Monique Paulus , LCSW

Monique Paulus is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 13 years of experience helping people navigate difficult emotional and life transitions. She is licensed to practice across Idaho, Montana, and Arizona and brings a client-centered, holistic approach to treatment that addresses the whole person rather than isolated symptoms.

Her work focuses on depression, anxiety, trauma, and addiction, and she supports individuals facing relationship challenges, workplace stress, identity questions, and the long-term effects of past harm. Monique uses compassion and practical strategies to help people manage panic, process traumatic memories, and rebuild stable daily routines after major life disruptions.

Monique has extensive experience working with diverse populations, including veterans and first responders, and she tailors interventions to each person’s background and goals. Her style is collaborative and nonjudgmental - she partners with people to clarify priorities, build coping skills, and strengthen relationships. Whether someone seeks short-term relief or longer-term therapeutic growth, Monique aims to create an affirming environment that supports resilience and meaningful change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Monique draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. CBT is practical and skills-focused, and it often helps with anxiety, depression, and stress by teaching tools for managing difficult thoughts and feelings.

Trauma-Focused Therapy is used to address the impact of past harm on daily life and relationships. This approach involves careful, paced work to process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional intensity while building coping resources for triggers and flashbacks.

Motivational Interviewing supports change by exploring a person’s values and ambivalence, which can be especially useful for addictions, behavior change, and readiness for new life directions. It emphasizes the person’s own goals and strengths rather than imposing a plan.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. Monique works collaboratively with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress is made.

Online sessions by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging make therapy more flexible and accessible for people with busy schedules, mobility limits, or geographic constraints. These options allow for consistent contact, timely skill practice between sessions, and easier scheduling to fit therapy into everyday life.