Profile / United States
Paula Patterson, LCSW
North Carolina
Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Anxiety and Trauma
See online therapy options- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Attachment-Based approach
About Paula
Paula Patterson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in North Carolina with 20 years of clinical experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, trauma and abuse, and addiction-related concerns. She also supports people dealing with grief, intimacy issues, parenting challenges, ADHD, and mood conditions like bipolar disorder.
Paula uses straightforward methods to spot unhelpful thoughts and habits. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Attachment-Based ideas to help people try different ways of responding. Sessions focus on practical skills, clearer thinking, and small behavior changes that can reduce distress.
Her work includes attention to obsessive-compulsive patterns, sexual assault recovery, self-harm, personality difficulties, seasonal mood shifts, and jealousy. Paula also helps people manage compassion fatigue and navigate career and life changes. She offers direct strategies for coping and for rebuilding routines that support day-to-day functioning.
Paula favors a collaborative style where goals and steps are set together. She explains what techniques are likely to help and checks progress as therapy continues. People leave sessions with specific exercises to practice between meetings.
Her background in social work informs how she links practical concerns to emotional patterns. Over two decades she has worked with many kinds of presenting problems and uses several clinical approaches to fit the issue at hand.
How Paula’s approaches translate to online work
Paula commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in session. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new, more helpful ways of thinking and behaving. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and OCD-related concerns. ACT emphasizes noticing thoughts and values-driven action rather than trying to eliminate thoughts, which can help with chronic distress and life transitions.She also draws on Attachment-Based ideas to look at how earlier relationship patterns affect current connections. That approach helps when relationship difficulties, intimacy issues, or childhood trauma influence present behavior. Deciding which methods to use is a collaborative process; the therapist and client review goals and try approaches that fit the person’s needs and preferences.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when a full session isn’t needed. Paula will help plan session timing and structure so the work fits into everyday life while focusing on practical steps and skills.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
North Carolina
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does she commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, intimacy issues, parenting strain, ADHD, bipolar symptoms, and related areas such as jealousy and OCD patterns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses practical, structured methods that focus on changing thoughts and behaviors. The work is collaborative and emphasizes exercises to practice between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 20 years of clinical experience as a practicing therapist working with a range of emotional and behavioral concerns.
What are her credentials and location?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) holding an NC LCSW and practices in North Carolina.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people from other countries work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.