Leslie Cates

Hi! My name is Leslie, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Louisiana with 10 years of experience providing counseling and psychotherapy services. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, stress, life changes, self-esteem, codependency, addictions, relationship issues, PTSD, and grief and loss. I have also helped many people who have struggled with the effects of childhood trauma and abusive relationships. I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling in December of 2016, in New Orleans, LA.

My counseling style is warm and interactive. I believe in treating anyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, and I do not believe in stigmatizing labels. I approach therapy from a client-centered perspective: You determine your goals and direction for therapy, and I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. I conduct therapy through a strengths-based and solutions-focused lens, and I draw on multiple treatment modalities to help clients achieve their desired goals, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance-and-Commitment Therapy. More specifically, I aim to help clients change their thoughts and perspectives to become more realistic and encouraging, while emphasizing purposeful acceptance and willingness to change. I also utilize interventions from Cognitive Processing Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to help clients process traumatic experiences and manage difficult emotions.

It takes courage to seek help to achieve positive changes and healing for a more fulfilling life. If you are ready to take that step, I am here to support and empower you.

I look forward to working with you!