Cathy O'Brien, LMSW

Michigan · 6 years in practice

Cathy O'Brien is a Licensed Master Social Worker who brings six years of hands-on experience in mental health.

License and registration

LMSW, Michigan: 6801093174 · expires May 2028
NPI: 1639592355 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 6
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.

About Cathy

Cathy O'Brien is a Licensed Master Social Worker who brings six years of hands-on experience in mental health. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and parenting concerns. Cathy focuses on building a warm, respectful relationship so clients feel heard and safe early in therapy.

She uses clear, practical methods to help people manage intense feelings and move forward after hard experiences. Sessions often include skill-building for stress management and techniques to calm anxiety or cope with grief.

Background and approach

Cathy adapts her style to each person, matching tools to what they need in the moment. Cathy draws from Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help people understand and shift emotional patterns that keep them stuck. She also uses client-centered approaches that center the person’s experience and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and change unhelpful thinking.

Mindfulness and motivational interviewing are woven in when they fit the client’s goals. Her background includes work in school and clinic settings and both in-person and virtual care. Cathy has supported people dealing with ADHD, OCD, bipolar mood patterns, trauma and abuse, eating concerns, and attachment or adoption issues.

She helps people learn practical coping strategies and make steady changes. Sessions are offered in English and are scheduled to fit each client’s needs. Cathy aims to make the first steps simple: a short matching questionnaire and a planned session time to begin talking about goals and next steps.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Cathy lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Family conflicts
Anger management
Depression
Trauma and abuse
Grief
Eating disorders
Parenting issues
Self esteem
Career difficulties
Bipolar disorder
Coping with life changes
ADHD
Adoption and foster care
Attachment issues
Autism and Asperger Syndrome
Control issues
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
Family problems
Impulsivity
Mood disorders
Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Post-traumatic stress
Self-harm
Self-love
Social anxiety and phobia
Trichotillomania
Young adult issues

Approaches Cathy names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How Cathy’s approaches work online

Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) helps people see and change the emotional patterns that keep them stuck. In sessions Cathy may help a person name core feelings, understand why they react a certain way, and practice new responses that feel safer and more connected.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and supporting the person’s own pace. Cathy offers a respectful, nonjudgmental space where clients steer the conversation and decide which issues matter most to them.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings and actions. Online CBT sessions often include simple exercises and homework to try between meetings to reduce anxiety, manage mood, or address obsessive behaviors.

Choosing the right approach is collaborative. Cathy will talk with each person about goals, try out different techniques, and adjust the plan over time so it fits their needs and preferences.

Online care offers practical benefits: video calls allow face-to-face conversation, phone sessions need less bandwidth, live chat supports quick check-ins, and text-based messaging fits brief updates or progress notes. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week and to continue work between sessions.

We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.

Questions people ask

What concerns does Cathy address?

She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting strain, eating concerns, ADHD, bipolar and related mood or impulse difficulties.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is warm and respectful, focused on building a trusting relationship and using practical tools to manage emotions and behavior.

What experience does she bring?

She has six years of experience working in mental health settings, including school and clinic environments and virtual care.

What credentials and location apply?

She holds an LMSW - Licensed Master Social Worker - and practices from Michigan.

Which languages are supported and are international clients accepted?

Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are available?

Sessions can take place via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to match different needs and schedules.

How does payment and cost work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session based on the therapist's availability.

Is this your profile?

Ask us to correct details or take the page down.