Dr. Colleen Downes, LCSW

Dr. Colleen Downes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 35 years of experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, parenting pressures, career concerns, and the everyday impact of chronic illness. Her style aims to be warm and respectful while focusing on practical steps people can use between sessions.

She works with issues tied to health challenges such as cancer, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and lupus, and with related caregiver stress. She also supports people dealing with adoption and foster care questions, attachment and family of origin matters, fertility and immigration concerns, and ADHD-related struggles. Her background includes work in mental health, learning disabilities, chronic illness support, caregiving, foster care, and adoption services.

Dr. Downes uses a client-centered stance that centers each person’s perspective. She incorporates psychodynamic ideas to look at recurring patterns, and solution-focused methods to set clear, achievable goals. Mindfulness practices are offered to help with stress and concentration.

Sessions are conversational and interactive. People can expect to talk through recent problems, notice patterns that get in the way, and build concrete coping tools. The therapist tailors the plan to each person’s needs and preferences rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Dr. Downes is licensed in New York as an LCSW. She communicates in English. For people hoping to begin, the typical next step is completing a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a session based on the therapist’s availability.

How her approaches fit into online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding a person’s perspective. Sessions aim to follow the client’s concerns, helping them set the pace and topics that matter most. This approach is useful for people who want a supportive space to talk about stress, relationships, or life changes.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce worry and improve focus. These techniques can help with anxiety, stress from chronic illness, and problems with concentration often seen in ADHD.

Finding the right approach is a joint process. The therapist works collaboratively to match methods to the person’s goals and preferences. Early sessions are used to identify what helps and to shape a plan that balances insight work with practical skills.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the available session formats before booking as options were not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, avoid travel time, or have shorter check-ins during a work break. It can also allow for regular follow-up when managing ongoing health concerns. Ask about scheduling and format details when you complete the matching questionnaire so sessions match your needs.