FindADHDTherapists

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

LCSW

Dr. Colleen Downes, LCSW

  • Experience35 years
  • LocationNew York
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Self esteem
  • Therapy approachesClient-Centered Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy
View booking options

Check the available next steps for working with Colleen online.

About Colleen

Dr. Colleen Downes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York who brings 35 years of clinical experience to her practice.

Background and approach

She works with people facing a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family difficulties, ADHD, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting challenges, anger, career questions, compassion fatigue, and coping with life changes. Her background includes work with clients affected by chronic medical conditions, adoption and foster care, learning differences, and caregiving stresses.

Her therapeutic stance is warm, interactive, and respectful, emphasizing compassion and a nonjudgmental presence. She draws on psychodynamic ideas to explore how past experiences shape current patterns while also using client-centered and solution-focused techniques to build practical coping strategies and goal-directed change.

Sessions are tailored to each person’s needs and preferences, with an eye toward empowering clients to manage symptoms and make meaningful life adjustments. Dr.

Downes combines decades of practice with a collaborative, individualized approach. She aims to help clients clarify goals, develop effective skills, and navigate transitions with greater resilience and self-understanding.

Approaches That Inform Online Care

Dr. Downes integrates several evidence-informed approaches into her online practice. Client-centered therapy emphasizes an empathic, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist listens closely and follows the client's lead to support self-directed change; this approach helps with self-esteem, life transitions, and clarifying personal goals. Mindfulness therapy encourages attention to present-moment experience and gentle awareness of thoughts and feelings, useful for managing anxiety, stress, and emotional reactivity. Psychodynamic therapy explores how past relationships and experiences influence current patterns, which can illuminate recurring relationship difficulties, attachment concerns, and long-standing emotional habits.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Dr. Downes will work with clients to identify their goals, preferences, and practical concerns and then tailor a combination of methods that fit those needs. She emphasizes partnership in planning treatment and adjusting techniques as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit care into busy schedules or to continue work across life changes. These formats allow licensed professionals to provide consistent support, offer skill-building exercises, and maintain continuity of care while adapting session style and pacing to what works best for each person.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship and family problems, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting, career concerns, and compassion fatigue.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is warm, interactive, and nonjudgmental, blending empathic listening with practical strategies to help clients identify goals and build coping skills.
What kind of experience does she bring?
She has 35 years of clinical experience working in mental health, chronic illness care, learning disabilities, caregiving, foster care, and adoption-related settings.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is an LCSW licensed in New York with license number NY LCSW 039784 and practices from New York.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
She does not accept international clients at this time and provides services within the listed regional limits.
In what session formats does she offer care?
Sessions are available as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences.
How are costs and scheduling handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietySelf esteemCareer difficultiesADHD

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefParenting issuesAnger managementDepressionCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameImmigration issuesImpulsivityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessMulticultural concernsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryVisually impairedWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyMindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

35+ years

Licensed

New York

Languages

English

What Colleen can help with

Dr. Colleen Downes works with clients on stress and anxiety, self esteem, career difficulties, and ADHD.

Colleen works with individuals, couples and families from a various backgrounds and life situations.

Colleen works with clients with a wide range of concerns such as coping with chronic medical illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, and cancer.

How Colleen approaches therapy

Colleen's clinical approaches include Client-Centered Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy.

Experience and training

Colleen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in New York.