Denise Stuntzner

Denise Stuntzner is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over two decades of clinical practice in Oregon. She returned to direct care after raising her sons and brings long experience from hospital, hospice, tribal wellness, and outpatient medical settings. Denise describes her style as active and straightforward, focusing on clear goals and practical steps.

She frames sessions around what the person wants to change. Denise uses hands-on tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy to help people notice patterns and try small experiments. She often adds mindfulness and basic neuroscience ideas to support self-awareness and coping.

Her background includes work in child and family mental health, domestic violence services, inpatient psychiatry, integrated behavioral health, and program coordination for a tribal wellness program. She has also supervised social work students and clinicians working toward their LCSW credential.

Denise talks plainly about life challenges like stress, grief, sleep problems, parenting strain, addiction worries, trauma, relationship difficulties, anger, and career transitions. She helps people build practical plans to change unhelpful thinking and behavior. The focus is on doing work that fits daily life.

Outside of clinical work she is an experienced competitive swimmer and enjoys skiing, travel, family time, and pets. Her approach is collaborative and oriented to measurable change, while acknowledging that healing and growth take time.

How common therapy approaches are used online

Denise frequently uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered techniques in her work. CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and try specific behavioral changes that can reduce anxiety, improve sleep, or change reaction patterns. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the person’s own goals and choices, with the therapist listening, reflecting, and supporting the client’s priorities.

She also weaves mindfulness practices into sessions to build moment-to-moment awareness and calm when stress or anger feels overwhelming. These practices are brief and can be practiced between meetings to strengthen coping skills over time.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to goals and try methods that fit the client’s needs and preferences. Together they track what helps and adjust the plan if something isn’t working.

The biography does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce commute time, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and let someone meet with a licensed professional from different locations. Ask about available formats when scheduling to choose what fits daily routines.