Anna Murphy

Collaborative, skills-focused therapy for everyday challenges

LMHC Iowa

Experience: 9 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Anna

Anna Murphy is a licensed mental health counselor practicing in Iowa who focuses on helping people navigate stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, mood concerns, and addictive patterns.

Background and approach

With nine years of clinical experience across hospitals, schools, community mental health centers, and personal agencies, she brings a practical, skills-focused approach that aims to strengthen coping and emotional regulation. Her style is warm, interactive, and client-centered, emphasizing collaboration and respect for each person's expertise about their own life.

Anna draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with acceptance-based and dialectical strategies to address persistent mental health challenges, life transitions, and trauma-related concerns. She also incorporates expressive therapy options when clients are open to exploration through creative methods.

Anna's background includes work with a wide range of presentations such as mood and anxiety disorders, substance use, codependency, grief, dissociation, and complex care needs. She helps clients build individualized strategies and practical skills tailored to their goals, whether addressing relationship and intimacy issues, career stress, ADHD-related challenges, or compassion fatigue.

Her training and varied practice settings contribute to a flexible, empathetic approach aimed at meaningful, attainable progress.

Therapeutic approaches adapted for online care

Anna commonly integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in online work. CBT focuses on identifying patterns of thought and behavior and developing practical strategies to reduce symptoms like anxiety or low mood, while ACT emphasizes values-based action and present-moment acceptance to help clients live more meaningfully despite difficult thoughts or feelings. She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, which prioritizes empathy, active listening, and collaborative goal-setting so clients feel heard and guided rather than directed.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and the therapist collaborates with each person to determine what methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative process may involve trying different techniques or blending methods so treatment aligns with the client’s pace and priorities.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for busy schedules and for those who prefer nontraditional session styles. These options can make it easier to maintain consistency, access support from home, and use tools learned in sessions in real-world settings.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?

Anna works with a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related issues, anger, career strain, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.

How would you describe the therapeutic style and approach?

Her approach is warm, interactive, and client-centered, drawing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness-based methods to tailor interventions to each client's needs.

What is her clinical experience and professional background?

She has nine years of clinical experience and has worked in psychiatric hospitals, schools, community mental health centers, and personal agencies, providing care across varied settings and presentations.

What credentials and location are listed for the therapist?

Anna is an LMHC licensed in Iowa with licence number IA LMHC 080832 and practices from Iowa.

In which languages can clients work with this therapist and is international care available?

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

What session formats are offered for therapy appointments?

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

How is cost handled for therapy with this practitioner?

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

What steps are required to begin working with this therapist?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to her availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Self esteem Depression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changes Compassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessJealousyVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disorders Panic disorder and panic attacks Post-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

9+ years

Licensed

Iowa

Languages

English