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Frances McNamara

Frances McNamara

LPC

Pennsylvania

Compassionate counselor focused on practical change

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At a glance

Credentials
LPC
License
LPC, Pennsylvania / PC010157
Experience
15 years
Languages
English
Location
Pennsylvania

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.

    • Motivational interviewing
    • Practical coping skills
    • Emotion-focused support

    About Frances

    Frances McNamara is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with 15 years of clinical experience in Pennsylvania. She has supported people across a wide range of concerns, from stress, anxiety, and depression to addictions, ADHD, and mood disorders. Frances aims to create a respectful space where people can speak honestly about the challenges they face.

    Her background includes work with both common and complex presentations, such as bipolar disorder, personality disorders, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress. She uses a mix of practical approaches that focus on thoughts, feelings, and coping skills. Sessions tend to center on what the person wants to change and the steps that fit their life.

    Frances describes her style as present and authentic. She offers listening that stays grounded in everyday realities and helps people name successes and barriers. That approach can make it easier to try new behaviors and hold to meaningful goals.

    Her clinical toolkit includes Motivational Interviewing along with cognitive and dialectical methods, client-centered work, and acceptance-based exercises. These methods are used to help people make shifts in thinking, regulate strong emotions, and build routines that support well-being.

    People who choose Frances often want a therapist who mixes practical strategies with an empathic, straightforward manner. She encourages small, manageable steps and stays alongside clients as they work toward clearer goals and steadier coping.

  2. How Frances Uses Motivational and Acceptance-Based Work Online

    Motivational Interviewing focuses on the person’s own goals and reasons for change. It involves clear, open questions and reflective listening to help someone find the motivation to try new behaviors. This approach can be helpful for addictions, making lifestyle changes, or increasing engagement with treatment.

    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It emphasizes values-guided action and small steps toward a meaningful life, which can help with anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes.

    Frances will work together with each person to find the best approach. She treats the choice of methods as collaborative, matching exercises and strategies to the client’s goals and preferences rather than starting with a fixed plan.

    If you prefer online sessions, please confirm the current session formats before booking since specific formats were not listed in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also gives flexibility for practices such as in-the-moment skills coaching, homework review, and values-based planning that translate well to remote sessions.

  4. Areas of expertise

    Primary focus

    Stress, AnxietyDepression

    Also works with

    AddictionsTrauma and abuseGriefAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

    Additional focus areas

    Mood disordersPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

    Therapeutic approaches

    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

    Experience

    15+ years

    Listed in

    Pennsylvania

    Languages

    English

  5. Frequently asked questions

    What kinds of concerns can be addressed here?

    Frances works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, anger, self-esteem, career concerns, bipolar disorder, and ADHD among other focus areas.

    How would you describe the therapy style?

    The style is present and authentic, with an emphasis on practical steps, emotion work, and helping people identify what they want to change.

    What is Frances's clinical background?

    She has 15 years of experience and has worked with both common and more complex mental health concerns, including severe and persistent conditions.

    Where is Frances licensed and practicing?

    She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Pennsylvania.

    Which languages are supported in sessions?

    Sessions are offered in English only and international clients are not currently accepted.

    What session formats are available?

    Please confirm the current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.

    How is cost handled for sessions?

    Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

    What should I do to begin working together?

    Select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

  6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

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Frances McNamara Continue with Frances