Works with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
How Paula works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- California, Missouri, Illinois
- Years in practice
- 35
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Paula
Dr. Paula Alvarez helps people who are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or pushed to their limits. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, anger, depression, addiction, and major life changes.
Her style is straightforward and practical so families and individuals can use what they learn right away. With 35 years of experience in behavioral health settings, Dr. Alvarez brings long practice helping people manage strong emotions and rebuild routines.
She has worked in both locked and outpatient mental health programs and has led group work addressing domestic violence in English and Spanish.
Background and approach
Her sessions are shaped around each person’s goals. She listens first, then suggests tools that fit the client’s needs. Those tools may include problem-focused exercises, homework, or reading for between-session practice.
Dr. Alvarez draws on approaches such as client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, acceptance and commitment ideas, dialectical behavior strategies, and relationship-focused work like the Gottman Method. She adapts methods depending on what the person prefers and what helps most.
She holds the Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential and practices in Missouri. Sessions can address issues like parenting strain, grief, intimacy problems, caregiving stress, immigration-related challenges, and questions about life purpose. English is used for sessions, and she accepts international clients.
To begin, follow the site process to match with a therapist and schedule a first appointment according to availability.
What Paula works with
Everything Paula lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Paula's practice.
- 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.
Therapeutic approaches and online options
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts without letting them control actions, and it focuses on values-based steps that move life forward. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns. Client-centered therapy centers on the person's experience, with the therapist offering empathic listening and reflection so clients feel heard and can choose the direction of work.Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try strategies, and adjust methods based on what feels useful. This is a collaborative process where the client’s preferences and goals guide which techniques are used.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video lets people work face to face when visual cues matter. Phone sessions can fit a tighter schedule or use less bandwidth. Live chat and messaging support shorter check-ins, ongoing coaching, or tracking progress between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit work on emotional regulation, anger management, and life changes into a busy week.
Questions people ask about Paula
What concerns does she address most often?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, anger, depression, bipolar issues, addictions, trauma, relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting strain, grief, and life transitions.
What is her therapy style like?
Sessions are client-centered and practical. She listens first, then offers exercises, homework, or reading that match the client's goals and preferences.
What kind of experience does she bring?
She has 35 years working in mental health, including locked and outpatient settings, and has led group programs in English and Spanish.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds the Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential and practices in Missouri; her license listings include CA LCSW and IL LCSW as provided.
Which languages are services offered in?
Sessions are offered in English, and she has experience running groups in both English and Spanish.
How are sessions delivered online?
Therapy can be done via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on what works best for the client.
How does payment and cost work?
Costs vary by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I start working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session based on the therapist's availability.