Dorothy Pedro , LCSW

Dorothy Pedro is an LCSW - a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - with 25 years of professional experience, including extensive practice in acute care hospital settings. She developed strong clinical decision-making skills through daily work with grief, trauma, suicide risk, and life-changing medical diagnoses, helping patients and their families navigate some of the most difficult moments they will face.

Drawing on motivational interviewing and structured goal-setting, Dorothy supports clients in chaotic situations to identify priorities and build practical plans to move forward. Her background includes work with military families and children, and two years in a school-based homeless program where she provided meals, counseling, home visits, and resource coordination for families in crisis. She regularly coordinates with schools, courts, and child protective services to help families remain together and focus on what is needed to promote stability.

Dorothy offers couples counseling, family therapy, group work, and parenting skills training, learning from parents while sharing strategies that fit each family’s strengths. She often uses systems theory in family intervention - looking for changes in one part of a family system that can create beneficial ripple effects elsewhere. That approach honors family resilience and emphasizes safety and well-being for children and caregivers while treating the family as a collaborative team.

Some situations benefit from brief supportive interventions, while others require more intensive work; Dorothy adapts her approach to meet each family’s stage and needs. She listens to both the spoken and spiritual energy in family dynamics and aims to guide change in practical, do-able ways. If a different resource would better serve a family, she will assist in making that connection. Dorothy is available to work with individuals and families as needed and looks forward to partnering in the therapeutic process.

Therapeutic Approaches Offered Through Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings while clarifying what matters most to them and taking committed steps toward those values. This approach can support work on anxiety, stress, addictions, and coping with life changes. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on relationships and how early or current attachment patterns shape connection, trust, and intimacy - useful for relationship concerns, attachment issues, abandonment, and parenting challenges. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, active listening, and the client’s own goals; it creates a supportive environment for building self-esteem, navigating transitions, and discovering personal strengths.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Dorothy works collaboratively with each person or family to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies over time to reflect progress and changing priorities.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging - making it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, bridge geographic gaps, and maintain continuity of care when life is unpredictable. Licensed professionals can use these formats to provide regular, goal-focused support tailored to each client’s circumstances.