- Client-centered approach
- Practical coping skills
- 35 years experience
About Darlene
Darlene Dezso is a licensed clinical social worker with 35 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma and loss. She focuses on building confidence, improving self-esteem, and supporting people through grief and major life changes. She aims to meet each person where they are and listen closely before planning next steps.
In sessions she emphasizes self-compassion and finding a sense of purpose. Conversations are guided by the person's needs rather than a fixed script. She discusses coping skills, boundaries, and ways to rebuild motivation after difficult experiences.
Her work includes support for relationship challenges, communication problems, codependency patterns, and the strain that can come from caregiving or first-responder roles. She also helps people facing illness, hospice or end-of-life concerns and those dealing with prejudice, veteran issues, or isolation.
Darlene blends Client-Centered Therapy with practical tools from cognitive behavioral approaches and skills-based methods such as dialectical behavior therapy. She draws on emotionally focused and existential ideas when people are searching for meaning or struggling with emptiness.
She describes the first step as a careful conversation to identify what matters most to the person and what will help right now. From there she tailors a plan that balances short-term coping with longer-term growth.
How therapeutic approaches guide online care
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening closely and following the person's lead. It helps people feel understood and decide what changes matter most. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions connect and teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) adds skills for managing intense emotions and improving distress tolerance.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the person to test what feels useful and adjust the plan as goals and needs become clearer. That process usually combines immediate coping tools with longer-term changes based on the person's values.
Confirm the session formats before booking so you know what options are available. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It can also make using skills between sessions more convenient by keeping the work close to everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
35+ years
Listed in
Alabama
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Darlene work with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and grief, plus compassion fatigue and relationship struggles. Additional focus areas include codependency, family of origin issues, first responder and veteran concerns, and seasonal affective disorder.
How would you describe her approach in sessions?
She uses a client-centered style that starts with listening closely and tailoring the conversation to the person. She also integrates cognitive behavioral tools, DBT skills, and emotionally focused ideas as appropriate.
What is her professional background?
She has 35 years of professional work experience, mostly in private practice, supporting people with a wide range of life stressors and emotional concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an AL LICSW and practices in Alabama.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.