Teresa 'Terri" Dawe, LCSW

Teresa 'Terri" Dawe, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 34 years of experience supporting individuals, couples, families, and groups. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Social Work from Rutgers University, and completed a Post-Master's Certificate Program in Marriage and Family Therapy at the Family Institute, now known as the Multicultural Family Institute. Her clinical training also includes the Duluth Model for domestic violence, which informs her work with safety and power dynamics.

Over her career Terri has worked in outpatient settings, supervised interns and provisionally licensed clinicians, and held administrative roles designing clinical programs grounded in evidence-based practices. She spent 16 years managing Employee Assistance Programs, consulting with unions and human resources, and providing workplace-focused support. In addition to direct clinical work, she offers training and consultation to other professionals on family and couples matters.

Terri practices from a family systems framework to help clients see how personal histories shape current relationships and patterns. She integrates cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and psychoeducation to promote insight, growth, and practical change. Her experience includes treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and mood disorders. Terri guides a collaborative therapeutic journey that holds space with compassion and a non-judgmental stance for those seeking greater self-understanding and improved relationships.

Evidence-Based Approaches for Online Family and Relationship Care

Teresa 'Terri" Dawe uses a family systems framework to help clients understand how family patterns and personal histories shape current relationships and behavior. This approach looks beyond individual symptoms to the wider relational context and can be especially helpful for couples, blended families, and communication problems. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is another core method she employs; it focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and building practical skills to manage depression, anxiety, and mood-related concerns. Motivational interviewing is used to support engagement and change by exploring ambivalence and strengthening a client's own motivations for growth, which can be useful for commitment issues and workplace or life-purpose transitions.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Terri works with clients to assess needs, goals, and preferences and then adapts techniques to fit each person or family's situation. She aims to create a treatment plan that feels actionable and aligned with what clients want to achieve.

Providing therapy online via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging offers flexibility for people balancing work, family, or geographic constraints. These options make it easier to maintain regular sessions, access licensed professionals from home, and continue care through life changes while working toward improved relationships and well-being.