help people feel understood and to work on patterns that repeat in relationships. Her approach is down-to-earth and goal minded, with attention to emotions and real-life changes.
People who contact her complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a time that suits them. Kathleen works in English and practices from Michigan.
How her approaches translate to online work
Attachment-Based Therapy emphasizes understanding how early connections shape current relationships and emotional patterns. In sessions this looks like talking through relationship history and identifying ways to repair or change repeating patterns, which helps with attachment issues and relationship concerns.Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening without judgment and following the person's pace. The therapist offers empathy and reflection so people can find their own answers, which often helps with grief, self-esteem, and life transitions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. Sessions include identifying unhelpful thoughts and trying small experiments or practice tasks to change reactions, often helping with anxiety, depression, and coping skills.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, try methods that fit their situation, and adjust the plan based on what helps. People often try a mix of approaches rather than one fixed method.
Kathleen prefers video sessions because she likes being able to see the person, and she can also use phone or text when that better fits someone’s needs. If you want to know exact session formats offered now, confirm the options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow quieter check-ins during a break, or reduce travel time while keeping a face-to-face feel.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
40+ years
Credentials
Michigan
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
Kathleen supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and parenting challenges, ADHD, bipolar and other mood disorders, and codependency among other issues.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her work is described as eclectic with a focus on cognitive and behavioral techniques and Reality Therapy. She blends approaches to fit each person's needs and uses practical exercises between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She has 40 years of experience as a social worker in schools, college settings, and adult mental health, and now sees people part time after retiring from other roles.
What credential and location are listed?
She is a LMSW, which stands for Licensed Master Social Worker, and she practices from Michigan.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How does cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a session?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.