Donna Coakley, MD, LCPC, LPC
Compassionate counselor helping people rewrite their stories
Details
| Name | Donna Coakley |
|---|---|
| Credentials | MD, LCPC, LPC |
| Based in | District of Columbia |
| Licensed in | District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 26 |
About Donna
Donna Coakley is a licensed counselor with 26 years of experience helping people facing stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship or parenting concerns. She works in the District of Columbia and holds MD, LCPC, and LPC credentials. Her style is warm and interactive, and she aims to treat people with respect and compassion.
Donna draws on Narrative Therapy alongside client-centered and cognitive behavioral ideas to help people tell a clearer story about what they are living through.
Background and approach
She helps people notice patterns, make sense of painful events, and try new ways of responding to recurring problems. Sessions focus on practical steps and clear goals rather than labels. Her background includes many years supporting people dealing with trauma and addiction, plus work with first responders and military-connected individuals.
That experience informs how she approaches intense stress, post-traumatic reactions, and process addictions like gambling or problematic sexual behavior. She also assists with issues such as sleep problems, grief, and seasonal mood shifts. In sessions Donna often combines skill-building, reflective conversation, and short-term behavioral tools.
She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to change unhelpful thinking and Dialectical Behavior Therapy ideas to build coping skills under stress. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is also part of her approach for people processing traumatic memories. People who choose her can expect a collaborative plan that adapts over time.
Initial sessions review concerns, set goals, and agree on practical steps to try between meetings. She supports international clients and offers video, phone, chat, and text formats to fit different needs.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem among the things Donna works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- ADHD
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Communication problems
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Jealousy
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Donna directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Donna directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
Approaches on Screen and Over the Phone
Donna blends Narrative Therapy with client-centered and cognitive behavioral techniques to guide online work. Narrative Therapy helps people separate themselves from a problem by rewriting the story they tell about it, which can reduce shame and open new choices. Client-centered Therapy focuses on respectful listening and understanding, giving people space to name their own goals and pace. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) uses practical exercises to identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors, which is useful for anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Donna treats the decision as collaborative and will talk through options based on a person's goals, history, and preferences. Together they set clear goals, try techniques in between sessions, and adjust the plan as progress or new issues emerge.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to offer flexibility. Video lets people read facial cues and use screen-shared worksheets. Phone sessions can be a good fit when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging work for brief updates, skill coaching, or steady support between longer sessions. These options help people fit therapy into busy lives and connect with licensed professionals from different locations.
Common questions about this listing
What kinds of problems does Donna help with?
Donna works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, self-esteem and intimacy concerns, parenting strain, sleep problems, and addictions.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is warm and interactive. She combines Narrative, client-centered, and cognitive behavioral ideas to help people clarify their stories and try new ways of coping.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 26 years of experience working with a wide range of concerns, including trauma-related issues and substance or process addictions.
Where does she practice and what are her credentials?
She practices in the District of Columbia and holds MD, LCPC, and LPC credentials.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to match different schedules and needs.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are paid through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Donna are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Donna where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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