Dr. Paula Alvarez, LCSW
Therapist in Missouri
Dr.
- License 19790, 2016036974, 149.023704 · California, Missouri, Illinois Expires December 2027, September 2026, November 2027
- NPI 1710020227 · national registry
- Experience and languages 35+ years in practice English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.
About Paula
Dr. Paula Alvarez helps people who are feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure how to move forward. She writes in clear, direct language and focuses on practical steps people can use right away.
Dr. Alvarez is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 35 years of clinical experience and practices from her base in Missouri. Her approach begins with listening to what each person wants to change.
She uses client-centered therapy to build on a person's own goals and strengths.
Background and approach
For people who want structured tools, she offers cognitive behavioral techniques and homework exercises to practice new skills between sessions. She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify values and take committed action. For relationship work, she uses the Gottman Method to guide conversations and improve communication patterns.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are available for emotion regulation and distress tolerance when needed. Dr. Alvarez has worked in inpatient and outpatient mental health settings and led group programs for domestic violence perpetrators in both English and Spanish.
That background informs her work with trauma, grief, addiction, and complex life transitions. She frequently helps people manage anxiety, depression, anger, and issues related to self-esteem and identity. Sessions can include coaching-style guidance, skill practice, or deeper therapy for long-standing problems.
She accepts international clients and holds LCSW credentials in California, Illinois, and Missouri. People who want to begin are invited to use the site process to match and schedule a first appointment.
Credentials
- LCSW (California)
- License 19790 · expires December 2027
- LCSW (Missouri)
- License 2016036974 · expires September 2026
- LCSW (Illinois)
- License 149.023704 · expires November 2027
- NPI
- 1710020227 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Paula lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family of origin issues
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Immigration issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Paula names
- Gottman Method
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Hypnotherapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
These are the approaches Paula names on their own professional profile. Naming an approach is not evidence of training or certification in it, and this directory checks no training records. Ask directly if it matters to you.
Online support
Online approaches that fit your life
Dr. Alvarez commonly uses the Gottman Method to help people improve communication and reduce recurring negative patterns in close relationships. The Gottman approach focuses on practical conversation skills, building fondness and admiration, and repairing conflict in ways that feel manageable.She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps people name their values and take small, value-driven steps even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present. ACT can be useful for anxiety, depression, grief, and work or life transitions.
Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist and client decide together which methods to try based on problems, goals, and personal preference. Sessions may mix listening, skill practice, homework, and coaching in a way that matches each person's pace.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, live chat allows brief check-ins, and text messaging supports ongoing reflection between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy days and to continue work when life circumstances change.
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Frequently asked
What concerns does Dr. Alvarez commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, anger, bipolar disorder, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting concerns, ADHD, grief, and life transitions.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style blends client-centered listening with practical techniques like cognitive behavioral methods, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Gottman-informed relationship work, and DBT skills when helpful.
What kind of professional background does she bring?
She has 35 years of clinical experience, has worked in locked and outpatient settings, and ran group treatment programs in English and Spanish.
What credentials and location are on file?
She is an LCSW and holds licensure in California, Illinois, and Missouri, with her primary practice listed in Missouri.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English, and she has past experience facilitating groups in Spanish as well.
What session formats are available?
Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.
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