Carolyn Hollingshead , LCSW, LISW-CP

Carolyn Hollingshead is a seasoned social worker whose career spans more than two decades supporting people who want to improve their quality of life by addressing the obstacles that hold them back. She brings particular experience helping clients across the lifespan manage depression, anxiety, PTSD, relationship challenges, blended family dynamics, divorce, grief, chronic pain, and eating concerns. Her clinical strengths include grief work, chronic pain management, and eating disorder treatment, informed by a long career in nutrition and health.

She trained as a Registered Dietitian for over 30 years and holds a PhD in Nutrition with an emphasis in communication, along with advanced social work training. She is credentialed as an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and as an LISW-CP (Licensed Independent Social Worker - Clinical Practice). Additional professional training includes Certified Grief Counseling Specialist (CAGCS) coursework and completion of Level One training with the Gottman Institute. Carolyn combines insight-oriented, process-focused work with practical, evidence-based techniques drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, solution-focused work, and mindfulness-based methods.

Comfortable addressing medical and end-of-life matters because of her health background, she also has training in gerontology and long experience teaching body image and eating disorder topics. Her approach is holistic, often integrating somatic and relational perspectives while helping clients uncover meaningful insights and practical strategies for change. As a widow who raised two sons as a single parent, she brings personal understanding to issues of singlehood and blended family life.

Therapeutic approaches for effective online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients clarify personal values and take committed steps toward a meaningful life while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. It is often useful for stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathetic listening and collaboration, placing the client's experience at the center of the work so they can explore identity, relationships, and self-esteem concerns at their own pace.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering practical skills for managing depression, anxiety, and many day-to-day challenges.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and the therapist works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative process may blend approaches over time to fit what is most helpful for the individual.

Online therapy makes these approaches more accessible by offering sessions through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options provide flexibility for scheduling, reduce travel time, and allow continuity of care across life transitions, helping clients engage in therapy in ways that suit their routine and needs.