Rita Mahon

Compassionate LICSW guiding practical change

LICSW Rhode Island

Experience: 18 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Rita

Rita Mahon is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Rhode Island who helps people address stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, addictions, and a broad range of related concerns.

Background and approach

She draws on 18 years of professional experience and emphasizes the client’s own strengths and expertise in shaping therapy. Rita approaches each person as an active partner, encouraging courageous first steps toward greater wellbeing while offering steady clinical support along the way.

Her work integrates evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Existential Therapy to match interventions to the issue at hand. Rita also attends to areas like intimacy, parenting, career concerns, ADHD, compassion fatigue, and complex relational patterns including attachment or codependency issues.

She aims to help clients clarify goals, develop coping strategies, and build on existing resources to manage life transitions and emotional difficulties.

Integrating evidence-based approaches for online care

Rita uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify unhelpful thought patterns and learn practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is also part of her toolkit and focuses on clarifying values, increasing psychological flexibility, and building actions that align with what matters most to the client. Client-Centered Therapy informs her overall stance by emphasizing empathy, listening, and supporting the client’s own expertise about their life.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process; she works with each person to review goals, preferences, and symptoms, then adjusts techniques so therapy fits the individual rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all method. This helps clients try specific strategies while keeping their values and life context at the center of care.

Online formats offered include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which provide flexibility for people balancing work, family, or mobility needs. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, revisit skills between live sessions, and access support from Rhode Island-licensed professionals without requiring travel.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Rita work with?

She addresses a wide range of challenges including stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, addictions, LGBT issues, intimacy concerns, parenting, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes.

What is her therapeutic style and approach?

Her style is collaborative and strengths-based, blending approaches such as CBT, ACT, client-centered work, DBT, and existential therapy to tailor care to each client's needs.

How much clinical experience does she bring?

She brings 18 years of professional experience working with diverse emotional and relational concerns.

Where is she licensed and what are her credentials?

She is a licensed clinical social worker in Rhode Island with the credential LICSW and license number RI LICSW ISW02728.

Does she offer therapy in other languages or to international clients?

Sessions are offered in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.

Which session formats are available with her?

She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.

How is cost handled for ongoing sessions?

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

What are the steps to begin working together?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule an appointment based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuse Grief Depression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHearing impairedHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

18+ years

Licensed

Rhode Island

Languages

English