Luretha Kelly , LICSW, LCSW

Luretha Kelly is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing trauma, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and stress. She offers a calm, direct approach and focuses on practical steps people can use between sessions. Luretha emphasizes each person's strengths and works with them to build on what already helps.

With 16 years of practice, Luretha has supported people dealing with anger, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related issues, sleep problems, and parenting strain. She also addresses concerns such as caregiver stress, body image, abandonment and attachment wounds, codependency, and challenges after divorce or separation. Her experience includes assisting those coping with major life changes and the ups and downs of bipolar disorder and ADHD symptoms.

Luretha uses approaches that teach new skills and change unhelpful patterns. She blends techniques from cognitive behavioral methods with acceptance-oriented and mindfulness practices. Motivational interviewing and solution-focused tools are also part of her work when motivation or clear short-term goals are needed.

Clients can expect straightforward conversations about what is getting in the way and small, realistic steps to try between sessions. She treats setbacks as information, not failure, and adjusts plans as needed. The work is collaborative and paced to each person's needs.

Luretha is licensed in Mississippi and the District of Columbia. She conducts sessions in English and is available to people both inside the United States and internationally through online formats. Her practice aims to help people feel more grounded and able to move forward.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice unhelpful thoughts without getting stuck in them and then take actions that match their values. It is often useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with painful memories. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and replacing them with practical skills and experiments to reduce distress. CBT is commonly used for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and some stress-related issues.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. Together they decide whether ACT, CBT, or other methods like DBT-informed skills or motivational interviewing will be tried and they will adjust as progress unfolds.

Online formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and teaching of skills, phone sessions can work well when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text-based messaging suit shorter check-ins or moments when writing feels easier. These options offer flexibility for scheduling, follow-up, and practicing skills between sessions.