Mary Stein, LMFT

How therapy approaches fit with online care

Client-centered therapy focuses on building a respectful, accepting relationship where the person’s goals and strengths guide each session. This approach helps when someone needs a steady, empathetic place to talk through feelings and decisions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches practical skills to spot unhelpful thoughts and change patterns of behavior. It can help with anxiety, depression, sleep and eating problems, and managing everyday stress by using homework and clear strategies.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers tools for managing intense emotions and improving relationships through skills like distress tolerance and emotion regulation. It is useful for people who want concrete ways to handle strong feelings and reduce reactive behavior.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That may mean combining elements from different approaches and adjusting over time as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexibility in how sessions happen. Video calls let people use face-to-face interaction when a fuller conversation is helpful. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth or camera use is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging are options for brief check-ins, tools practice, or when written reflection fits a schedule. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to keep continuity while trying different therapeutic methods.