About
- Client-centered approach
- Cognitive behavioral techniques
- Speaks English and Portuguese
About Donald
Donald Bliss is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California with forty years of experience in mental health and addictions. He speaks English and Portuguese. He lists concerns including stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family issues, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy concerns, parenting, and career matters.
Donald describes a long career across public, nonprofit and private settings. He has worked in outpatient clinics, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, residential programs, community agencies and employee assistance programs. His background includes direct services, case management, program design, program evaluation and management.
He uses everyday conversation to learn people’s stories and to help them explore what matters to them. He draws on client-centered methods to follow what each person brings, and on cognitive behavioral and mindfulness approaches when practical skills are useful. Motivational interviewing and narrative work also appear in his practice when exploring change and personal stories.
Donald’s education includes a bachelor’s degree with a Child and Adolescent Welfare emphasis and a master’s degree in social work with concentrations in Employee Assistance Programs and Addictions. He also completed a Certificate in International/Intercultural Studies and has lived and worked in multiple countries and regions of the United States.
He notes experience with a wide range of issues such as adoption and foster care, attachment concerns, blended family challenges, codependency, communication and commitment problems, chronic illness, substance use, and coping with life changes. He aims to support, encourage and challenge people as they consider next steps.
How sessions work
How Don’s approaches translate to online work
Donald often uses client-centered methods that focus on listening and following what the person brings. This approach is about shaping sessions around the client’s concerns and priorities, and it helps when people want a conversational style to understand next steps.He also uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to identify unhelpful thinking and to practice different behaviors. CBT is practical and skills-focused, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with stress. Mindfulness therapy is another approach he draws on; it involves attention practices and simple exercises to reduce reactivity and improve awareness.
Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work. He will collaborate with each person to decide which approaches fit their goals and preferences, adjusting as needs change. The process is a conversation about what helps most in daily life.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Many people find online arrangements helpful because they can fit sessions into a workday, avoid travel time, and choose a shorter check-in on busier days. If specific formats matter to you, check the session options during the matching step before scheduling.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
40+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English, Portuguese
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of family and parenting issues does he address?
He lists parenting, blended family issues, adoption and foster care, and communication or commitment problems among his focus areas.
How would he approach anxiety or depression?
He uses client-centered conversation alongside cognitive behavioral techniques and mindfulness to help people develop coping skills and new ways of responding.
What is his professional background?
He has forty years of work in mental health and addictions across outpatient, inpatient, residential, community and employee assistance settings, plus program design and management.
Where is he licensed and working from?
He is a California LCSW and practices from California.
Can I work with him if I don’t speak English?
Sessions are offered in English and Portuguese.
Does he work with international clients?
He accepts international clients, according to the profile.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to begin?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.