Leslie Cates , LPC

Leslie Cates is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Louisiana. She focuses on helping people who are feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, depression, stress, grief, or difficult life changes. Leslie also supports those managing addiction, trauma, low self-esteem, and relationship strain. Her approach is practical and down-to-earth so clients can use skills right away.

Leslie earned a Master of Arts in Counseling in 2016 and has about 10 years of counseling experience. She uses a client-centered style that keeps the person's goals front and center. Clients set the direction and Leslie adapts sessions to meet those goals.

She works from a strengths-based, solutions-focused viewpoint. That means sessions emphasize what is working, build skills, and make plans for small, achievable steps. She draws on several methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help reshape unhelpful thoughts and encourage values-based action.

Leslie also uses techniques from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and trauma-focused work to help people manage strong emotions and process painful experiences. Her manner is warm, interactive, and nonjudgmental. She aims to treat each person with respect and sensitivity.

People often come to Leslie for help with sleep problems, anger, career stress, ADHD, caregiver strain, chronic illness, body image, and issues linked to childhood abandonment or attachment. She invites anyone ready to make a change to take the next step toward healing.

Approaches for online healing and skill building

Leslie uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people notice difficult thoughts and feelings, clarify what matters most, and take small actions in line with those values. ACT can be useful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions where moving toward a meaningful life matters more than eliminating every uncomfortable feeling.

She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and testing new ways of thinking and behaving. CBT is a practical option for symptoms of anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and many stress-related concerns. When trauma and emotional intensity are present, interventions from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) are used to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Leslie treats therapy as a collaborative process and will help clients choose methods that fit their goals, needs, and preferences. She adapts techniques over time so sessions remain relevant and useful.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face dialogue and skills practice. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging offer brief check-ins or continued support between sessions. These options provide flexibility to fit work schedules, caregiving responsibilities, or differing comfort levels with real-time conversation.