- ACT and CBT methods
- Grief and loss support
- Caregiving and adoption issues
About Cathy
Cathy Bottrell is a licensed clinical social worker with both a DC LICSW and a VA LCSW and 23 years of experience. She works with adults on stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship concerns, and other life changes. Cathy lists family of origin issues among her focus areas and also addresses adoption and foster care concerns and caregiving stress.
Her practice centers on practical talk and skill building. She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and mindfulness techniques to help people notice patterns and try different responses. Sessions aim to make daily life feel more manageable rather than focus on labels or tests.
Cathy has worked with people adjusting to illness, including cancer and chronic conditions, and with those facing loss and bereavement. She also supports clients dealing with addictions, compassion fatigue, and the stresses of parenting and caregiving. Her background includes work related to HIV/AIDS and adoption-related issues.
In sessions she listens for recurring family roles and expectations that still influence choices and feelings today. She then helps people practice alternative ways of responding, manage difficult emotions, and set doable goals. Therapy can include mindfulness exercises, behavioral experiments, or values-based work from ACT.
Communication is in English and her practice is based in the District of Columbia. People who want to get started complete a short questionnaire and schedule a first session through the site's online process.
How Cathy’s approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small, value-guided actions. It helps people who feel stuck by turning attention toward what matters and practicing new behaviors. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and uses short experiments and skill practice to reduce distress. Client-Centered Therapy centers conversations on the person’s experience and priorities, letting the client lead topics while the therapist reflects and supports exploration.Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. Cathy will discuss goals, try different techniques, and adjust the focus as needs and preferences become clearer. The choice of methods is guided by what the client wants to work on and what feels most helpful in sessions.
Confirm current session formats before booking, because the biography does not list explicit options. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten check-ins when needed, or avoid travel time. They also allow for practice of mindfulness exercises, behavioral experiments, and values work in the contexts of everyday life. Licensed professionals, including therapists like Cathy, use these approaches to help people manage grief, family of origin patterns, anxiety, and caregiving stress while fitting work into daily routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Listed in
Virginia, District of Columbia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
Cathy works with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship and family concerns, addictions, and other life changes. She also lists family of origin issues, adoption and caregiving stress among her focus areas.
What is her therapeutic style?
She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and mindfulness approaches. The work focuses on noticing patterns, practicing new responses, and setting achievable goals.
How much experience does she have?
She has 23 years of experience as a clinical social worker and therapist. Her background includes supporting people through illness adjustment, grief, and adoption-related issues.
Where does she practice and what are her credentials?
She holds a DC LICSW and a VA LCSW and practices in the District of Columbia. Sessions are conducted in English.
Can people outside the US work with her?
Sessions are not offered to international clients. All sessions and communication are in English.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list explicit formats. The site’s booking flow will show what formats Cathy is offering.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. Exact fees are provided during the sign-up process.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session through the platform.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.