About Paula
Paula Steele is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 15 years of experience in mental health work. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, ADHD, addictions, grief, and related concerns. Paula practices from Maine and offers care in English.
Her background includes many settings where she supported people facing trauma, domestic violence, homelessness, chronic illness, and legal system involvement. That experience shaped a practical approach to common problems like sleep disruption, panic attacks, and feeling empty or overwhelmed.
How Paula works
Paula also works with people dealing with attachment issues, autism and Asperger Syndrome, and caregiver stress. In sessions she uses client-centered methods that emphasize the person’s strengths and priorities. She pairs that with cognitive behavioral techniques to spot unhelpful thinking and build new coping skills.
Mindfulness and motivational interviewing are used when helpful to increase focus and momentum toward goals. Paula aims to build a trusting, empathetic space without judgment. She often teaches concrete skills for self-care, communication, and managing strong emotion.
She also helps people map supports in their day-to-day lives so progress can continue outside sessions. Practical matters are part of her work. Paula will talk through strategies for parenting stress, relationship problems, sleep routines, or substance concerns.
Her goal is to help people find realistic steps that fit their lives and move toward steadier daily functioning.
Paula lists 6 ways of working on the entry:
What Paula works with
The areas below are the ones Paula selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Parenting issues
- Depression
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Bipolar disorder
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- LGBT
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Training and background
| Register | LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 15 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Maine |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Paula’s Approaches Fit Online Work
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following the person's pace. The therapist uses reflective listening and empathetic questions to learn what matters most and to help clients set attainable goals. This approach is helpful for people who need a steady, nonjudgmental space to sort out problems.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. In online sessions Paula can help identify unhelpful thinking patterns and practice new behaviors through step-by-step exercises and short homework tasks. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, panic, and sleep problems.
Mindfulness therapy brings attention to the present moment through simple practices like focused breathing or body scans. These exercises can reduce reactivity and improve sleep and concentration when used alongside other strategies.
Choosing the right approach is collaborative. Paula will discuss goals, try techniques, and adjust the plan together with the client. The process often mixes approaches so the work matches the person's needs, pace, and preferences.
Online sessions can fit into busy schedules. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for quick updates, regular encouragement, or when typing feels easier than speaking.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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