Dr. Natalia Rivera, LCSW, CSW

Dr. Natalia Rivera is a licensed clinical social worker based in Georgia with 13 years of clinical experience and 22 years of active duty Army service. She holds the credentials LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker and CSW - Clinical Social Work credential, and spent much of her career as an active duty Army officer providing behavioral health care in Military Treatment Facilities and alongside community partners. Her military specialty included combat and military sexual trauma related post traumatic stress disorder and combat operational stress, and she has worked with people across the lifespan on concerns such as depression, anxiety, relationship and parenting difficulties, self-harm, conduct or oppositional defiant disorder, and PTSD.

Dr. Rivera provides counseling for adults over 18 and also offers behavior modification or Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) for children under 18 who have a diagnosed neurological condition. Her clinical focus covers stress, trauma and abuse, anger, self-esteem, grief, sleep problems, coping with life changes, and additional areas including adoption and foster care, blended family dynamics, substance use, first responder and veteran issues, and related challenges.

Her counseling style is warm, humorous, and interactive, combining empathy and nonjudgmental acceptance with honest, realistic guidance. She integrates cognitive behavioral, client-centered, acceptance and commitment, dialectical, and EMDR-informed techniques, and works collaboratively with each person to build an individualized treatment plan, monitor progress, and revise goals as needed. She typically schedules appointments Monday through Friday from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm EST and is out of the office on weekends, though occasional weekend slots may be considered. She generally checks messages after 5:00 pm and aims to respond within 24 hours when possible. She respectfully requests at least three days notice for cancellations so appointment times can be made available to others.

Evidence-based approaches and online care with Dr. Rivera

Dr. Rivera uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people clarify personal values and learn practical ways to accept difficult feelings while committing to actions that move them toward meaningful goals. ACT can be helpful for anxiety, stress, and situations where avoidance has limited daily functioning.

She also employs Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes a warm, nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship and supports clients in exploring their experiences at their own pace. This approach can be useful for building self-esteem, improving relationships, and navigating life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another frequent tool in her work, focusing on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

Finding the right approach is collaborative - Dr. Rivera partners with each person to assess needs, preferences, and goals, then tailors techniques and revises the plan as progress unfolds. Online therapy makes that collaboration more accessible by offering multiple ways to connect. Video sessions allow face-to-face interaction, phone visits provide an audio-only option, and live chat or text-based messaging can fit into busy schedules for more frequent check-ins. These options offer flexibility for different lifestyles and needs while supporting consistent therapeutic work.