Monique Gardner, LCSW

Monique Gardner is an LCSW who aims to meet people where they are. They focus on practical skills for stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, depression, and ADHD. Monique uses straightforward, person-centered care and works to help people find better ways to cope.

Monique uses brief motivational interviewing to support change and leans on solution-focused strategies. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy are part of the approach, along with Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills when emotion regulation is needed. Sessions can include mindfulness and grounding techniques to manage symptoms in daily life.

Prior work includes supporting people with dual diagnosis, post-crisis care, grief, mood and behavioral concerns, eating disorders, OCD, psychosis, and trauma. Monique also brings experience with LGBTQIA+ clients and addresses issues such as abandonment, attachment, and adoption and foster care concerns. They list additional focus areas that include caregiver stress, chronic illness, body image, and commitment issues.

Monique has five years of clinical experience and practices in Virginia. Their style is collaborative and strength-based, aiming to build practical tools rather than rely on a single method. Clients are encouraged to set clear goals and try techniques between sessions.

To begin, readers should verify current session options before booking and follow the platform steps to connect. Monique supports people through everyday problems and more complex histories with a calm, practical approach.

Therapeutic approaches and how they fit online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on clarifying values and taking small steps toward a meaningful life while accepting difficult feelings. It can help when worry, low mood, or trauma responses get in the way of daily goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, breaks problems into patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at early relationships and current patterns in close connections, helping people understand and shift how they relate to others and to themselves.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Monique will work with each person to identify goals and try methods that fit their needs and preferences. Over a few sessions the approach can be adjusted based on what feels most helpful.

Confirm current session options before booking so you know what formats are offered. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so people can use therapy around work or caregiving. Many therapists use video and phone in different combinations, and the right mix can be chosen together to match energy levels, bandwidth, and scheduling needs.