Donna Coakley, MD, LCPC, LPC

District of Columbia · 26 years in practice

Donna Coakley is a licensed counselor with more than two decades of clinical experience.

License and registration

LPC, District of Columbia: PRC1370 · expires October 2026
LCPC, Maryland: LC0875 · expires January 2028
LPC, Virginia: 0701011757 · expires June 2026
NPI: 1780822148 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 26
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.

About Donna

Donna Coakley is a licensed counselor with more than two decades of clinical experience. She holds an MD and is credentialed as an LCPC and an LPC. Donna focuses on practical, grounded work to help people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, and problems that affect daily life.

Her approach is conversational and focused on the person in front of her. Sessions aim to be respectful and direct, with space to name what is hard and try manageable steps forward.

Background and approach

She uses client-centered listening alongside cognitive strategies and mindfulness tools to help people change unhelpful patterns. Donna also integrates techniques from dialectical behavior therapy and EMDR to address trauma, intense emotions, and repetitive distressing thoughts. She adapts whatever methods fit each person’s needs rather than following a single formula.

This means therapy can include skill practice, emotion regulation work, and processing upsetting experiences when appropriate. Her background includes many years working with people facing relationship strain, parenting challenges, substance-related concerns, and problems with sleep and self-esteem. She has experience with military-related issues and other trauma-related problems.

Donna offers sessions in English and provides services to people both in the District of Columbia and internationally. Her style is warm and interactive, aimed at helping people build clearer coping skills and make steady progress toward their goals.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Donna lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Trauma and abuse
Self esteem
Depression
ADHD
Addictions
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Intimacy-related issues
Sleeping disorders
Parenting issues
Communication problems
Domestic violence
Drug and alcohol addiction
First responder issues
Forgiveness
Guilt and shame
HIV / AIDS
Hoarding
Jealousy
Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Paranoia
Personality disorders
Post-traumatic stress
Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self-love
Sexual assault and abuse
Social anxiety and phobia

Approaches Donna names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How Donna’s Approaches Work Remotely

Donna uses client-centered listening to create a space where people feel heard and can set the pace for their work. This approach focuses on understanding each person's goals and building therapy around their priorities.

She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits and to practice small, concrete changes. For trauma or intense memories, she integrates EMDR methods to help process distressing events in a focused way. These approaches can help with anxiety, depression, trauma reactions, and everyday stress.

Finding the right method is a team effort. Donna will talk with each person about symptoms, goals, and what feels practical. Together they decide whether to emphasize skills training, mindfulness practice, or trauma-focused processing, and they adjust the plan as things change.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video calls allow face-to-face dialogue and skill demonstrations. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or messaging supports brief check-ins and ongoing skill practice between sessions. These options give flexibility so people can fit therapy into work, family life, or other routines.

We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.

Questions people ask

What kinds of concerns does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, self-esteem, ADHD, addictions, relationship and family concerns, intimacy issues, sleep problems, and parenting challenges.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is warm and interactive with client-centered listening. She blends cognitive behavioral tools, mindfulness, and practical skill building in sessions.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She brings 26 years of experience working with a wide range of concerns, including trauma and military-related issues.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She holds an MD and is listed as an LCPC and an LPC, and practices in the District of Columbia.

In which languages are sessions offered?

Sessions are offered in English and she is available to work with international clients.

Which session formats are available?

Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.

How is cost handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What steps do I take to begin therapy?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Is this your profile?

Ask us to correct details or take the page down.