Marla Monk , LCSW, LISW-CP

Marla Monk is a licensed clinical social worker who uses a client-centered approach to help people facing relationship strain, stress, anxiety, trauma, and women's issues. She holds LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and LISW-CP (Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice) credentials and practices from South Carolina. Marla emphasizes clear, practical steps people can use between sessions.

She focuses on everyday problems like parenting stress, grief, intimacy-related concerns, and job-related burnout. She also works with people coping with domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse, and post-traumatic stress. Marla brings particular attention to issues that affect women and to caregiving and adoption-related challenges.

Marla blends tools from cognitive behavioral therapy with skills-based approaches such as dialectical behavior therapy. She also uses emotionally focused and Gottman-informed techniques when relationship work is needed. Sessions aim to build skills for managing strong emotions and improving communication.

With five years of professional practice, she draws on past roles in prevention, advocacy, and community programs to shape a practical style. Her background includes work with military-connected individuals and programs, which informs how she understands stress and service-related concerns.

People who choose Marla can expect straightforward conversations and goal-focused plans. She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules. Sessions operate through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How Marla’s Approaches Work Online

Client-centered therapy focuses on the client's priorities and personal strengths. The therapist listens closely and helps people name goals, make decisions, and try small changes that add up over time. This approach is useful for stress, self-esteem, and life transitions.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaches practical exercises to change them. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and coping with difficult life events. Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills for intense feelings and relationship strain.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Marla will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and preferences and recommend strategies that match their situation. She adjusts techniques as progress is made so therapy stays practical and relevant.

Online formats offer flexibility for people with busy lives. Video calls work well for in-depth work and visual connection. Phone sessions need less bandwidth and can fit into a short break. Live chat and text-based messaging let someone check in between sessions or use a brief coaching-style touchpoint. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, parenting, or caregiving routines while keeping the focus on real-life skills and relationship change.