Denise Owen , LCSW

Denise Owen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a long-standing commitment to supporting people through complex life challenges. She has worked in social work since 1986, earned a Master of Social Work in 1990, and has been licensed since 1993, bringing 34 years of professional experience to her clinical practice. Her background includes both inpatient and outpatient work across multiple settings - from a state psychiatric hospital in North Carolina and a medical hospital in South Carolina to a military base in Virginia and outpatient agencies in Pennsylvania. Over nearly three decades she and her family have moved across four states, broadening her exposure to diverse populations and care systems.

Throughout her career Denise has served a wide range of clients, including children with behavioral and developmental issues, long-term psychiatric patients, hospice patients, state and federal inmates, military service members and their families, and people coping with domestic violence, addictions, grief, anxiety, and PTSD. She continues professional development through seminars and conferences in medical, psychological, social work, and ethics topics to expand her cultural competence and clinical skills, though she is not currently working in an inpatient setting.

Denise centers therapy around client goals and collaborative decision-making, preferring to assess each person first and involve them in choosing therapeutic methods. If an approach does not fit, she adjusts the plan rather than pressing forward. She values building rapport before beginning intensive work, echoing the idea to "diagnose before prescribing." Outside of clinical work she has taught in the homeschool network and community college courses, and she is the author of two children's books, "Turtle Gliding" (2009) and "Why Does God Pull Teeth?" (2018). Denise respects the courage it takes to seek counseling and approaches therapy as a practical, sometimes challenging, process that often becomes rewarding once begun.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Denise Owen

Denise uses a mix of evidence-informed approaches tailored to each person's needs. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them while clarifying personal values and committed action - it can be useful for stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a supportive, nonjudgmental relationship in which the client directs the pace and focus of therapy, making it well suited for relationship issues, self-esteem work, and grief. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) identifies unhelpful thinking patterns and develops concrete strategies to change them, which often helps with anxiety, depression, and behavioral concerns.

Choosing the right approach is part of Denise's collaborative process. She assesses each client's goals and preferences, discusses options, and adjusts methods over time so therapy aligns with what the client needs and hopes to accomplish.

Online sessions offer flexibility and accessibility for people with busy schedules or mobility constraints. Therapy can take place via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing clients to engage in the format that fits their life. Working with licensed professionals through these options makes it easier to maintain consistency and integrate therapeutic work into day-to-day routines.