Dr. Dorothea Stanley, LISW

Ohio | Online sessions in Ohio | English | Book with Dorothea »

Narrative-focused therapist for grief and relationships

Details

Name	Dr. Dorothea Stanley
Credentials	LISW
Based in	Ohio
Licensed in	Ohio
Session format	Online
Languages	English
Years in practice	9

About Dorothea

Dr. Dorothea Stanley is a licensed independent social worker (LISW) in Ohio who helps people facing grief, relationship struggles, trauma, and major life changes. She focuses on how life events affect identity, intimacy, parenting, self-esteem, and anger.

Her work also addresses compassion fatigue and longer-term concerns like aging, fertility questions, and blended family issues. She uses Narrative Therapy to help people tell and reframe the stories they carry. That often includes looking at choices, meaning, and what someone wants their legacy to be.

Background and approach

She combines this with client-centered care so the person sets the pace and focus of sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is part of her toolbox for changing unhelpful patterns and small behaviors that keep problems stuck. Mindfulness practices are offered to help calm the body and notice thoughts without judgment.

She also draws on attachment ideas when relationship patterns come up in sessions. Dr. Stanley invites creative expression into the process when it feels useful.

She suggests journals, art materials, or other expressive tools people can buy and use between sessions to make sense of feelings. These activities are optional and tailored to each person's comfort level. She has nine years of professional experience.

Sessions are offered through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs. Work begins by looking at immediate concerns and then building a practical plan toward clearer goals.

What this therapist works with

Her listing names Relationship issues, Trauma and abuse, Grief among the things Dorothea works with, alongside the areas below.

Approaches listed

Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Dorothea among the ways she works.
Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Dorothea among the ways she works.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Dorothea among the ways she works.
Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Dorothea among the ways she works.
Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Dorothea among the ways she works.
Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Dorothea among the ways she works.
Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Dorothea 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 Dorothea directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.

Online session options

Approaches in online work and what they do

Dr. Stanley frequently uses Narrative Therapy to help people examine the stories they tell about their lives. This approach can help with grief, relationships, and questions about meaning by separating a person from the problem and re-authoring a life story. Attachment-Based Therapy is used when patterns in relationships are causing distress; it looks at how early bonds shape current reactions and guides ways to build safer, more connected interactions. Client-Centered Therapy puts the person in charge of the direction and pace of work and can help people feel heard and understood as they explore difficult topics.

Finding the right approach is treated as a joint process. She will talk with the client about goals, comfort with different methods, and practical needs, and then try strategies together to see what fits best. Adjustments are made along the way so sessions stay relevant to the client's goals.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging for flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation across distances, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, chat or messaging supports brief check-ins and ongoing reflection, and text options let some people process without being on camera. These formats make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving, or mobility limits while keeping the focus on progress and practical steps.

Common questions about this listing

What kinds of concerns does Dr. Stanley address?

She supports people dealing with grief, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, coping with life changes, parenting strain, intimacy-related issues, anger, and self-esteem struggles.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

She takes a narrative and client-centered approach, inviting clients to tell their stories and set the pace. She also uses practical tools like CBT and mindfulness when helpful.

What is her background and experience?

She has nine years of professional experience working in social work and therapy settings, focusing on grief, relationships, and related life transitions.

Where is she licensed and based?

She is licensed as an LISW in Ohio and practices with that credential within the state.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can people outside the United States work with her?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

What session formats are available online?

She meets by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different schedules and preferences.

How do fees and getting started work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Contacting this therapist

Sessions with Dorothea 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 Dorothea where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.

Book with Dorothea »

Or see other therapists in Ohio »

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