PuttingFamilyFirst

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

ED Portrait of Ethel Dickerson
Online therapist

Ethel Dickerson

Practical support for family and parenting challenges

Book with Ethel
Credentials
LCSW
Experience
22 years
Licensed in
Connecticut
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Ethel

Ethel Dickerson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Connecticut who focuses on family and parenting concerns. She brings 22 years of practice to sessions and communicates in a friendly, straightforward way. Parents and guardians who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure about next steps will find practical guidance and steady attention.

Ethel is direct but compassionate and aims to help people change thought patterns that get in the way of daily life.

Background and approach

She draws on client-centered work to meet people where they are. Sessions often include tools from cognitive behavioral therapy to challenge unhelpful thoughts. Mindfulness ideas and solution-focused techniques help create small, doable changes.

For trauma and abuse-related issues she uses trauma-focused approaches that prioritize safety and gradual recovery. Her experience includes outpatient clinic work, supporting school-aged children and families, coordinating a trauma first responders' team, and working with people facing homelessness. That breadth shapes how she sees family struggles, grief, parenting challenges, and the emotional fallout of crises.

She values honesty and gives her full attention during sessions. Ethel emphasizes collaborative goal-setting. She helps clients identify the thought patterns causing stress and then works with them to build healthier routines.

Progress is framed as steady, practical steps rather than quick fixes. Readers can expect a warm but candid therapist who combines professional training with life experience. She invites those seeking support to begin a conversation and take measurable steps toward better daily functioning.

How Ethel’s approaches work online

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and meeting each person where they are. It prioritizes the client’s experience and helps build trust before introducing tools. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, targets the thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going by teaching practical exercises to reframe thinking and test new habits. Trauma-Focused Therapy helps people affected by traumatic events by pacing work to avoid overwhelm and building coping skills for triggers and flashbacks.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Ethel collaborates with clients to identify goals, preferences, and what feels manageable. She may combine elements from different methods and adjust the plan as progress is made, so the fit evolves with changing needs.

Online sessions offer flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. That range lets parents and caregivers fit sessions around busy schedules, travel, or work demands. Using different formats can make it easier to maintain continuity of care, try brief check-ins between longer appointments, and keep momentum when life gets busy.

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.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Mindfulness Therapy

Attention training: noticing thoughts and physical feelings as they arrive without being carried off by them. Much of it is practice you do yourself, so guidance over video or audio works much as it would in person.

Frequently asked questions

What issues does Ethel help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting, depression, family problems, anger, self esteem, and coping with life changes. Additional focus areas include blended family issues, caregiver stress, communication problems, and fatherhood issues.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is client-centered and direct. She listens fully, gives honest feedback, and mixes practical tools with supportive conversation.
What is her clinical background?
Ethel has 22 years of experience, including outpatient clinic work, supporting school-aged children and families, coordinating a trauma first responders' team, and work with people experiencing homelessness.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW, CT LCSW 005954, and practices in Connecticut.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be done by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should someone do to begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
22 years
Licensed
Connecticut
Languages
English

Next step

Talk to Ethel

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