Charlene Thiede , LMSW, LISW

Charlene Thiede is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Michigan and Iowa. She holds the credentials LMSW and LISW, social work licenses that reflect master's-level training and authorization to provide clinical social work services and independent practice.

Her therapeutic stance is person-centered and strengths-based, meeting clients where they are and building on existing abilities to support forward movement. She has training in a range of clinical approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, play-based techniques for children, and solution-focused strategies, and draws from these methods to tailor support to each person's needs.

Charlene began her career as a school social worker, an experience that shaped her understanding of the challenges children face in educational settings and strengthened her work with families. She later provided behavioral health counseling in both a private mental health clinic and a large family service agency, working with children, adolescents, and adults across a variety of concerns.

In sessions she helps clients explore current difficulties, clarify the changes they want, and identify practical steps toward their goals. Her aim is for people to leave feeling more hopeful and confident about moving forward, a goal reflected in a longtime anecdote that clients often arrive feeling sad and leave with a smile.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Charlene Thiede draws on client-centered therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to guide online work. Client-centered therapy focuses on the person's strengths and priorities, creating a collaborative space to explore goals and build self-directed change. CBT helps identify unhelpful thoughts and patterns and teaches practical strategies for reducing symptoms like anxiety and depression by changing thinking and behavior. DBT emphasizes skills for managing intense emotions, improving interpersonal effectiveness, and increasing distress tolerance, which can be valuable for emotional instability, relationship difficulties, and overwhelming stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the process, and Charlene Thiede works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She combines techniques as appropriate and adjusts the plan over time based on progress and feedback.

Online therapy with licensed professionals offers flexibility in how care is delivered. Sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different schedules, comfort levels, and communication styles, making it easier to access consistent support while balancing other life responsibilities.