- Direct practical tools
- Strengths-based outlook
- 17 years experience
About Paula
Dr. Paula Ehrmantraut helps people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship strain, depression, and LGBT-related concerns. She takes a calm, practical approach and focuses on small steps that add up. Paula has 17 years of experience and works from a strengths-based view that looks for what is going well each day.
Her sessions are grounded in client-centered therapy, where the person’s goals steer the work. She also draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and DBT ideas for managing strong emotions. Paula aims to make tools easy to use in daily life so people can practice between sessions.
Paula pays attention to life stages and backgrounds, including adoption and foster care, aging and geriatric issues, attachment concerns, and autism and Asperger Syndrome. She also supports people dealing with body image, chronic pain or illness, codependency, commitment and control issues, and communication problems.
Other areas she addresses include divorce and separation, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Her work tends to combine emotional understanding with practical strategies to help people move forward.
Based in South Dakota, Paula communicates in English and is available to international clients. She asks new clients to complete a short matching questionnaire and to schedule sessions once the Start Therapy steps are finished. Costs vary by location and the practice uses a subscription that clients can cancel at any time.
Her sessions are grounded in client-centered therapy, where the person’s goals steer the work. She also draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and DBT ideas for managing strong emotions. Paula aims to make tools easy to use in daily life so people can practice between sessions.
Paula pays attention to life stages and backgrounds, including adoption and foster care, aging and geriatric issues, attachment concerns, and autism and Asperger Syndrome. She also supports people dealing with body image, chronic pain or illness, codependency, commitment and control issues, and communication problems.
Other areas she addresses include divorce and separation, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Her work tends to combine emotional understanding with practical strategies to help people move forward.
Based in South Dakota, Paula communicates in English and is available to international clients. She asks new clients to complete a short matching questionnaire and to schedule sessions once the Start Therapy steps are finished. Costs vary by location and the practice uses a subscription that clients can cancel at any time.
How Paula’s approaches translate to online therapy
Client-centered therapy places the person’s goals at the center. In practice this means sessions begin by learning what matters most and shaping sessions around those goals. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on finding and changing unhelpful thoughts and habits through concrete exercises and short practice tasks that people can use between meetings. Dialectical behavior therapy offers skills for managing strong emotions and improving how people cope during intense moments.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Paula will collaborate with each person to decide which methods suit their needs and preferences. That choice can shift over time as goals change, and she will check in regularly to make sure the plan still fits.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when schedules are tight, and letting people use video or phone options according to what works best for them. Licensed professionals can apply the same practical tools and skills online as in-person, and Paula focuses on usable strategies that carry over into everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Adoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBody imageChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryTrichotillomaniaWomen's issues
Therapeutic approaches
Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
17+ years
Credentials
Montana, Washington, South Dakota, Utah
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Paula commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, depression, and LGBT-related concerns as well as related areas like attachment, body image, chronic illness, and communication issues.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is client-centered and practical, focusing on small steps and daily strengths while teaching tools people can use between sessions.
What is her clinical background?
Paula has 17 years of experience providing therapy and emphasizes combining emotional understanding with skill-building approaches.
What credentials and region are listed for this therapist?
She is listed with the credentials LCPC, LPC, and LPC-MH and practices from South Dakota.
Which languages are supported and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are available?
Session formats are not specified in the biography; please confirm current session options before booking.
How does payment work and what does therapy cost?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the continue button on this profile, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.