Carley James Bruner, LMHC

Approaches that guide online sessions

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on identifying patterns of thinking that make problems worse and replacing them with more helpful thoughts and behaviors; it is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. DBT, dialectical behavior therapy, emphasizes practical skills for regulating intense emotions and improving communication in difficult moments. EMDR, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, is used to process distressing memories so they have less emotional impact over time and can be considered when trauma or abuse is part of the history.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, symptoms, and what has or hasn’t worked in the past. From there she adapts techniques and may combine methods to fit each person’s needs and preferences rather than using only one model.

Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation from different locations. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to use video. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for quick check-ins, brief skill practice, or ongoing support between scheduled visits. These options increase flexibility and can help people keep continuity of care while managing work, family, or travel.