Darlene Kelly , LCSW

Darlene Kelly is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 24 years of experience. She offers steady, nonjudgmental support for people facing difficult life moments. Her approach centers on listening first and helping clients figure out practical next steps.

Darlene draws on several evidence-informed methods to match each person's needs. She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice painful thoughts and commit to values-based actions. She also uses Client-Centered techniques to create a warm space where people can speak openly. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools are added when patterns of thinking and behavior need clearer structure.

Her practice includes work with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, and relationship and intimacy-related concerns. She also helps with parenting questions, career decisions, grief, addiction issues, and struggles with self-esteem or body image. Additional focus areas include ADHD, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and bereavement.

Darlene is based in Louisiana and offers sessions in English. She supports LGBT clients and people navigating life changes such as adoption and blended family adjustments. Her style is collaborative and straightforward - she listens, reflects, and suggests concrete steps clients can try between sessions.

The goal in her work is growth over time. She encourages small changes that add up and supports clients through setbacks. New clients begin with a brief intake to identify goals and a plan that suits their situation.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that match their personal values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current connections and helps people build safer, more satisfying ways of relating. This approach often helps with intimacy issues, grief and trauma.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences and what has or hasn't helped in the past. That conversation guides whether to emphasize ACT, attachment work, CBT skills or other methods so the plan fits the client's needs.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make scheduling easier. Video is useful for more in-depth sessions that benefit from face-to-face interaction. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for regular check-ins, brief coaching, or when people prefer writing to speaking. These options aim to make therapy more flexible and easier to fit into a busy life.