- Years in practice
- 35
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- California, Missouri, Illinois
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
- Focus
- Anger management
About Paula
Dr. Paula Alvarez helps people who are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck. She writes short, practical goals with clients and focuses on what will make daily life more manageable.
Many reach out for help with parenting stress, mood concerns, or coping when life changes feel heavy. She blends straightforward conversation with practical tools. Sessions are shaped by what each person says they need.
She often uses exercises that teach new ways to respond to unhelpful thoughts and strong emotions.
Background and approach
Homework and reading suggestions are offered when useful. Dr. Alvarez has worked in mental health settings for decades.
That background includes inpatient and outpatient care and leading groups for people who caused harm in domestic violence situations. Her long experience brings steadiness to difficult topics such as trauma, grief, addiction, and caregiver strain. She holds the credential LCSW, which she maintains in multiple states, and she also completed a doctorate in Organizational Psychology.
Over 35 years she has focused on practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship or intimacy concerns. Clients can expect a collaborative style that centers their goals. Sessions aim to build clear steps for change, whether addressing parenting stress, substance concerns, or issues like abandonment and life purpose.
The approach is adaptable to each person’s needs.
What Paula works with
Everything Paula lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Paula helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family of origin issues
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Immigration issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Paula lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Gottman Method
- Hypnotherapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapy approaches you can use online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting controlled by them. It focuses on values and small actions that build a life worth living, which can help with anxiety, depression, and parenting stress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, teaches skills to spot unhelpful thinking and change behaviors that keep problems going. It is useful for mood issues, anxiety, and managing strong emotions. Client-Centered Therapy centers the client's own goals and experiences. The therapist listens closely, reflects back what is said, and follows the client's lead to build trust and clarity.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Dr. Alvarez will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they choose techniques to try, and they adjust methods over time if something isn't working. This keeps therapy focused and collaborative rather than one-size-fits-all.
Online sessions offer practical benefits. Video calls allow face-to-face connection for teaching skills and practicing conversations. Phone sessions are handy when bandwidth or screen time is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging let people check in between appointments or fit short check-ins into a busy day. These options aim to make it easier to keep therapy consistent and useful for everyday life.
Questions people ask about Paula
What issues does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, bipolar disorder, depression, addictions, LGBT concerns, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting, self esteem, career challenges, and life transitions.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is client-centered and practical. She listens for each person's goals and then uses brief exercises, homework, or reading when that fits the client's preferences.
What is her background and experience?
She has 35 years in mental health, including work in locked and outpatient settings and leading group programs for domestic violence perpetrators in English and Spanish.
What credentials and location apply?
She is a licensed clinical social worker - LCSW - and practices from Missouri while maintaining LCSW credentials in other states.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does cost and payment work?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What is the first step to begin?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session based on the therapist's availability.
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