Caitlyn Dorsey
I believe everyone deserves to feel heard, supported, and connected. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor, I warmly support individuals and couples navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, addiction, relationship challenges, and life transitions, including pregnancy and postpartum.
Move Beyond Feeling Stuck—Find Clarity, Heal from the Past, and Build a More Confident, Connected, and Fulfilling Life.
Together, we’ll build stronger connections, foster healing, and create meaningful, lasting change.
First session
Your first therapy session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another, explore what brings you to counseling, and begin creating a path toward the changes you'd like to see in your life. I understand that starting therapy can feel overwhelming or intimidating, especially if you're unsure where to begin. My priority is to create a warm, welcoming, and judgment-free environment where you feel comfortable sharing your experiences at your own pace. During our first session, we'll talk about what's been happening in your life, the challenges you're facing, and what you hope to gain from therapy. We'll explore relevant personal history, relationships, emotional patterns, past experiences, and any strategies you've already tried. Whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, substance use, relationship difficulties, or life transitions, my goal is to understand you as a whole person rather than focusing solely on your symptoms. My approach is humanistic and collaborative, meaning your experiences, values, and goals guide our work together. I'll ask thoughtful questions, listen without judgment, and help you begin identifying patterns or underlying concerns that may be contributing to feeling stuck or overwhelmed. We'll also discuss how therapy can support your individual needs, including how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and trauma-informed approaches may help you develop practical tools for emotional regulation, healthier thinking, and meaningful change. I believe therapy should feel purposeful while still allowing space for genuine connection and understanding. Before our session ends, we'll begin identifying your priorities, discussing realistic goals, and establishing a direction for our work together. Most importantly, there's no expectation that you share everything or have all the answers during our first meeting. My hope is that you leave feeling heard, supported, and more confident about taking the next step toward a healthier, more fulfilling life.
Strengths
One of the greatest strengths I bring to therapy is my ability to create a warm, welcoming, and judgment-free space where you can feel genuinely heard, understood, and supported. I believe meaningful change begins with a strong therapeutic relationship built on trust, honesty, respect, and authentic connection. My approach is rooted in humanistic counseling, which means I see you as a whole person, not simply a diagnosis or a collection of challenges. I recognize that everyone's experiences, relationships, and goals are unique. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, I tailor our sessions to your individual needs, combining compassion and understanding with practical strategies that encourage lasting growth. I incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you recognize unhelpful thought patterns, challenge beliefs that may be keeping you stuck, and develop healthier ways of responding to life's challenges. I also use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques to strengthen emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and communication skills. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor, I bring specialized experience in couples therapy, substance use recovery, trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, and life transitions, including pregnancy and postpartum challenges. My background in marriage, couples, and family counseling allows me to understand how individual struggles and relationship dynamics influence one another. Beyond my clinical experience, my work developing continuing education programs and providing professional trainings keeps me engaged in learning, growing, and bringing thoughtful, evidence-based approaches into our sessions. I believe another important strength I offer is the ability to balance empathy with gentle, honest feedback. I'll meet you where you are while encouraging you to explore new perspectives, recognize your strengths, and move toward meaningful change. Above all, I want you to leave our sessions feeling supported, empowered, and confident in your ability to build healthier relationships and a more fulfilling life.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is an adult who is ready to invest in themselves, gain a deeper understanding of who they are, and create meaningful changes in their life. You may be someone who appears to have everything together on the outside but privately feels overwhelmed, disconnected, anxious, or stuck in patterns that no longer serve you. Perhaps you've spent years prioritizing others, navigating difficult relationships, managing stress, or carrying experiences from your past that continue to affect your present. I especially enjoy working with individuals who are thoughtful, motivated, and curious about understanding themselves on a deeper level. You don't have to know exactly what's wrong or have everything figured out before starting therapy. You simply need to be open to exploring your experiences, challenging old patterns, and discovering healthier ways of moving forward. Many of the adults I work with are navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, substance use concerns, relationship difficulties, or significant life transitions. Others are working toward healthier boundaries, greater emotional stability, improved self-esteem, or a stronger sense of identity and purpose. I particularly connect with clients who appreciate a warm, genuine therapeutic relationship while also wanting practical tools, honest feedback, and meaningful progress. My humanistic approach allows us to explore your experiences with compassion, while incorporating CBT and DBT strategies to build emotional awareness, healthier thinking patterns, and effective coping skills. I believe therapy is an investment in yourself, your relationships, and your overall well-being. My ideal client values personal growth and is willing to engage in the process, even when that means having difficult conversations or stepping outside their comfort zone. Above all, I enjoy helping adults move beyond simply getting through each day toward feeling more confident, connected, emotionally grounded, and fulfilled in the life they're creating.
Treatment methods
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I use humanistic counseling to help you reconnect with your values, explore your sense of identity, and discover what truly matters to you. Rather than telling you who to become, I encourage personal choice, self-discovery, and authenticity, helping you make decisions that reflect your goals and the life you envision.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you recognize how your thoughts influence your emotions, behaviors, and daily experiences. Together, we identify unhelpful thinking patterns, challenge limiting beliefs, and develop practical strategies to approach situations differently. CBT provides tools to navigate challenges, improve emotional well-being, and create lasting behavioral change.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help you navigate intense emotions, manage stress, and respond to challenges with greater intention. Through mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills, we work toward balancing acceptance with change, strengthening relationships, and building confidence in handling difficult situations more effectively.
Location
Virtual sessions