Carleen Gates, LICSW

Carleen Gates is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) who focuses on helping people manage stress and anxiety. She offers a direct, caring style and aims to make sessions straightforward and useful for everyday life.

She draws on a mix of therapy approaches and keeps conversations centered on the person's priorities. Sessions are candid and respectful, with attention to dignity and practical steps for change. Carleen emphasizes compassion while also encouraging honest self-reflection.

Carleen has ten years of experience in the mental health field. Her background includes work in individual therapy, group settings, school-based services, telehealth, case management, and in-home mental health support. She has supported people facing grief, depression, bipolar-related challenges, ADHD, compassion fatigue, and family conflict.

Her practice also addresses concerns such as forgiveness, guilt and shame, life purpose, money and financial worries, self-love, and issues commonly faced by women. Carleen aims to help people name what matters most and take small steps toward clearer choices and better daily routines.

She encourages anyone ready to try therapy to take the first step. Carleen seeks to partner with people who want practical strategies, honest feedback, and steady support as they work toward their goals.

How therapeutic approaches guide online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and choose actions that matter to them. It is often used for anxiety, stress, and finding clearer values-driven goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical skills to manage symptoms and shift unhelpful patterns. This approach is commonly used for anxiety, depression, and worry. Client-Centered Therapy centers the conversation on the person's own experience and pacing; the therapist listens closely and offers empathy and straightforward feedback to help people make choices that fit their lives.

Finding the right approach is usually a shared process. The therapist will work together with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That means trying different ideas, checking what helps, and adjusting as progress is made.

Session formats are not listed here, so confirm current online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to attend from daily routines, fit a short check-in during a break, or avoid travel time. It also allows the therapist to use practical tools and homework between meetings so progress can continue outside sessions.