About Donna
Donna Coakley, MD, LCPC, LPC, brings 26 years of clinical work to people managing stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. She practices in the District of Columbia and offers sessions in English, including to international clients. Her manner is warm and interactive, and she focuses on practical steps people can use right away.
Her approach centers on listening first and then building a plan that fits each person's situation. She uses client-centered methods so the conversation stays focused on what matters most to the individual.
Background and approach
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques are used to identify unhelpful thinking and build more effective habits over time. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are part of her toolbox for emotion regulation and handling intense moments. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing can be used for trauma-related memories when that is appropriate.
Mindfulness practices are woven into sessions to help with stress, sleep, and focus difficulties. Donna has worked across many concerns beyond anxiety, including ADHD, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting stress, and sleep disruptions. She also has experience with first responder and veteran issues, grief and guilt, and a range of behavioral concerns such as hoarding and process addictions.
Sessions are offered by video, phone, live chat, or text messaging to fit different needs and schedules. People start by completing a short matching questionnaire and then scheduling a first session according to therapist availability.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Donna uses Client-Centered Therapy to keep sessions focused on each person's priorities and goals. This approach means conversations are shaped around what the client brings, with the therapist reflecting and asking questions that help clarify steps forward.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It is often used for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and focus issues like ADHD. Dialectical Behavior Therapy offers concrete skills for managing intense emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness when feelings feel overwhelming.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with the client to choose and adjust methods based on needs, goals, and personal preferences rather than applying a single technique from the start.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for a fuller face-to-face conversation, phone sessions can fit into a busy day or use less bandwidth, and live chat or text messaging can be used for brief check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These formats provide flexibility to match therapy to different schedules and comfort levels.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Communication problems
- Depression
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family conflicts
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Intimacy-related issues
- Jealousy
- Paranoia
- Parenting issues
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 26 years
- Licensed
- District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia
- Languages
- English
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