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LCSW

Darlene Kelly, LCSW

  • Experience24 years
  • LocationLouisiana
  • Focus areasLGBT, Trauma and abuse, and Parenting
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Darlene

Darlene Kelly is a licensed clinical social worker with 24 years of practice who blends compassionate listening with evidence-based therapies to help clients navigate life’s challenges.

Background and approach

She centers a collaborative, person-focused approach that encourages exploration of internal parts and emotional patterns, drawing on Internal Family Systems alongside cognitive and acceptance-based methods. Her style emphasizes understanding rather than erasure of past experiences, and she supports clients as they identify steps for growth and change.

Working from Louisiana, Darlene offers a calm, nonjudgmental space where clients can speak openly about concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship struggles, and issues around intimacy, parenting, addiction, or grief. She also addresses a broad range of related matters including ADHD, body image, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and attachment challenges.

Her practice aims to help people build practical skills while honoring their emotional experience and personal goals. Clients find that sessions focus on clear goals, tailored coping strategies, and ongoing collaboration.

Darlene approaches each person with respect for their history and strengths, helping them move toward healthier patterns at a sustainable pace.

Integrating proven approaches for online therapy



Internal Family Systems helps people notice and relate to the different parts of themselves - for example protective or wounded parts - and works to bring balance and compassion to internal conflicts. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy encourages noticing thoughts and feelings without getting trapped by them while clarifying values to guide meaningful action; it is often useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relational patterns shape current connections and helps rebuild safety and trust in relationships.

Choosing the best approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each client to explore goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful in early sessions, and will adjust methods as progress unfolds so treatment matches evolving needs.

Online therapy offers flexible options including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to access consistent care from different locations. These formats support ongoing work on symptoms, relationship patterns, and practical skills while fitting therapy into busy schedules and changing circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Darlene address?
She works with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family concerns, addictions, grief, parenting challenges, and stress-related problems.
What approaches guide therapy sessions?
Therapy draws on Internal Family Systems together with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based work, client-centered techniques, and cognitive behavioral strategies to tailor support to each person.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 24 years of professional experience as a licensed social worker to her practice, working with a variety of life stages and concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is an LCSW licensed in Texas and Mississippi with the identifiers TX LCSW 57472 and MS LCSW C10272, and practices from Louisiana.
Can people who live outside the United States work with her?
She accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English for people located outside the U.S.
Which session formats are available?
Sessions may be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and needs.
How are fees handled for therapy with her?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

LGBTTrauma and abuseParenting issuesCareer difficultiesCoping with life changes

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyAddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemBipolar disorderDepressionCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyGottman MethodImago Relationship TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

24+ years

Licensed

Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi

Languages

English