- Client-centered approach
- CBT skills focus
- Mindfulness practices
About Donna
Donna Altepeter is a licensed clinical social worker who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and life changes. She meets clients where they are and works alongside them to find practical steps forward. Her tone is collaborative and grounded in real-life concerns, not jargon.
Donna brings many years of clinical practice and teaching to sessions. She uses Client-Centered Therapy to center each person’s priorities and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and try different ways of coping. Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing techniques are part of how she helps people notice patterns and build motivation for change.
Her background includes extensive work with bereavement, life-threatening illness, hospice and end-of-life counseling, and caregiver stress. She also has experience addressing addiction, compassion fatigue, attachment concerns, and mood disorders. Clients looking for support with parenting, career transitions, relationship and intimacy challenges can find a practical focus in sessions.
Donna completed a Master of Social Work at Saint Louis University and holds a Wisconsin LCSW. She has many years of direct practice and over two decades teaching in a university social work program, which informs her collaborative teaching style in therapy.
In sessions she aims to create a partnership of learning and growth. She helps people explore options, practice new skills, and set small achievable goals. Those interested in starting are invited to complete the site's matching steps to arrange a first appointment.
How her approaches shape online therapy
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on your goals and what matters most to you. The therapist listens without judgment and helps guide conversations toward practical next steps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact and teaches tools to test and change unhelpful patterns.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options and decide together which methods to try based on your needs and goals. This collaborative process means strategies can be adapted as progress is made or priorities shift.
Please confirm current session options before booking, as specific online formats are not listed here. Many people benefit from online sessions because they can fit appointments into work breaks, reduce travel time, or choose quieter surroundings that make it easier to focus. Online conversations also let therapists coach practical skills and review thought patterns in ways that translate to day-to-day life.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
12+ years
Credentials
Wisconsin
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and coping with life changes. Additional areas include caregiver stress, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, and coping with natural or human-caused disaster.
What is her general approach in sessions?
Sessions are collaborative and practical, combining a client-centered stance with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness strategies. She focuses on teaching skills and trying concrete steps between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 12 years of documented experience as presented in this profile and many more years of earlier practice and teaching. That background shapes a teaching-oriented, collaborative style.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds a Master of Social Work and is a Wisconsin LCSW. Her practice is listed in Wisconsin.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions billed or paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.