Richard "Rick" Dawson, LCSW

Richard "Rick" Dawson is an LCSW licensed in Oregon with 33 years of clinical experience. He works with adults on concerns such as depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, grief, and family and parenting issues. He has worked in inpatient and outpatient settings and uses practical strategies to help people manage immediate problems.

Rick began his counseling career after earlier years as a musician and has practiced since 1992. He spent long periods as an inpatient therapist in hospital settings, ran group and individual therapy, and opened a private practice in 2004. His background also includes work in community clinics, hospice care, and outpatient services in a family medical clinic near Portland.

In sessions he focuses on clear, problem-oriented work. He uses approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and solution-focused techniques. That means sessions often include skills practice, short-term problem solving, and attention to patterns that keep problems going.

Rick aims to reduce symptoms like panic, insomnia, low self-esteem, and mood swings while also addressing relationship strain and parenting stress. He helps people talk through grief, manage compulsive behaviors, and cope with life changes. The emphasis is on practical steps and gradual progress rather than abstract theory.

Clients can expect a straightforward, nonjudgmental stance and collaborative problem solving. He invites people to bring real-life issues from home and work, then work together on specific strategies they can try between sessions.

Approaches used in online sessions