PuttingFamilyFirst

The therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp and we will earn a commission if you use our link - at no cost to you.

CP Portrait of Dr. Catherine Alvarez, Ph.D.
Online therapist

Dr. Catherine Alvarez, Ph.D.

Calm, practical help for family and life challenges

Book with Catherine
Credentials
LMHC
Experience
17 years
Licensed in
Florida
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Catherine

Dr. Catherine Alvarez, Ph.D. uses a mix of practical, evidence-based therapies to help people manage stress, anxiety, mood problems, and parenting concerns. She is a Florida licensed mental health counselor - LMHC - with 17 years of experience.

Her style is straightforward and focused on small, doable steps that fit everyday family life. She offers time-tested methods such as cognitive behavioral techniques to change unhelpful thinking and acceptance-based strategies to handle strong emotions.

Background and approach

She also draws on attachment-informed ideas to improve connection and communication. Sessions emphasize skills you can practice between meetings and changes you can notice week to week. Dr.

Alvarez works with a broad range of issues including addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, sleep and eating problems, parenting, and coping with major life changes. She also supports people facing medical or caregiving stress and complex co-occurring difficulties like bipolar disorder and ADHD. Her approach is collaborative and plainspoken.

She listens for what matters most, then suggests practical tools that match specific goals. Progress usually looks like clearer routines, steadier mood, and better communication with important people. Sessions are offered in English and can be scheduled from Florida.

For people who prefer remote care, she provides multiple online formats. To begin, a brief matching questionnaire and scheduling step starts the process.

How evidence-based approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing painful thoughts and feelings without letting them drive your actions. It teaches values-based steps so you can move toward what matters, even with strong emotions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify and change unhelpful thinking and small habits that keep problems going. It often involves simple exercises and tried-and-true homework between sessions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns of connection and communication that affect relationships and parenting, and offers ways to build more supported interactions.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work with the therapist. She will talk with each person about symptoms, daily routines, and goals, and then recommend one or a blend of methods. That decision is collaborative and can be adjusted as progress unfolds.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options let people fit therapy into busy family schedules and access support from different locations. Remote sessions make it possible to practice skills at home and check in more flexibly while keeping treatment focused and goal-oriented.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Less about arguing with difficult thoughts, more about loosening their grip and acting on what matters to you anyway. Values and committed action carry the work, which suits conversation at a distance.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, grief, parenting, relationship and intimacy issues, and related challenges.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is collaborative and straightforward, focusing on practical skills and manageable steps you can use between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She has 17 years of clinical experience working with a wide range of mental health and life concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Florida licensed mental health counselor, FL LMHC MH23606, and practices from Florida.
Which languages are supported and can she work internationally?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I start working with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
17 years
Licensed
Florida
Languages
English

Next step

Talk to Catherine

  • Takes a few minutes
  • Nothing to set up just to look
  • Stop at any point
Book with Catherine