- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Grief and loss
- Adoption concerns
About Cathy
Cathy Bottrell is a licensed clinical social worker who uses practical, compassionate counseling to help people facing major life changes. She brings 23 years of experience to sessions and focuses on helping clients process grief, adjust to illness, and cope with anxiety or depression. Cathy offers a calm space for people to talk through what feels overwhelming and to find manageable next steps.
Her approach combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with client-centered and cognitive behavioral methods. That means she helps people notice what matters to them, build skills to manage thoughts and behaviors, and shape conversations that honor each person's pace. Mindfulness practices are woven in to support stress reduction and clearer decision making.
Cathy has worked across a range of concerns related to adoption and foster care, family of origin issues, and abandonment. She also addresses caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, and challenges tied to fertility, aging, or cancer. Sessions include attention to relationships, intimacy, parenting stresses, work and career strain, and compassion fatigue.
She provides counseling for teens and adults and aims to make therapy straightforward and useful. Cathy emphasizes realistic steps people can try between sessions and helps set small goals that fit daily life.
To begin, she asks people to reflect on what they want to change and to bring those priorities to the first meeting. The work centers on steady progress rather than quick fixes, with practical tools offered along the way.
How her approaches translate to online work
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice and change unhelpful thought and behavior patterns. It breaks problems into small parts and teaches concrete strategies for managing moods, sleep, and anxiety.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on clarifying personal values and taking actions that align with those values. This approach supports coping with grief, chronic illness, and life transitions by emphasizing meaningful goals rather than struggling to eliminate difficult feelings.
Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to choose methods that match a person's goals, needs, and day-to-day life. Clients and the therapist check in together and adjust strategies over time to see what helps most.
If you are considering online sessions, confirm the current session formats before booking so you know what is offered. Online options can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy schedule, allow brief check-ins during a workday, or reduce travel time. Some formats also make it simpler to use audio-only meetings when bandwidth is limited or to choose shorter sessions for quick problem solving.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Credentials
Virginia, District of Columbia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns can Cathy help with?
Cathy addresses stress, anxiety, grief, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting stresses, and issues connected to adoption and foster care among other topics.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, client-centered techniques, cognitive behavioral strategies, and mindfulness. Sessions focus on practical skills, values work, and gentle self-reflection.
What is her professional background?
She has worked as a clinical social worker and therapist for 23 years, with experience addressing grief, adjustment to illness, depression, anxiety, and adoption-related concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds LICSW and LCSW credentials and practices in the District of Columbia.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English only.
Are international clients supported?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with therapy?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session based on therapist availability.