About Ellen
Ellen Thrasher is a licensed clinical social worker in Hawaii with 30 years of experience. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, anger, and depression. Ellen aims to make the first step feel less scary and more manageable for people reaching out for help.
She uses clear, straightforward methods in sessions. Ellen listens to each person's story and works from the strengths they already have.
Background and approach
She helps people build practical coping skills and clearer ways to communicate when life feels overwhelming. Over three decades of practice have given her experience with a wide range of concerns. These include panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, attachment and abandonment issues, chronic pain or illness, and workplace stress.
She also supports those facing money worries, problems with narcissistic relationships, and challenges with self-love. Ellen draws on approaches such as cognitive behavioral work, dialectical behavior techniques, and trauma-focused methods. She adapts those methods to match each person’s needs and goals rather than offering one fixed plan.
Clients can expect straightforward guidance, skill-building, and steady support during setbacks. Ellen respects each person’s pace and helps them try changes that fit real life. Her goal is to help people find clearer ways to cope and feel more in control again.
Therapeutic approaches for online care and skill building
CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and replacing them with more helpful patterns. It is often used for anxiety, depression, panic, and improving day-to-day coping.DBT, or dialectical behavior therapy, teaches practical skills for handling intense emotions, managing stress, and improving communication. It can be useful for people who want concrete tools for self-regulation and better relationships.
Trauma-focused therapy concentrates on understanding and reducing the impact of past traumatic events through paced, targeted work. It helps people process distressing memories and build safer ways to cope with triggers.
Choosing the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will talk with each person about symptoms, goals, and preferences and then try methods that fit. Adjustments are made over time based on what helps most.
Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video lets people use face-to-face conversation, phone works well when bandwidth or camera use is limited, and chat or messaging can be convenient for brief check-ins or when writing feels easier. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into busy schedules and different routines.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 30 years
- Licensed
- Hawaii
- Languages
- English