PuttingFamilyFirst

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EM Portrait of Elizabeth "Liz" McDowell
Online therapist

Elizabeth "Liz" McDowell

Practical therapy for family and life challenges

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Credentials
LCSW
Experience
17 years
Licensed in
Idaho, Utah, Maine
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth "Liz" McDowell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 17 years of practice. She works with adults on common life struggles like stress, anxiety, grief, depression, addiction, and relationship or family concerns. Liz aims to make therapy straightforward and practical.

She speaks plainly and focuses on what can change now. Before moving into outpatient work, she has experience across settings including inpatient care and community services. That background shaped her ability to adapt how she works to fit a person's life.

Background and approach

She uses methods rooted in evidence-based practice, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), along with Attachment-Based and Client-Centered approaches. In sessions she helps people identify what matters to them and builds step-by-step plans to reach those goals. She teaches skills for managing intense emotions, improving communication, and coping with big changes.

Practical tools and short experiments often replace long lectures. Parents and caregivers can expect clear guidance on relationship and parenting concerns, blended family challenges, and dealing with burnout or caregiver stress. She also addresses intimacy, body image, and sexual culture topics like kink with nonjudgmental attention.

Liz provides therapy to people in Idaho and holds a California LCSW license as well. Sessions are offered in English and delivered online through multiple formats. Her approach is collaborative and paced to each person's needs.

How her approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to clarify their values and take small actions toward them. It helps when life changes feel overwhelming or when a person is stuck by painful thoughts.

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in close relationships and how those patterns affect current stress and communication. It can be useful for couples, family tensions, and intimacy-related concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and testing new behaviors. It is a common choice for anxiety, depression, and coping with everyday stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to pick strategies that match their goals and preferences. Together they adjust methods as needed so sessions stay practical and relevant.

Online therapy offers several practical benefits. Video calls let people work face-to-face from home. Phone, live chat, and text-based messaging make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to check in between sessions. These options increase flexibility and help maintain continuity when life gets busy.

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 commonly address
She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, addictions, relationship and family issues, parenting, and work or career concerns.
What is her therapeutic style like
Her style is straightforward and practical. Sessions emphasize skill-building, problem solving, and real-life experiments rather than long theory talks.
What kind of experience does she bring
She has 17 years of clinical experience across inpatient and outpatient settings, offering assessments, therapy, and ongoing support for adults.
What are her credentials and where is she located
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW. She practices in Idaho and also holds a California LCSW license with ID LCSW LCSW-30195 and CA LCSW 114279.
Which languages are supported and can international clients work together
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
In what formats are sessions available
Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How is cost handled for sessions
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working together
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
17 years
Licensed
Idaho, Utah, Maine, Arizona, California
Languages
English

Next step

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