Donald Bliss, LCSW

Donald Bliss, LCSW, brings 40 years of experience in mental health and addictions work. He speaks English and Portuguese and has lived and worked across several countries and regions. Don enjoys hearing people's stories and helping them reconnect with joy or discover it for the first time.

He combines practical problem solving with a warm, curious approach. Sessions focus on clear steps people can try between meetings. Don draws on tools from client-centered work, cognitive behavioral strategies, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and narrative approaches to match what each person needs.

His background includes roles in outpatient clinics, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment programs, community agencies, employee assistance programs, and both nonprofit and government settings. He has done direct services, case management, program design, and evaluation work over the decades.

Don's training began with a bachelor's degree in Social Work focused on child and adolescent welfare and continued with a master's degree in Social Work emphasizing employee assistance programs and addictions. He also completed a Certificate in International/Intercultural Studies after independent study in Kenya.

In sessions he aims to support, encourage, and gently challenge people as they pursue the life they want. Common concerns addressed include stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, depression, grief, parenting, identity and LGBT issues, trauma, and life transitions. He works with each person to find practical next steps that fit their goals and circumstances.

How his approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting back what matters most to the person. It helps people feel understood and to clarify their own goals for change.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It uses simple exercises and experiments to test new ways of thinking and behaving, which can help with anxiety, depression, and relationship patterns.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches practical attention skills to notice thoughts and physical sensations without instantly reacting. This can reduce distress and help with stress, cravings, and emotional ups and downs.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels useful. Choices about methods are revisited as needs change so the process stays collaborative.

Because the biography does not list specific session formats, please confirm the current online options before booking. Many people find online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives, for example by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-in meetings, or making it easier to meet during a lunch break. Online work also lets people use mindfulness practices, behavior experiments, and motivational conversations in ways that fit daily routines.