Dorothy Charest, LMHC, LPC

Dorothy Charest is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Florida. She brings 18 years of experience helping people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, and relationship or intimacy-related concerns. Dorothy aims to make therapy straightforward and practical for people juggling everyday life.

She uses approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy and client-centered work to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. Motivational interviewing and solution-focused techniques are also part of her toolkit when someone wants focused change or clearer next steps. Dorothy adapts methods to fit each person rather than using a one-size-fits-all plan.

Sessions focus on concrete skills and small experiments people can use between meetings. Dorothy emphasizes clear goals and step-by-step progress, while also making space for grief, trauma, and difficult feelings. Her work includes addressing obsessions and compulsions, process and sex-related addictions, phobias, personality difficulties, and compassion fatigue.

People come to her for help with career stress, parenting strain, self-esteem, and relationship conflict as well as for mood challenges like bipolar symptoms. She also supports those coping with the aftermath of sexual assault and abuse. Dorothy expects therapy to be a collaborative effort where the person sets priorities and she offers tools and guidance.

Therapy is offered in English and delivered through a range of online formats. Interested people begin by selecting Start Therapy and completing a short matching questionnaire to schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a respectful relationship. The therapist follows the person's lead, reflects their experience, and helps the person clarify what matters most. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and test alternative behaviors. It is often used for anxiety, depression, phobias, obsessions, compulsions, and stress by setting small practice tasks and tracking progress. Motivational interviewing is a short-term, goal-oriented approach that helps people find their own reasons to change and build commitment one step at a time.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Dorothy will work with the person to match methods to their goals, needs, and preferences rather than imposing a fixed plan. That means sessions can shift over time as priorities and progress change.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and screen sharing for worksheets. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or someone prefers no video. Live chat and text-based messaging suit quick check-ins, brief coaching, or people who express themselves better in writing. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules while keeping the focus on practical tools and steady progress.