Claire McDonough, LCSW

Claire McDonough is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who uses practical, evidence-informed therapies to help people manage stress and relationship challenges. She brings 21 years of experience in mental health and focuses on clear, respectful conversations that build trust from the first session.

Claire holds a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor of Social Work and practices in New Jersey as an LCSW. She has worked across a range of settings with people facing depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, addiction, grief, trauma, and intimacy-related concerns. Her background includes supporting people with family-of-origin issues, parenting stress, caregiver strain, and compassion fatigue.

In sessions she listens first and asks questions to learn what matters most to each person. Claire uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy alongside emotionally focused and mindfulness-based tools to help people notice patterns and try new responses. She also draws on motivational interviewing techniques when people want support making behavior changes.

Claire aims for a collaborative approach that balances empathy with gentle challenge. She helps clients set realistic goals, practice new skills between meetings, and track progress. People who want straightforward, caring guidance on relationship issues, jealousy, communication, or life transitions may find this approach helpful.

Her practice emphasizes steady, practical steps over quick fixes. Before beginning, readers should confirm current session options and scheduling details when they choose to start therapy.

How her approaches guide online work

Claire frequently uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and test new ways of thinking and acting. CBT is hands-on and works well for anxiety, depression, and relationship patterns by focusing on specific skills and small experiments.

She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication. DBT-style skills can help when intense feelings or impulsive responses make relationships and daily life harder.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Claire will talk with each person about their goals and try different methods to see what fits. She aims to shape sessions around what the client needs and learns from early meetings what helps most.

Confirm the available session formats before booking, since the biography does not list them. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and let people use video or phone options that suit their schedule and comfort. Licensed professionals can adapt homework, skill practice, and emotionally focused conversations to remote sessions so progress continues between meetings.