Monica Cruz, LCSW

Monica Cruz is an LCSW based in Louisiana with 16 years of experience. She works with people who are ready to make changes and wants to offer practical help. She listens without judgment and focuses on real steps clients can try between sessions.

Monica aims to help clients set clear, manageable goals. She works alongside each person to break larger goals into smaller actions. Sessions emphasize problem solving and building everyday habits that fit the client’s life.

Her background includes long experience using behavioral approaches and several other methods that focus on relationships and patterns of thinking. She draws on Attachment-Based work to look at how relationships shape feelings and behavior. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to notice thought patterns and DBT skills to teach emotional and distress-management tools.

In practical terms Monica helps with stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar mood concerns, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, self-esteem, and issues around intimacy and relationships. She also supports people dealing with parenting strain, career transitions, ADHD, body image, and blended family challenges.

Monica aims for straightforward, goal-focused sessions. She and each client create a plan, try steps between sessions, and adjust as needed. People who want clear tools and steady support may find this approach helpful.

Approaches that translate to online work

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early and current relationships influence feelings and behavior; online sessions can be used to talk through relationship patterns and practice new ways of relating. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on empathic listening and helping the client set their own goals; it supports conversations about values, choices, and everyday habits. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) identifies unhelpful thoughts and tests them with small behavioral experiments, which can be planned and reviewed during remote sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Goals and techniques can change as progress is reviewed together.

Confirm current session formats before booking so you know what is offered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life - for example, sessions may be easier to schedule around work, require less travel time, or allow shorter check-ins when needed. Many people find it useful to practice new habits between sessions and then use meetings to troubleshoot and build on what worked.