Elizabeth "Liz" McDowell

Compassionate LCSW guiding practical change

LCSW Idaho

Experience: 17 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth "Liz" McDowell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 17 years of clinical experience. She brings a broad background of work in inpatient and outpatient settings and has offered assessments, therapy, and supportive care across a range of life challenges.

Background and approach

Liz blends evidence-informed methods to help people navigate anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, addictive behaviors, and stress related to caregiving, chronic illness, or career change. Her approach emphasizes collaboration and practical skills.

She commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside acceptance-oriented and attachment-focused techniques, and draws on client-centered and dialectical skills to improve coping, communication, and emotional regulation. Liz also attends to intersectional and identity-related issues such as LGBT concerns and relationship dynamics, and she works with complex presentations including bipolar, ADHD, and co-morbid conditions.

Based in Idaho, she connects clinical experience with a measured, empathetic style intended to help clients set goals, experiment with new strategies, and build sustainable coping over time.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online support

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behavioral experiments to reduce distress and improve functioning; it is commonly applied for anxiety, depression, and stress-related issues. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes learning to notice uncomfortable thoughts and feelings while committing to actions that align with personal values, which can be helpful for grief, chronic pain, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy explores relational patterns and emotional safety within relationships to address attachment issues, intimacy-related concerns, and communication problems.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and the therapist collaborates with each person to determine which methods best match their goals, preferences, and situation. That collaborative process may combine elements from different approaches so work feels practical and tailored rather than one-size-fits-all.

Online formats such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging provide flexibility for scheduling and make it easier to maintain continuity when life gets busy or travel is necessary. These options allow licensed professionals to offer consistent skills practice, check-ins, and coaching between sessions, supporting progress while fitting therapy into everyday routines.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist help address?

She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, addictions, relationship and family challenges, parenting concerns, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and many additional focus areas such as body image and caregiver stress.

What therapeutic approaches are used in sessions?

Her work integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to match interventions to client needs.

How long has she been practicing clinically?

She brings 17 years of experience providing assessments, therapy, and support in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

What are the credentials and where is she based?

She is an LCSW with license details recorded as ID LCSW LCSW-30195 and CA LCSW 114279, and she practices from Idaho.

Can I see a therapist in another language or from another country?

Sessions are offered in English only, and she is not accepting international clients at this time.

What session formats are available for online work?

She offers multiple remote formats including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and needs.

How are fees and subscriptions handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are accessed via a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin if I want to work together?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a brief matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Depression Coping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualityTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

17+ years

Licensed

Idaho, Utah, Maine, Arizona, California

Languages

English