Tracy Dawson , LICSW, LCSW

Tracy Dawson is a licensed clinical social worker with 29 years of experience. She practices in Indiana and works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, and major life transitions. Tracy uses straightforward, respectful care to help people find clearer paths forward.

Tracy focuses on practical steps that fit a person's life. She draws on client-centered ways of working that prioritize each person's goals and strengths. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is part of her approach when patterns of thinking and behavior contribute to distress. She also uses motivational interviewing to help people find the motivation to change.

Sessions are tailored to what each person needs. Tracy lays out simple strategies, offers space to talk things through, and helps clients try new behaviors between sessions. She pays attention to issues that often affect women, and she supports people facing caregiver stress, aging and geriatric concerns, and end-of-life planning.

Her practice includes work on communication problems, family stress, mood disorders, and social anxiety. Tracy combines short-term problem solving with skills that build long-term coping. Over her career she has worked in multiple settings, bringing that variety into how she adapts treatment plans.

Tracy describes therapy as a collaborative process. She aims to treat each person with compassion and dignity while focusing on clear, achievable steps. Taking the first step can feel hard, and she offers practical support for people ready to try.

Approaches and how they work online

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person's goals and perspective, giving space to talk and helping the therapist shape support around what matters most. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thought and behavior and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful cycles. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers concrete skills for managing intense emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness, useful for people who need structure and coping tools.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss needs, goals, and preferences to decide whether CBT, DBT, or a client-centered path fits best. This is a collaborative process and can shift as progress is made or priorities change.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video allows a face-to-face style session when visual cues help. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be a simpler option for check-ins. Live chat or text messaging can suit brief check-ins, ongoing coaching, or people who prefer writing to speaking. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to continue work between in-person windows.