Patrick Dotson, MSW, LCSW, ICGC-I

Patrick Dotson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Therapist at Engage Young Adult Transitions with more than 20 years of experience in behavioral health and more than a decade of clinical practice. He specializes in working with adolescents and young adults experiencing attachment and family relationship difficulties, trauma, anxiety, depression, substance use and addictive behaviors, problematic gambling, and challenges related to identity, relationships, and developing greater independence.

Patrick’s career has included juvenile services, child welfare, substance use treatment, adolescent residential treatment, and young adult transitional care. This experience has given him a broad perspective on young adult mental health treatment and the ways relationships, family experiences, trauma, addiction, and developmental challenges can influence a young person’s ability to move forward.

Attachment and relational work are central to Patrick’s clinical approach. He is particularly interested in young adults who may appear tough, angry, avoidant, disconnected, or “fine” on the outside while struggling underneath with shame, rejection, identity, trust, and connection. Patrick works closely with both young adults and their parents to understand the experiences and relationship patterns that have shaped the family. He believes acknowledging the reality of what has happened, without becoming trapped in blame, can create a foundation for healthier relationships moving forward.

Patrick uses an integrative, trauma-informed approach that includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, EMDR, attachment-based and relational interventions, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy principles. His style is warm and relational while also direct when needed.

A central theme of Patrick’s work is helping young adults “make the implicit explicit.” He helps them recognize the connections among their choices, emotional patterns, relationships, consequences, and desired outcomes. Patrick believes respecting a young adult’s autonomy does not mean removing accountability. His goal is to help young adults move from external accountability, to supported accountability, and ultimately toward self-accountability, ownership, and greater independence.

Patrick also works with substance use, addictive behaviors, and problematic gambling. He is an International Certified Gambling Counselor-I (ICGC-I), providing specialized training and perspective when gambling or sports betting becomes part of a young adult’s clinical picture. His work in this area considers not only the behavior itself, but also the emotional, relational, financial, and developmental patterns that may contribute to it.

Patrick values Engage’s relational and community-based model because meaningful change does not occur only during a therapy session. Collaboration among therapists, case managers, life coaches, peers, and families creates opportunities for real-time feedback, connection, accountability, and compassionate persistence as young adults navigate relationships, education, employment, executive functioning, and independent living.

Patrick earned his Master of Social Work from Utah State University. His professional training includes EMDR, Trauma-Focused CBT, and UAMFT’s 20-hour clinical supervision training. He has also taught group therapy modalities in Southern Utah University’s social work program and has supervised both MSW and BSW students, contributing to the education and development of future behavioral health professionals.

Patrick also brings personal perspective to his work with families as a father of five and an adoptive parent. These experiences have strengthened his appreciation for attachment, connection, family relationships, and the difficult decisions parents sometimes face when a young person needs additional support.

Outside of work, Patrick enjoys spending time with his family, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, traveling, and following sports. Go 49ers!