- Years in practice
- 40
- Credentials
- LMSW
- Licensed in
- Michigan
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
About Kathleen
Kathleen Cooley is a licensed master social worker who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, parenting concerns, and relationship struggles. She has four decades of social work experience and offers a calm, approachable presence for people who feel unsure about starting therapy.
She prefers meeting by video so people can see one another, but also uses phone, live chat, and text-based messaging when that fits better. Her style is warm and practical.
Background and approach
She listens closely and works to make each session feel understandable and relevant. Her approach draws heavily on cognitive behavioral ideas to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She also uses solution-focused strategies to set clear goals and build steps toward them.
Attachment-based and trauma-focused perspectives guide work around early relationships and past hurts. Over a long career Kathleen has worked in schools, college settings, and mental health programs. She has supported people across a wide range of concerns from severe mental illness to adjustment struggles.
She has particular experience with trauma, sexual abuse, suicidality, selective mutism, and end-of-life issues. Sessions are conversational and paced to each person. Kathleen emphasizes practical skills, small experiments between sessions, and straightforward feedback.
She aims to help people feel heard and to leave sessions with at least one clear next step.
What Kathleen works with
Everything Kathleen lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Kathleen helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Depression
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Divorce and separation
- Family of origin issues
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Trichotillomania
- Young adult issues
Approaches Kathleen lists
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches online and how they help
Attachment-based work focuses on how early relationships shape feelings and expectations. Online sessions can use this approach to look at patterns in current relationships, understand triggers, and practice new ways of connecting. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, helps people spot negative thoughts and try small behavior experiments. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and many day-to-day challenges because it leads to concrete, testable changes. Solution-focused therapy zeroes in on clear goals and steps forward, which can be helpful when someone wants practical progress in a few sessions.Finding the right approach is treated as a team effort. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and what feels most comfortable. Together they choose and adjust methods so the work fits the person rather than forcing a single technique.
Online therapy makes these approaches easier to access. Video calls allow visual connection for relationship and attachment work. Phone sessions can be simpler when internet quality is low. Live chat and text messaging are useful for brief check-ins, step-by-step coaching, or when someone prefers writing to talking. These options give flexibility to fit sessions into school schedules, work breaks, or caregiving routines while keeping the focus on steady progress.
Questions people ask about Kathleen
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, relationship issues, anger, self-esteem, ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, and life changes.
What is her therapy style like?
Her sessions are conversational and practical. She listens first, then offers small, doable steps such as thought tracking, behavior experiments, or problem-solving actions.
What background does she bring to sessions?
She has worked as a social worker for 40 years in schools, colleges, and mental health programs and has experience with trauma, selective mutism, grief, and severe mental illness.
Where is she based and what are her credentials?
She practices in Michigan and holds an MI LMSW, which is a Licensed Master Social Worker credential used in Michigan.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, with a preference for video so participants can see each other.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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