About Paula
Paula Knighton is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Virginia with 25 years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people who struggle with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma, low self-esteem, and mood concerns. Paula works to create a calm setting where people can speak openly and begin to make changes at a sustainable pace.
Paula uses everyday language in sessions and prefers practical, measurable steps. She guides people through techniques drawn from cognitive behavioral ideas to shift unhelpful patterns.
Background and approach
She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients clarify values and take actions that matter to them. Her approach is client-centered and collaborative. Paula listens first, then helps form a plan that matches each person’s goals and rhythm.
Motivational interviewing is used when people feel stuck or unsure about change. Paula has long experience assisting people with relationship strain, grief, sleep problems, parenting concerns, career stress, and life transitions. She also provides support for obsessive thoughts, bipolar and other mood conditions, and compassion fatigue.
Sessions aim to be straightforward, focused, and paced to what each person needs. People who choose Paula can expect clear communication about scheduling and session options. She offers multiple formats to fit different needs and encourages a step-by-step process for beginning therapy.
Therapeutic approaches you can use online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that match their values. It is useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and shifting behavior with clear, practical exercises to reduce symptoms and improve daily functioning. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative style that supports people who feel unsure about change by clarifying goals and strengthening commitment.Paula will work with each person to find which approach or combination fits best. She treats this as a team effort - listening to concerns, testing a method, and adjusting as progress is made. Together the therapist and client decide on goals and review what feels most helpful along the way.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions let people use visual cues and interactive tools. Phone work can be a good low-bandwidth option or for quick check-ins. Live chat and text-based messaging provide brief, ongoing support between sessions and can make it easier to fit care around work, caregiving, or limited schedules. These options let people keep consistent momentum without always traveling to an office.
Questions people ask
What concerns does Paula commonly help with?
How would you describe her therapy style?
What is Paula's professional background?
Where is she licensed and based?
Which languages are supported during sessions?
Are international clients accepted for remote work?
What session formats are available for online work?
How do fees and getting started work?
What this therapist works with
Also listed
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Hoarding
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Life purpose
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Paranoia
- Parenting issues
- Personality disorders
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 25 years
- Licensed
- Virginia
- Languages
- English
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you.