Rita Mahon, LICSW

Rita Mahon is a licensed independent clinical social worker who focuses on helping people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, or relationship strain. She speaks plainly and aims to make the first steps feel manageable. Rita emphasizes practical skills you can use between sessions to feel steadier day to day.

She draws on approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to help people notice unhelpful thought patterns and build actions that match their values. Sessions also make space for emotion-focused, client-centered listening so people feel understood while they plan change. Rita uses techniques that target distress from trauma and abuse when it is part of someone’s story.

With 18 years of practice in Rhode Island, she brings experience working through grief, depression, addiction concerns, parenting stress, compassion fatigue, and challenges related to identity. Rita pays attention to attachment patterns, communication problems, and difficulties tied to life transitions. She also supports people dealing with more complex needs such as bipolar disorder, ADHD, or co-occurring conditions.

Rita aims to help clients build clearer choices and steadier coping. She frames therapy as a collaborative effort where the person sets goals and tries out new ways of handling old problems. Practical homework and short-term skill building are common parts of her work.

Her approach is respectful and direct. She encourages people to name what matters most, then take small, concrete steps toward those priorities.

How chosen approaches translate to online therapy

Rita commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy in her online work. CBT focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. ACT helps people clarify their values and take committed steps toward them while accepting difficult feelings that arise in the process.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Rita collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and day-to-day life. She checks in about what’s working and adjusts techniques so the sessions feel relevant and practical.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to match different routines and needs. Video can support longer therapeutic conversations and skill demonstrations. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for a simple check-in. Live chat and text messaging are helpful for short updates, ongoing coaching, or when someone prefers written check-ins. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule and keep momentum between meetings.