Donald Bliss

Donald Bliss is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with four decades of experience in mental health and addictions work. He speaks English and Portuguese and brings a curious, open attitude to conversations. Don aims to help people reconnect with joy and discover what a satisfying life might look like for them. He has lived and worked in many places around the world, including time in Africa and South America. That life experience informs how he listens and the examples he offers. His background includes roles in outpatient care, inpatient psychiatric settings, residential treatment, community agencies, employee assistance programs, and nonprofit and government work. Don's training includes a bachelor’s degree focused on Child and Adolescent Welfare and a master’s degree in Social Work with concentrations in Employee Assistance Programs and Addictions. He has also completed a Certificate in International/Intercultural Studies and many continuing education programs over the years. In sessions he blends practical conversation with reflective work. He draws on client-centered methods and evidence-informed techniques such as cognitive strategies, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, narrative thinking, and psychodynamic ideas. He often mixes approaches to match what people need in the moment. People come to him for a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, parenting challenges, career questions, identity and LGBT matters, and coping with life changes. He helps people talk through problems, make changes they choose, and try new ways of living that feel more honest and rewarding. Don describes his role as supportive, encouraging, and sometimes challenging when that will help a person move forward. The work is collaborative and aimed at finding practical steps toward goals people care about.

How Don’s Methods Work Online

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening closely and following a person's pace and goals. Online sessions using this approach let people talk through concerns while the therapist reflects back what matters most to them and supports their choices.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thoughts and behaviors and teaches simple techniques to change unhelpful cycles. In remote sessions, CBT tools like thought records or behavioral experiments can be assigned between meetings and reviewed together.

Mindfulness Therapy brings attention to present-moment experience through simple practices. It can help reduce stress and improve focus by adding short exercises into daily routines and reviewing how they felt during sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That process can include trying different techniques and adjusting plans as progress is made.

Confirm the current session formats before booking so you know what is offered. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy life, save travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Those practical benefits help people keep momentum between sessions while working on goals with a licensed professional.