Donna Altepeter

Donna Altepeter is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, grief, anxiety, depression, and life transitions. She emphasizes a collaborative approach that treats the person as the expert in their own life. Donna believes change is possible and partners with clients to find practical steps forward.

Donna trained in social work and has long clinical experience. She draws on client-centered methods to keep sessions focused on each person’s needs. Cognitive behavioral techniques are used to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. Mindfulness and motivational approaches are used when helpful to build awareness and momentum.

Her background includes work with serious illness, bereavement, caregiving stress, and other major life changes. She has also taught social work at the university level for over 20 years, bringing a teaching-and-learning mindset to sessions. That experience supports clear explanations and practical tools during therapy.

Sessions are framed as a partnership of discovery. Donna aims to listen closely, reflect what she hears, and offer strategies clients can try between meetings. She often helps people break big problems into small, manageable steps and track what works.

People who prefer a calm, thoughtful style may find her pace comfortable. She works patiently and respectfully, helping clients build better coping, stronger routines, and clearer goals. To begin, people are invited to explain what matters most to them and to set the pace for change.

Approaches for online and remote work

Donna commonly uses Trauma-Focused Therapy to address the effects of traumatic events, helping people process memories and reduce the distress those memories cause. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which centers on listening and following the client’s lead to build understanding and trust. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and to test new behaviors that can improve mood and daily functioning.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, then adjust methods over time. That collaborative process helps tailor sessions to the person rather than insisting on a single technique.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm available session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and let people meet from different locations. Licensed professionals can use a mix of strategies such as skills practice, thought records, and guided mindfulness adapted for remote sessions to support progress.