Catherine Costa , LICSW

Catherine Costa, LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker), is a Rhode Island clinician with three years of professional experience supporting people through a range of life challenges. She works with individuals facing stress and anxiety, parenting concerns, motivation and career difficulties, self-esteem and confidence issues, relationship and family matters, trauma and grief, mood disorders including bipolar, and neurodiversity-related concerns such as ADHD. Her additional focus areas include adoption and foster care, caregiver stress, financial and workplace issues, and exploring life purpose.

She approaches each person with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, shaping conversations and treatment plans to match individual needs. Catherine emphasizes practical goal-setting and collaborative problem solving, helping clients clarify priorities and take manageable steps forward. Her work draws on evidence-informed methods including solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, and narrative therapy to build on strengths and create change that fits each client’s life.

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all prescription, she tailors strategies to a person’s priorities, background, and pace. Catherine recognizes that seeking support can require courage and she aims to provide steady, goal-oriented guidance for those navigating transitions and everyday stressors.

Therapeutic Approaches and Remote Sessions

Catherine uses solution-focused therapy to help people identify practical goals and build on what is already working in their lives, offering focused strategies for managing stress, parenting challenges, and career concerns. Motivational interviewing is another key approach she employs - a collaborative style that helps people explore their own motivations for change and move toward goals at a sustainable pace. She also draws on narrative therapy to help clients reframe personal stories, separate problems from identity, and imagine alternative paths forward when coping with grief, trauma, or life transitions.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Catherine works collaboratively to tailor techniques to each person’s needs, goals, and preferences. She helps clients decide which methods feel most useful and adjusts plans over time as progress and priorities evolve.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life changes, and access support from home or other convenient locations. Licensed professionals can adapt these remote formats to deliver thoughtful, goal-oriented care that aligns with each client’s day-to-day needs.