Donna Altepeter, LCSW

Donna Altepeter is a licensed clinical social worker who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and life transitions. She works with adults facing caregiving challenges, chronic illness, questions about life purpose, and the emotional strain that comes with change. Donna emphasizes collaboration and believes people can change when they are heard and supported.

Donna earned a Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University in 1983 and has practiced for many years. She also taught in the University of Wisconsin social work program for over 20 years, bringing classroom experience into clinical work. That teaching background shapes her practice and how she explains tools and options to clients.

In sessions she uses a client-centered stance, drawing on cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness among other approaches. She aims to help people notice unhelpful patterns, try small practical changes, and reflect on life stories that affect present choices. Conversations are collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.

Donna has experience with bereavement, life-threatening illness, hospice and end-of-life counseling, caregiver stress, and issues linked to aging and geriatric concerns. She also addresses relationship difficulties, attachment issues, addiction-related concerns, and mood disorders. The work can include problem-solving, emotional processing, and planning next steps.

Her practice is grounded in decades of clinical and teaching work. Donna invites people who want a thoughtful, learning-based approach to schedule an initial match and see if the fit feels right.

How therapeutic approaches shape online sessions

Donna commonly uses Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy in her work. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening closely and following the person’s lead to build trust and clarify goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and try small behavior changes that reduce distress. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and preferences and then try methods that fit. This is a collaborative process where methods are adjusted based on what helps most.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when needed, or making it simpler to meet during a lunch break or between appointments. Licensed professionals can still use the same therapeutic tools over distance, adapting exercises and homework for use between sessions.