Donna Altepeter, LCSW
Compassionate, collaborative social worker
Details
| Name | Donna Altepeter |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LCSW |
| Based in | Wisconsin |
| Licensed in | Wisconsin |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 12 |
About Donna
Donna Altepeter is a licensed clinical social worker who focuses on helping people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and life transitions. She writes in plain language and works collaboratively, aiming to help people find practical ways forward. Donna draws on many years of practice and a teaching background to support each person’s goals.
Donna uses a client-centered stance that puts the person's perspective first. She blends Narrative Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools to help people reframe painful stories and change patterns that keep them stuck.
Background and approach
Mindfulness practices and motivational interviewing techniques are also part of her toolbox when they fit a person's needs. Her background includes a Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University and long clinical experience since the 1980s. She also spent more than 20 years teaching in a university social work program, which shaped her collaborative, educational approach to sessions.
In sessions Donna helps people talk through grief, caregiver stress, addiction concerns, relationship and intimacy questions, sleep problems, parenting strain, and career or life-purpose worries. She also supports people dealing with illness, end-of-life matters, and role changes that come with aging. Donna tends to structure work as a partnership.
She listens, offers reflections, suggests practical exercises, and checks in to see what helps. Her goal is to help people find clearer ways to cope and to build steps they can try between sessions.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Self esteem among the things Donna works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Compassion fatigue
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Women's issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Donna among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Donna directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Donna directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How Donna’s approaches work online
Donna combines Narrative Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools to help people untangle painful stories and try new behaviors. Narrative Therapy focuses on the stories people tell about their lives and looks for alternative meanings that reduce shame and blame. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and respect, helping people feel heard as they choose direction. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps identify unhelpful thoughts and test small behavior changes to reduce anxiety and improve mood.Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. The therapist will ask about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they will try techniques, notice what fits, and adjust the plan as the work progresses so it stays useful and relevant.
Online sessions offer several practical benefits. Video calls let people see facial cues and do longer conversations. Phone sessions are a good low-bandwidth option or for brief check-ins. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for short updates, coaching-style prompts, or when someone prefers writing their thoughts. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and try different formats to see what helps most.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does Donna help with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, caregiver strain, addiction issues, relationship and intimacy questions, sleep problems, parenting challenges, career shifts, and life changes.
What is her general therapy style?
Donna uses a client-centered approach and works collaboratively. She listens first, then suggests practical steps and reflections that fit each person's goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 12 years listed in the profile and many more years of clinical work since graduating with a Master of Social Work in the 1980s, plus over 20 years teaching in a social work program.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
Donna holds an LCSW credential and practices in Wisconsin.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be done by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How are sessions billed?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Donna?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Donna are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Donna where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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