Teresa Lewis , LCSW

Teresa Lewis, LCSW, brings two decades of clinical social work experience to her practice in Montana. She uses a person-centered style that aims to treat each person with respect and to keep their goals at the center of care. Teresa listens first and helps people set clear, manageable steps toward change.

Her background includes outpatient, intensive outpatient, and psychological inpatient settings. That variety means she has worked with people facing both mental health and medical challenges, including co-occurring conditions. She has particular experience supporting people who struggle with addictions alongside other concerns.

Teresa draws on practical therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. She also offers Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which she uses with people dealing with trauma, panic, or PTSD symptoms. Sessions focus on concrete skills, coping techniques, and the next right step a person can try.

Common issues she helps people address include stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, sleeping problems, anger, and self-esteem. She also works with people coping with life changes, caregiver strain, chronic illness, and challenges related to adoption or abandonment.

Teresa values collaboration and aims to create a space where a person can make choices about their care. She recognizes that asking for help takes courage and works alongside people to build a plan that fits their life.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and commit to values-based actions. Online ACT sessions often include short exercises and real-life homework to practice between meetings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting and changing patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going; online CBT uses structured sessions and worksheets to build concrete coping skills. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR, is a trauma-focused method that works on processing traumatic memories; in remote work it is adapted into paced sessions that combine guided attention techniques with careful processing when appropriate.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Teresa will discuss goals, symptoms, and preferences and recommend methods that match those needs. The process is collaborative and may mix approaches to address both skill-building and trauma processing over time.

Online sessions offer practical flexibility. Video calls let the therapist see cues and run interactive exercises. Phone sessions can be a good low-bandwidth option or fit a quick check-in. Live chat and text-based messaging support shorter check-ins, progress notes, and follow-up between longer sessions. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or travel schedules while keeping a steady course of care.