Donna Altepeter , LCSW

Donna Altepeter is a licensed clinical social worker who brings a collaborative, client-centered approach to therapy. She earned a Master of Social Work from St. Louis University with a concentration in community mental health, and she holds the LCSW credential, which stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her practice emphasizes partnership - working alongside each person to build understanding, develop skills, and support meaningful change.

Her clinical skill set includes cognitive behavioral techniques and elements of dialectical behavioral therapy, applied to concerns such as anxiety, depression, grief and bereavement, life-threatening illness, and major life transitions. She enjoys working with people across the lifespan and draws on a broad base of experience to tailor interventions to each individual’s needs. Donna frames therapy as a teaching and learning process, sharing knowledge while also learning from clients' experiences and perspectives.

With experience teaching in a university social work program, she approaches sessions with an emphasis on collaboration, curiosity, and practical strategies. Clients can expect a respectful partnership focused on discovery, growth, and improved coping as they navigate stress, relationship issues, trauma, and other challenges.

Approaches for Online Care and Collaborative Treatment

Donna Altepeter uses client-centered therapy, which emphasizes the person's own perspective and goals and focuses on building a trusting, supportive relationship to guide growth and decision making. This approach is helpful for people navigating life transitions, relationship concerns, and self-esteem challenges.

She also integrates cognitive behavioral therapy, a practical method that helps identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. CBT offers concrete tools for managing mood, sleep, and coping with change.

Mindfulness therapy is used to cultivate present-moment awareness and stress regulation, supporting individuals who struggle with rumination, emotional reactivity, or chronic worry. Together these approaches give clients a mix of insight, skills, and strategies tailored to their needs.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Donna works with each person to determine which methods fit their goals, preferences, and life circumstances, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call or phone, and shorter interactions are available through live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapeutic work into busy schedules, accommodate mobility or caregiving responsibilities, and maintain continuity of care across life changes.