Steven Mondragon, LCSW

Steven Mondragon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Utah with 10 years of professional experience. He focuses on practical problems like stress, anxiety, anger, and low self-esteem, and he helps people who are managing the effects of trauma and abuse. Steven emphasizes a strengths-based approach and sees clients as the experts on their own lives.

He works in a straightforward, respectful way and encourages people to build on what already helps them. Sessions focus on identifying small, doable steps that reduce distress and increase day-to-day functioning. He also brings experience supporting first responders such as police, fire, and medical personnel.

Steven uses conversational methods that help people notice unhelpful thoughts and habits and replace them with more useful patterns. He draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address thinking and behavior, and from Client-Centered Therapy to keep the work collaborative and grounded in each person’s goals. Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused techniques are used when people want clear, short-term steps.

People come to Steven for help managing symptoms and for support when life feels overwhelming. He works with issues that include abandonment, attachment concerns, chronic illness or pain, dissociation, guilt and shame, and problems with communication or control. His style aims to be calm, practical, and goal-oriented.

To begin, he asks people to name what matters most to them and then shapes sessions around those priorities. The focus is on real-life changes that fit into daily routines rather than abstract models or one-size-fits-all plans.

How these approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the person's lead. In practice that looks like the therapist reflecting what the person says and asking questions that help them clarify goals and choices. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors to see what changes. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress by breaking problems into smaller, manageable parts.

Deciding which approach to use is a shared process. The therapist will work with the person to name goals, try methods that match those goals, and adjust the plan as needed. The work is collaborative and aimed at finding what helps the individual make steady progress.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the available session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Different approaches adapt well to remote conversations - for example, CBT can include brief between-session exercises, while Client-Centered work focuses on how the conversation unfolds. Ask about session lengths and scheduling when you complete the matching questionnaire so arrangements fit your daily routine.