Patricia Westwood, LCSW

Patricia Westwood is a Florida licensed clinical social worker with 18 years of experience using practical, person-focused therapy. She centers sessions on what a client is facing now and helps people take small steps toward steadier days. Her approach is straightforward and calm, aimed at making therapy useful for everyday life.

She often uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. Patricia also brings client-centered methods that prioritize the person's own goals and perspective. For people dealing with strong emotions, she integrates elements of dialectical behavior therapy to teach skills for managing intensity.

Patricia works with common struggles such as stress, anxiety, depression, and addictions. She also supports people coping with trauma and abuse, relationship difficulties, communication problems, and the fallout of divorce or separation. She focuses on concrete tools that can be used between sessions.

Sessions typically begin by identifying immediate concerns and practical goals. From there she and the client try out techniques that fit day-to-day life, such as grounding practices, thought records, or communication exercises. Progress is tracked in simple, measurable ways so people can see what changes are working.

Her style is warm and nonjudgmental. Patricia encourages honest conversation and helps people build skills for handling tough moments. She aims to empower each person to make choices that feel right for them.

How these approaches work online

CBT helps people notice thoughts that fuel anxiety or low mood and then practice new ways of thinking and acting. In short sessions online, CBT can include thought records, behavior experiments, and homework that fit daily life. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following the person's goals; the therapist offers reflection and support so people set their own pace and priorities.

Dialectical behavior therapy teaches concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication. Online sessions can include short skill lessons, practice exercises, and check-ins to help embed those skills between meetings. Patricia will collaborate with each person to choose which approach or mix of approaches best fits their needs and goals, checking in regularly and adjusting based on what feels most helpful.

Online formats - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video lets people work through exercises visually, phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier when showing your face is hard, and live chat or text messaging are useful for brief check-ins or ongoing support. These options give flexibility so people can use the method that works best for their schedule and comfort.