Leslie Cates

Leslie Cates is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Louisiana with ten years of experience helping people through stress, anxiety, grief, addiction, and major life changes. She meets people where they are and focuses on practical steps to feel more capable and steady. Leslie offers a warm, interactive approach that keeps the person’s goals in focus.

She draws on client-centered therapy, which means clients set the direction and Leslie tailors sessions to each individual. She also uses cognitive behavioral tools to help change unhelpful thoughts and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to build willingness and purpose. These approaches are used alongside techniques from dialectical behavior therapy and trauma-focused work when appropriate.

Leslie has worked with people affected by childhood trauma, abusive relationships, and complex grief. She also supports those facing caregiver strain, chronic illness, ADHD, and substance-related struggles. Her style is strengths-based and solution-oriented, with attention to emotional regulation and coping skills.

Sessions are conversational and focused on real-life changes. Leslie helps people identify small, practical steps and develop new habits that fit their day-to-day life. She avoids stigmatizing labels and treats people with respect and compassion.

Leslie earned a Master of Arts in Counseling in December 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She encourages anyone ready to take a step toward healing to begin the process and offers support through that change.

How therapy approaches shape online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters most and take small actions that align with those values. It is useful for anxiety, stress, grief, and making life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical experiments to reduce symptoms like depression, worry, and sleep problems. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides skills for managing strong emotions and improving distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness, which can help with anger, relationship struggles, and emotion regulation.

Choosing the best approach is a collaborative process. Leslie will work with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, needs, and comfort level. She adapts tools from different approaches and checks in regularly to see what is helping and what needs to change.

Confirm the specific session formats before booking since the profile does not list them. Online options can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life by reducing travel, allowing shorter check-ins, and offering more flexible scheduling. Many people find remote sessions help them practice skills in real-world settings and maintain continuity during illness or caregiving demands. The therapist and client will agree on practical arrangements that suit the person’s routines and goals.