Dawn O'Regan - Mental Health Counselor | The Center for Internet & Technology Addiction

25 years experience

About Dawn O’Regan

Hello! My name is Dawn and I am a Licensed Independent Social Worker. I have 25 years of experience Working in Community Mental Health Organizations and in Private Practice settings. I live in Iowa and also travel frequently with my life partner. I work with clients affected by depression, anxiety, communication, inter and intrapersonal relationship difficulties.
My expertise that I bring you includes building blocks of healthy relationships:
1. Clear communication
2. Emotional regulation
3. Self-worth
4. Compassion
5. Insight
6. Ability to acknowledge and verbalize others strengths and emotions.
I worked as a bachelor’s level social worker for 4 years prior to Graduate School, achieving my independent license in Social Work,
I have worked in private group practice, started my own individual practice and currently work in a community mental health setting.
My approach to therapy is client centered: clients are the experts of their lives, and we work together on the direction an individual determines. Through a strengths-based and solutions-focused lens, I draw on multiple treatment modalities to guide clients in identifying strengths and developing treatment plans that accomplish their goals. Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), I assist clients in exploring relationships among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to aid in discovering dysfunctional thought patterns leading to self-destructive behaviors and beliefs. Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I support clients through developing skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation with the goal of moving clients towards a life involving the capacity for experiencing joy and freedom.
If clients are open to it, we also work using an internal family systems approach. This work goes inside your own system and identifies different parts that can be helpful or may need updating as you grow and develop.
Outside of my work as a therapist, I enjoy exercise, yoga, walking and hiking and meditation practice in the beautiful outdoors. I also enjoy my life partner and our two dogs. Izzy is the newest member to our family and is a sweet, sassy handful!I am incredibly grateful for my precious support system of family, friends and colleagues.
SPECIALTIES
Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Self esteem
Depression
Intra and Interpersonal Communication
Coping with life changes
Bipolar disorder, emotional intensity disorder, anger management and self-care.
Years of Experience: 25 years

Licenses

LISW

06148

Professional experience

Addictions
Anger management
Bipolar disorder
Compassion fatigue
Coping with life changes
Depression
Eating disorders
Family conflicts
Grief
Intimacy-related issues
Parenting issues
Relationship issues
Self esteem
Stress, Anxiety
Trauma and abuse

Additional Focus Areas

Abandonment
Aging and geriatric issues
Attachment issues
Blended family issues
Body image
Cancer
Caregiver issues and stress
Chronic pain, illness, and disability
Codependency
Communication problems
Control issues
Divorce and separation
Eating and food-related issues
Family of origin issues
Family problems
Forgiveness
Guilt and shame
Hospice and end-of-life counseling
Isolation / loneliness
Life purpose
Mood disorders
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Post-traumatic stress
Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
Self-love
Social anxiety and phobia
Women's issues
Workplace issues

Clinical Approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Attachment-Based Therapy
Client-Centered Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy
Trauma-Focused Therapy

Languages

English

8 Reviews

“Really good and has helped change my perspective”

“Dawn is absolutely incredible. She is understanding, caring and very insightful. She make sure that I am heard and understood. She also challenges me in the best way as possible working with her has been a godsend. I would give her 20 stars if possible. She is an incredible person and I have no doubt she will be able to help anyone.”

“Has been so helpful on my anxiety recovery journey. Listening intently to what I have to say and provides thoughtful feedback.”

“She was awesome the first time I used BetterHelp, I'm excited to take to her again now that I renewed my service.”

“Dawn has been with me through some of the hardest times of my life this year, through her help and advice I have become more confident and faced a lot of my fears in a positive manner. My stress and anxiety have been less each month as well. She is a positive yet grounding listener and helps you to understand.”

“Naturally nurturing and intuitive. Very calm and a good guide in conversation. Makes sure to write down things important to you and your growth. Reviews progress and challenges your thinking about the world and yourself and others.”

“My experience with Dawn was, has been, a great change for me. We've only had one session but it felt good to have someone understanding, sweet, and willing to help me open up. She's good at responding, I felt like I was talking to a really close friend only minuets into the first session. The advice she has given me so far has been helping, she has made me like the idea of therapy. I'm glad I got matched with her.”

“She is so great”

These reviews represent a few of the most recent positive reviews from the therapist's clients on BetterHelp. Some people's experience may be different.