Deanna (Dani) Minsky

Calm, practical support for life’s difficult moments

LCSW Maine

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

About Deanna

Deanna (Dani) Minsky is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) practicing in Maine who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, and major life transitions.

Background and approach

She draws on nine years of clinical experience supporting individuals and families through complex challenges such as relationship and family concerns, parenting and blended family issues, compassion fatigue, ADHD, and the emotional effects of illness or chronic pain.

Her work also addresses a wide range of related areas including attachment and abandonment concerns, multicultural and immigration-related stressors, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Minsky emphasizes a collaborative, person-centered approach that treats each client as the expert in their own life while offering clinical tools to build resilience and coping.

Her background includes school-based clinical social work in Maine and Massachusetts where she partnered with parents, caregivers, teachers, and outside providers to support family systems and professional wellbeing.

She has training in Trauma Systems Therapy and integrates therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, and Internal Family Systems to form a holistic picture of clients' needs and protective factors.

How these approaches translate to online therapy

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns in close relationships and how early bonds shape current emotional responses; online sessions using this approach explore relational dynamics, safety in connection, and strategies to build healthier interpersonal patterns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a skills-oriented approach that identifies unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaches practical tools to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression; in virtual sessions clients learn exercises, thought records, and behavior experiments that can be practiced between meetings. Trauma-Focused Therapy concentrates on processing traumatic experiences and reducing their ongoing impact, combining safety planning with gradual processing and coping strategies to help reclaim daily functioning.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with clients to understand their goals, preferences, and the issues they bring, and together they decide which methods or combination of methods fit best. That flexibility allows adjustments over time as needs evolve and progress is made.

Online therapy offers practical access and scheduling flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These formats make it easier to attend consistently, practice skills between sessions, and maintain continuity of care when life is busy or travel is limited. Licensed professionals can use these options to deliver structured CBT exercises, relational work, and trauma-focused interventions in ways that fit each person’s routine and comfort.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?

She works with a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, relationship and family issues, parenting and blended family dynamics, compassion fatigue, ADHD, and related areas like attachment, multicultural concerns, and post-traumatic stress.

How would you describe the therapeutic approach and style?

The approach is collaborative and person-centered, emphasizing that clients are experts in their own stories while offering practical tools and reflective work. She aims to create a trusting, nonjudgmental space and tailors methods to individual needs.

What experience does the therapist bring?

She has nine years of clinical experience and has worked in school settings across Maine and Massachusetts, partnering with families, caregivers, and educators on family systems and professional well-being issues.

What credentials and location are listed?

She is a licensed clinical social worker with the credential ME LCSW LC18660 and practices in Maine.

Are services available in other languages or to international clients?

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

Which session formats does she offer?

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

How are costs and billing handled?

Costs vary depending on location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule 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

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCompassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCoping with natural or human-caused disasterFamily of origin issuesGuilt and shameImmigration issuesMulticultural concernsPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Narrative TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

9+ years

Licensed

Maine

Languages

English