Monica Cruz , LCSW

Monica Cruz is an LCSW based in Louisiana with 16 years of clinical experience. She focuses on practical support for people facing stress, anxiety, mood struggles, trauma, relationship concerns, and a wide range of life challenges. Monica aims to listen first and help clients set small, manageable goals that lead to steady progress.

Her style is warm and nonjudgmental. She emphasizes clear steps and real-world strategies rather than abstract theory. Sessions often involve talking through problems, identifying patterns, and practicing new skills that fit daily life.

Monica draws on approaches that include attachment-based work, client-centered methods, cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior skills, and elements of the Gottman Method for relationship issues. She adapts these methods to each person’s needs instead of using a one-size-fits-all plan.

People come to her for help with depression, bipolar symptoms, addictions, grief, intimacy and body-image concerns, ADHD, compassion fatigue, parenting stress, and coping with major life changes. She also supports clients dealing with abandonment, attachment wounds, codependency, and communication problems.

Therapy with Monica can include problem-focused coaching as well as deeper work on past hurts and attachment patterns. She works through practical steps together with clients and breaks larger goals into manageable actions. The approach is collaborative and paced to each client's comfort level.

Therapeutic approaches and online options that fit your life

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current reactions and connection patterns; it can help when people struggle with trust, abandonment fears, or repeated relationship problems. Client-Centered Therapy puts the person's goals and experience at the center and emphasizes listening and validation while the client guides what to work on. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety, depression, and sleep or eating concerns.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Monica will listen to your goals and preferences, try different methods, and adjust the plan as you progress. That way therapy stays focused on what you want to change and how fast you want to move.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for in-depth sessions when visual cues matter. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or for simple check-ins. Live chat and text messaging are helpful for brief updates, practicing skills between sessions, or fitting therapy into a busy day. These options make it easier to schedule regular work on goals without long commutes or time away from responsibilities.