About Claire
Claire McDonough is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 21 years of experience in mental health. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, ADHD, bipolar challenges, and relationship or intimacy concerns. Claire aims to make the first steps feel manageable by listening and building trust from the start.
She practices straightforward therapy that focuses on real-life changes. Claire uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy alongside emotionally focused and mindfulness-based work.
Background and approach
She blends these methods to help people notice patterns, regulate strong emotions, and try new ways of responding. Claire has worked across a range of mental health settings in New Jersey. That background gives her experience with grief, trauma, caregiver strain, compassion fatigue, and first responder stress.
She also supports people facing identity questions such as gender dysphoria and LGBT-related concerns. In sessions she balances respect with honest challenge. She listens first, then helps set clear, achievable goals.
She supports people through life changes, commitment or communication problems, and the aftermath of betrayal or loss. Her approach is practical and collaborative. Claire uses motivational interviewing when people want help deciding on change.
She brings psychodynamic ideas about family of origin and attachment when those patterns matter. Above all she focuses on helping people feel steadier and more able to handle daily demands.
How Claire’s approaches translate to online care
Claire uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot thoughts and behaviors that make life harder and to practice small, measurable changes. DBT focuses on learning emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and better ways to handle intense feelings. Both approaches work well for anxiety, mood problems, and relationship strain.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Claire will listen to your goals and try methods that fit your needs. She checks in about what helps and adjusts the plan together as you progress.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video lets you have a conversation that feels close to in-person. Phone can be simpler if bandwidth is limited. Chat or messaging can work for shorter check-ins, journaling between sessions, or when typing feels easier than talking. These options give flexibility for people balancing work, caregiving, or unpredictable schedules.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
Also works with
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Parenting issues
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 21 years
- Licensed
- New Jersey
- Languages
- English