Cathy Bottrell, LICSW, LCSW

Cathy Bottrell is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people navigate grief, life transitions, and addiction-related concerns. She holds LICSW and LCSW credentials and brings 23 years of experience to her practice in the District of Columbia. Cathy offers straightforward, compassionate care for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, and changes that feel overwhelming.

Her work focuses on practical tools people can use between sessions. She uses evidence-based strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness to address unhelpful thinking and build coping skills. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ideas are woven into sessions to help people clarify values and take small, manageable steps toward what matters.

Cathy has experience supporting people through illness, caregiving strain, adoption and foster care questions, and issues that come from family of origin wounds. She also addresses relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting stress, sleep problems, and compassion fatigue for caregivers. Her approach is person-centered and paced to each individual's needs.

In sessions she helps people talk through painful memories, practice new ways of responding to stress, and plan realistic changes. The goal is steady progress rather than quick fixes. Cathy invites people to begin with a short matching process and schedule a session that fits their timing.

She provides services in English and does not work with international clients. Prospective clients in the District of Columbia can start by using the platform's Start Therapy button and completing a brief questionnaire to be matched and scheduled.

Therapeutic approaches and how online sessions can help

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck, then take actions that match their values. It can help when someone feels blocked by fear, grief, or uncertainty. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and practicing different responses to change mood and behavior over time. It is commonly used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Cathy will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. She combines ideas from several approaches so sessions match what the person needs that week, and she checks in regularly about what is or isn’t helping.

If you are considering online therapy, check the available session options before booking to confirm how Cathy is meeting with clients. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy day, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when helpful. It also lets people use mindfulness exercises and behavior tracking from home and bring real-life situations into discussion. Confirm the specific formats offered before scheduling so you can pick what best fits your routine.