Dr. Renee Nelson, LPC

Dr. Renee Nelson is a licensed professional counselor with 20 years of clinical experience based in Arizona. She helps people facing grief, trauma and abuse, ADHD, and the stresses that come with major life changes. Many who seek her out want support with identity questions and the particular challenges faced by LGBT individuals. Her first aim is to make therapy a straightforward place to talk and to feel understood.

She uses practical, evidence-based methods that focus on what a person wants to change or manage. Sessions move at a realistic pace and focus on skills that can be used between appointments. Renee pays attention to the effects of chronic illness, caregiving stress, and other long-term health concerns on daily life.

The work often includes learning new ways to respond to painful memories and to strong emotions like panic or shame. She combines strategies that help with thinking-style shifts, mindful awareness, and gradual steps toward meaningful goals. Narrative work is used to help people reframe difficult life events and regain a sense of agency.

Renee describes her style as collaborative and nonjudgmental. People who prefer clear goals and practical tools will find a structured approach, while those who need space to process emotions will find time for that as well. The focus is on real-life changes that improve day-to-day functioning.

Her background includes long-term work with people coping with illness, chronic pain, caregiver strain, adoption and family-of-origin issues, and other complex, intersecting concerns. She combines many approaches to match each person’s needs and goals.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on helping people clarify what matters to them and take small steps toward those values despite hard feelings. It is often used for life transitions, chronic illness adjustment, and persistent anxiety. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, looks at patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going and teaches skills to change those patterns. It is frequently used for panic, mood changes, and attention-related struggles. EMDR is a trauma-focused method that helps reduce the intensity of disturbing memories through guided processing and can be useful for people coping with past abuse or overwhelming events.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods to use based on goals, symptoms, and personal preferences. That means starting with a plan, checking in, and adjusting techniques if something isn’t helping.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, such as shortening commute time or scheduling a midday check-in. It also allows continued care when health issues or caregiver responsibilities make leaving home difficult. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises, homework, and grounding practices to work well in remote sessions, and the therapist will discuss which format best matches a person’s needs.