Dr.
01About Paula
Dr. Paula Ehrmantraut helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression, relationship troubles, or struggles with addiction. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor - LCPC - who brings 17 years of clinical experience to sessions.
Her style is warm and straightforward and she focuses on practical steps people can try between meetings. She keeps sessions centered on the person in front of her. That means listening first, then working together to set small, realistic goals.
Background and approach
Paula uses clear tools from cognitive behavioral work and client-centered approaches to help people notice patterns and try new ways of responding. She also draws on emotion-focused ideas to help people name and shift painful feelings. For people dealing with intense emotions or self-harm urges, elements from dialectical behavior therapy can teach manageable coping skills.
Paula adapts the plan depending on what each person needs most in the moment. Her background includes work across stress, addiction, LGBT concerns, relationship issues, and mood disorders. She also has experience with adoption and foster care, aging and geriatric matters, attachment issues, autism and Asperger syndrome, body image, chronic illness and pain, codependency, and related concerns.
Paula practices in South Dakota and speaks English. She supports international clients and offers flexible session formats such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text messaging. When someone is ready to begin, she helps them map out the next practical steps.
02Credentials
- LCPC (Montana)
- License BBH-LCPC-LIC-1196 · expires December 2026
- LMHC (Washington)
- License LH61575860 · expires August 2026
- LPC (South Dakota)
- License LPC-MH30682 · expires November 2026
- LCMHC (Utah)
- License 12837443-6004 · expires September 2026
- NPI
- 1831135359 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the counselor lists and checks neither.
03Focus areas and approaches
Everything Paula lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Depression
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Body image
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Traumatic brain injury
- Trichotillomania
- Women's issues
Methods Paula names
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
These are the methods Paula names on their own professional profile. Naming an approach is not evidence of training or certification in it, and this directory checks no training records. Ask directly if it matters to you.
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04Online support
How her approaches translate to online therapy
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship. In practice this means sessions concentrate on the person's own priorities and feelings, helping them make choices that fit their life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and teaches practical exercises to change them, which works well for anxiety, depression, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, teaches specific skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, and improving communication skills, which can be useful for people who feel overwhelmed by strong feelings.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each client about goals and preferences and then try methods that match those needs. That way the plan evolves with the person's progress and feedback, keeping sessions practical and collaborative.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls let people see facial cues and have a fuller conversation. Phone sessions can fit into a short break or require less bandwidth. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for quick check-ins, journaling between appointments, or practicing new skills in the moment. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while fitting into busy lives.
05Questions people ask
What concerns does she help with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and addictions. Her practice also addresses many related concerns such as adoption and foster care, aging and geriatric issues, and attachment issues.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is warm, direct, and practical. She listens first, then helps set small goals and teaches coping skills to use between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 17 years of clinical experience working with a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns.
What credentials and region are listed?
She holds MT LCPC and SD LPC credentials and is also listed as LPC-MH. She practices out of South Dakota.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
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