Welcome to BetterHelp! My name is Danielle McDonald, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified School Social Worker (CSSW) practicing near Buffalo, New York. I graduated from the University at Buffalo School of Social Work with my Masters degree in 2006 and have been working in the field for 17 years. During my career I have worked in a variety of settings, including inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment and substance abuse counseling. This experience has enabled me to work with many different populations including children, teenagers, young adults and adults. My experience includes working with individuals with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, career challenges, substance use issues, and major life changes including learning how to adjust to new normals. I believe that the therapeutic alliance is one of the most important aspects of counseling, and is a very important catalyst for the change and growth that you would like to see. I am very easy-going and have a collaborative approach to therapy. I love to build relationships with others using empathy, listening and humor. Clients tell me I am a mindful listener, compassionate, and engaging. In my practice, I tend to primarily use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client Centered Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy, but often adjust my technique to meet the needs of my client. I am flexible and willing to utilize the mode of communication that you are most comfortable with. In the beginning of counseling, I will discuss with you the needs or concerns that brought you to seek out therapy. From there we will work together to identify the goals that you would like to achieve. It takes a lot of strength and courage to take these first steps and I look forward to working with you!