About Richard
Richard "Rick" Dawson is a licensed clinical social worker with deep experience and a calm, straightforward manner. He returned to practice after retirement because helping people has long been his passion. He is licensed in Oregon and brings more than three decades of clinical work to each session.
Rick blends practical, skills-based methods with compassionate listening. He focuses on problems like stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, and relationship concerns. He also helps people who struggle with sleep, parenting strain, anger, self-esteem, and life transitions.
Background and approach
His path into counseling began after a career as a musician, then shifted into inpatient psychiatric work while he completed his degree. Over the years he has provided individual and group work in hospital settings, community clinics, hospice, and independent practice. That breadth shaped a pragmatic style that values concrete steps and steady support.
In the therapy room he aims to create a nonjudgmental partnership. Sessions typically involve talking through current difficulties, identifying patterns, and practicing skills that fit daily life. He favors clear, short-term goals alongside attention to deeper feelings when those arise.
People who choose Rick often want direct tools and steady guidance. He brings 33 years of professional experience and a patient, plainspoken approach to help people manage symptoms and build routines that work for them.
Practical therapy approaches for online care
Rick often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and test them against real-life evidence. CBT breaks problems into manageable steps, which can make it easier to reduce anxiety or change mood-related habits. He also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills to teach emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication when feelings run high.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about what feels most important, then try strategies that match those goals. Progress usually blends short-term problem solving with work on patterns that keep causing trouble over time.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video is useful for deeper conversations and visual cues, while phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or messaging work well for brief check-ins, skill practice, or when someone needs a quick way to connect between sessions. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep practicing skills between meetings.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also works with
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 33 years
- Licensed
- Oregon
- Languages
- English