Catherine McLaughlin

Catherine McLaughlin is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 23 years of experience who helps people facing anxiety, depression, substance concerns, grief, and problems with self-esteem. She meets people where they are and aims for practical change. Her style is direct but warm, and she uses a bit of humor when it's helpful.

She draws on client-centered work to build an honest, respectful space where a person's goals guide the work. Cognitive behavioral techniques are used to break down unhelpful thinking and develop new coping skills. Mindfulness tools help with stress, panic, and emotional regulation.

Catherine also brings psychodynamic ideas into therapy to look at patterns that repeat across relationships and life choices. Motivational interviewing is part of her approach when people are weighing change, especially around substance use and lifestyle shifts. She emphasizes collaboration and helps clients set achievable steps.

Her background includes long experience in private practice and work with the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, supporting people charged with driving while intoxicated. That work informs her practical, no-nonsense approach to addictions and codependency issues.

Catherine works from an ethic of respect and clear boundaries. She focuses on helping people find more satisfaction and better daily functioning. Sessions are conducted in English and based in New York, and she asks prospective clients to confirm current session options before booking.

How Catherine’s approaches translate to online work

Client-centered therapy puts the client's goals front and center and focuses on listening, reflection, and practical next steps. This helps people clarify what matters and decide what to work on first.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It teaches concrete tools for anxiety, panic, low mood, and unhelpful habits so clients can try new responses between sessions.

Mindfulness therapy introduces simple attention and breathing practices to reduce stress and improve emotional regulation. These techniques are useful for panic, stress, and coping with big emotions.

Finding the right blend of methods is part of the process. Catherine will work together with each person to choose approaches that match their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adapts the work as progress is made.

Confirm the exact online session options before booking, as current formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets people practice new skills between meetings and apply them in everyday situations.