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LCSW

Dorothy Pedro, LCSW

  • Experience25 years
  • LocationArizona
  • Focus areasAddictions, Grief, and Parenting
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Dorothy

Dorothy Pedro is an LCSW with 25 years of clinical practice who brings steady, strengths-based care to people facing a wide range of life challenges.

Background and approach

She draws on extensive experience in acute care settings where grief, trauma, suicide risk, and life-changing illness were part of everyday work, and she helps clients navigate intense emotional experiences while tending to practical family needs. Dorothy uses motivational interviewing and systems-informed thinking to help clients set realistic goals and discover pathways forward even during chaotic circumstances.

Her work often emphasizes family and relational dynamics, and she leans on attachment-aware strategies to foster healthier communication and support within households. Dorothy integrates approaches such as Internal Family Systems, ACT, client-centered work, and cognitive behavioral methods to tailor interventions to the person in front of her.

Based in Arizona, she practices in English and offers multiple online session formats to accommodate different schedules and preferences.

Online approaches that support family and trauma work

Internal Family Systems is a gentle, parts-based approach that helps people notice and relate differently to the inner voices and feelings that influence behavior; it can be useful for managing inner conflict, trauma responses, and emotional patterns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and building committed action while learning skills to accept difficult thoughts and emotions, which can help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy explores early relational patterns and their impact on present relationships, supporting improved communication and stable connections within families.

Finding the right fit is a collaborative process. The therapist will work together with each client to identify which approaches align best with their needs, goals, and preferences and may blend methods as the work unfolds to best support progress.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging so clients can access care from home or on the go. These options make scheduling easier and help people maintain continuity of care while balancing work, family, and other responsibilities.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Dorothy support?
Dorothy works with a broad range of concerns including addictions, grief, parenting challenges, compassion fatigue, stress and anxiety, relationship and family problems, trauma and abuse, mood issues such as depression and bipolar, ADHD, eating and sleeping difficulties, and other life adjustments.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and strengths-based, combining systems-oriented family work with motivational interviewing and a focus on practical goal setting to help clients move forward from difficult situations.
What is her professional background?
She has 25 years of experience, including extensive work in acute care hospitals where she addressed grief, trauma, suicide risk, and serious medical issues while coordinating care with families and other agencies.
Where is Dorothy licensed and based?
She is licensed as an LCSW in California and Arizona with license numbers CA LCSW 26417 and AZ LCSW 1315, and her practice is based in Arizona.
Does she provide services in other languages or to international clients?
Dorothy conducts therapy in English and is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are offered?
Clients can meet with her via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and communication preferences.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are needed to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

AddictionsGriefParenting issuesCompassion fatigue

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCoping with life changesCoachingADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issuesBody imageCancerChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionFamily problemsFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMulticultural concernsNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

25+ years

Licensed

California, Arizona

Languages

English