Laurie Jo McDonnell

Laurie Jo McDonnell is a licensed marriage and family therapist who helps people facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, and depression. She speaks plainly and supports clients as they take the first steps toward change. Laurie emphasizes each person's strengths and the sense that clients are experts in their own stories.

With 25 years of professional experience in Florida, Laurie draws on practical methods to address family conflict, caregiver stress, and the emotional fallout of illness and loss. She has worked with people navigating abandonment, blended family challenges, and the strain of chronic pain or caregiving responsibilities.

In sessions she uses approaches from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, and the Gottman Method. She centers the conversation on what matters to each person and on small, doable steps that fit real life.

Laurie pays attention to family of origin issues, communication breakdowns, and patterns like codependency or dependent and avoidant behaviors. She helps people sort through difficult emotions tied to divorce, separation, cancer, and aging concerns.

Her style is respectful and collaborative. Clients can expect clear, practical conversations that aim to reduce overwhelm and build usable coping skills. Laurie acknowledges that starting therapy takes courage and she supports people through that early work.

How therapy approaches shape online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and commit to actions that reflect their values. It can be useful for anxiety, grief, and situations where worry or avoidance get in the way of living. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to reduce distress and change patterns. It often helps with anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems. Emotionally-Focused Therapy focuses on emotional experience and connection and is frequently used when relationship patterns cause pain or distance.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their goals and preferences. That choice can shift over time as needs change, and Laurie aims to tailor strategies so they are practical and personally meaningful.

Please confirm the current session options before booking because formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when schedules demand it. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT, CBT, and EFT techniques to remote sessions so that conversations remain focused on coping, connection, and steps that feel doable in daily life.