Catherine Powell, LCSW

Catherine Powell is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who helps people cope with stress, anxiety, trauma and grief. She also supports those dealing with bipolar symptoms and compassion fatigue. Her style is compassionate and straightforward, aimed at helping people feel safer in their day-to-day lives.

She works with people facing post-traumatic stress and panic attacks, and those going through life changes like divorce or chronic illness. Sessions focus on practical steps that reduce overwhelm and restore a sense of control. Catherine helps clients build coping skills and reconnect with what matters to them.

Catherine uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques and adapts them to each person’s needs. She listens for strengths and practical goals, then helps people try useful tools between sessions. Her approach is collaborative - she and the client decide what feels most helpful.

With six years of clinical experience in Virginia, Catherine draws on trauma-informed practice to understand how distress affects thinking, behavior, and relationships. She emphasizes pacing so people do not get pushed past what they can manage.

People who come to her often want clear ways to handle panic, grief, chronic pain, dissociation, or mood shifts. Catherine focuses on skills, safety, and small changes that add up to steady progress over time.

Approaches that guide online care

Evidence-based techniques form the backbone of Catherine's approach. One common method she uses focuses on stabilizing symptoms and building coping skills that reduce panic and overwhelming anxiety. This involves teaching straightforward breathing, grounding, and pacing strategies that can be practiced between sessions.

Another approach emphasizes trauma-informed work that helps people understand how past events affect present reactions. This includes gentle processing at a pace the client can manage, along with tools for managing dissociation and stress responses.

Choosing the right method is a team effort. Catherine works with each person to figure out which techniques fit their needs, goals, and comfort level. She adjusts plans over time so the work stays practical and relevant.

Confirm current session options before booking, since formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, avoid travel time, and have shorter check-ins when needed. It can also allow for face-to-face conversation when helpful or a phone check-in when bandwidth or a quick appointment is preferable.