Stephen Bunnell , LCSW

Stephen Bunnell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Idaho who brings a grounded, relationship-focused approach to mental and behavioral health care. With six years of experience in the field, he has worked across multiple states including Utah, Kentucky, and Indiana, gaining experience with a wide range of concerns from addiction and personality disorders to the impacts of culture, rural life, and homelessness. He works with individuals facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting challenges, anger, career concerns, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and other life transitions.

Stephen integrates evidence-informed methods such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, person-centered approaches, existential therapy, and solution-focused techniques to tailor care to each person. He emphasizes a caring, nonjudgmental stance that centers the client perspective, believing that healing begins in a strong therapeutic relationship. His practice highlights resilience and helps clients identify internal strengths and values that support meaningful change and forward momentum.

Connection is a central theme in his work - connecting to relationships, values, the present moment, nature, spirituality, or oneself - as a pathway to growth and healing. Stephen aims to help people discover practical tools and renewed purpose so they can move forward with greater clarity and agency.

Therapeutic approaches for accessible online care

Stephen often uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people clarify what matters most to them and learn practical ways to take meaningful action even when difficult thoughts or feelings appear. ACT can be useful for stress, anxiety, depression, and life transitions because it focuses on values and committed behavior.

He also draws on client-centered therapy, which prioritizes empathy, active listening, and the client’s own goals. This approach supports people who benefit from a warm, nonjudgmental setting where they can explore their thoughts and build on their internal strengths.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills are integrated when emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness are priorities. DBT offers concrete tools to manage intense emotions and improve communication in relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the process and is addressed collaboratively. Stephen works with clients to identify goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, adjusting techniques over time to fit the person’s needs.

Online therapy via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexibility for scheduling, reduces travel barriers, and lets clients engage in care from familiar settings. These options make it easier to maintain consistent work with a licensed professional and to access support when life is busy or circumstances change.