- Family of origin issues
- Mindfulness techniques
- Solution-focused work
About Colleen
Dr. Colleen Downes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York with 35 years of experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, parenting, grief, career questions, ADHD, and coping with life changes. She also lists family of origin issues among her areas of focus and works with people facing adoption and foster care matters, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and related concerns.
She uses a conversational, interactive style in sessions. Conversations are centered on the person's experience and goals. Dr. Downes draws on client-centered methods and psychodynamic ideas to look at patterns that began in early family life. She also uses mindfulness techniques and solution-focused strategies to address present problems and build practical skills.
Sessions typically include talking through current struggles, identifying repeating family patterns, and practicing concrete coping tools. She pays attention to how past relationships influence current behavior and emotions. Mindfulness exercises and short goal-focused interventions are used when helpful to reduce anxiety or manage overwhelm.
Her background includes work across mental health settings, learning disabilities services, and medical settings supporting people with chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, and cancer. She has also worked with adoption and foster care issues and caregiver stress.
People who choose her often want to understand how their family of origin shapes their choices now. Dr. Downes helps people name those patterns and develop clearer ways to respond in relationships and at work.
Therapeutic approaches used in online sessions
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and reflecting what matters to the client. It helps people clarify their goals, speak about family patterns, and feel understood as they decide next steps.Psychodynamic therapy looks at how early relationships influence current emotions and behavior. It can help people identify repeating patterns from their family of origin and understand why certain situations trigger strong reactions.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose which methods to try based on goals, needs, and preferences. That collaborative process may include trying mindfulness practices to manage anxiety or brief solution-focused steps to handle immediate problems.
Confirm current session options before booking, as specific online formats are not listed here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a workday, reduce travel time, or allow shorter check-ins when needed. Therapists commonly adapt exercises for use by video or phone and adjust pacing so sessions fit practical life constraints.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
35+ years
Listed in
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she support?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, parenting issues, ADHD, grief, career questions, and coping with life changes. Family of origin issues, adoption and foster care matters, and caregiver stress are also listed.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is conversational and interactive. She centers sessions on the client's experience and combines client-centered listening with psychodynamic reflection and practical techniques.
What is her professional background?
She has 35 years of clinical experience across mental health, learning-disability services, and medical settings supporting people with chronic illnesses and caregiving roles.
What credential does she hold and where does she practice?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in New York and practices based in New York.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her services?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.