- Client-centered care
- Mindfulness practice
- DBT skills
About Donna
Donna Welles is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) in Massachusetts with 13 years of professional experience. She centers sessions on the person in front of her and treats each client as the expert in their own life. Her style is direct and supportive, aimed at helping people take practical steps toward better rest, lower stress, and clearer goals.
Donna helps people who are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or depressed. She also supports those coping with life changes, grief, and challenges to self-esteem. Sleep and rest are part of the concerns she addresses when poor sleep affects mood, focus, or daily routines.
Her work draws on client-centered methods to follow what matters most to each person. She also uses mindful practice to build present-moment awareness and DBT-informed skills to manage strong emotions and intense urges. These approaches are taught in simple, usable ways during sessions.
In appointments, Donna listens closely and helps people identify small, realistic steps they can try between sessions. She focuses on concrete strategies for stress, sleep, and daily routines rather than abstract theory. The aim is to make change feel doable and paced to each person’s needs.
Donna’s practice is rooted in respect and practical problem solving. She helps clients notice strengths, set goals, and build habits that support better rest and steadier mood over time.
How client-centered, mindfulness, and DBT approaches work online
Donna uses client-centered methods that prioritize the person’s goals and perspective; this approach means sessions focus on what the client brings and what they want to change. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve sleep and stress management. DBT-informed skills offer concrete tools for regulating intense emotions, managing impulses, and improving distress tolerance.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Donna treats this as a collaboration and will help clients test different techniques to see what fits their needs and daily life. Goals, preferences, and early progress guide which methods are emphasized over time.
If you are considering online work, confirm the current session formats before booking so you know what options are offered. Many people find remote sessions make it easier to fit therapy into their routine, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Online sessions can support practicing mindfulness, reviewing sleep routines, and learning DBT-style skills between meetings while keeping therapy practical and goal oriented.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
13+ years
Credentials
Massachusetts
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does Donna help with?
She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, self-esteem problems, grief, and coping with life changes among other concerns.
What is her general therapy style?
Donna uses a client-centered approach focused on listening and following the client’s priorities, combined with mindfulness and DBT-informed skills for emotion regulation.
How much experience does she have?
Donna has 13 years of professional experience working in clinical settings and community care in Massachusetts.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds an MA and is a LICSW licensed in Massachusetts.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted; sessions are provided to those located where her Massachusetts licensure applies.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Donna?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.