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LPC

Leslie Cates, LPC

  • Experience10 years
  • LocationLouisiana
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Addictions, and Grief
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Leslie

Leslie Cates is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Louisiana who works with adults facing stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, low self-esteem, depression, trauma, relationship struggles, and a variety of life transitions.

Background and approach

With 10 years of clinical experience, she supports people navigating complex issues such as childhood trauma, abusive relationships, bipolar disorder, ADHD, chronic pain and health concerns, and caregiving stress. Leslie draws on a broad set of tools to meet each person where they are and to help them move toward practical improvements in daily functioning and emotional well-being.

Her style is warm, interactive, and client-centered, inviting clients to set goals and shape the direction of therapy. She integrates strengths-based and solution-focused techniques alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to shift unhelpful thoughts while cultivating acceptance and purposeful change.

Leslie also employs interventions from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Internal Family Systems to help clients process trauma, regulate intense emotions, and develop more adaptive coping skills. She emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion throughout the therapeutic process and encourages people who are ready to make changes to reach out for support.

Therapeutic approaches for online healing and change

Leslie often integrates Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Client-Centered methods when working with clients online. Internal Family Systems (IFS) helps people explore inner parts or subpersonalities and understand how those parts interact, which can be useful for resolving internal conflicts and trauma-related patterns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) combines acceptance strategies with values-guided action to help people move forward despite difficult thoughts or feelings, making it helpful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, respect, and collaboration, giving clients space to set goals while the therapist follows their lead.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process, and Leslie works collaboratively to determine what fits each persons needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors interventions based on how a client responds and adjusts methods over time to better support progress and resilience.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing sessions to fit into busy schedules and daily life. These formats make it easier to access consistent care from Louisiana without needing to travel, and they support continued work on skills, emotion regulation, and processing therapy material between appointments.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does this therapist address?
Leslie works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, self-esteem issues, depression, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, sleep problems, anger, career challenges, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.
How would you describe the therapeutic approach and style?
The approach is client-centered and collaborative with a warm, interactive style; therapy emphasizes strengths, practical solutions, and techniques drawn from CBT, ACT, DBT, and Internal Family Systems to meet individual goals.
What is Leslies background and clinical experience?
She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling and has 10 years of experience providing counseling and psychotherapy to people dealing with trauma, mood concerns, addiction, and life transitions.
Where is Leslie licensed and based?
Leslie is a Licensed Professional Counselor practicing in Louisiana with license LA LPC 7033.
In what languages can sessions be conducted and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English, and Leslie is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available for online therapy?
She provides therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are delivered through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyAddictionsGriefSelf esteemDepression

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseSleeping disordersAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDissociationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

10+ years

Licensed

Louisiana

Languages

English