Monica Cruz, LCSW

Monica Cruz is an LCSW with 16 years of clinical experience based in Louisiana. She offers calm, practical support for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, relationship struggles, addiction, grief, and other life changes. Monica focuses on listening first and then helping clients set clear, manageable goals they can actually act on.

Monica frames therapy around a collaborative plan. She uses approaches that emphasize attachment, the client’s perspective, and practical skills. Sessions aim to break problems into small steps so progress feels achievable rather than overwhelming.

Her background includes work with a wide range of concerns such as bipolar conditions, trauma and abuse, ADHD, intimacy-related issues, body image and eating struggles, and compassion fatigue. She also addresses more specific areas like abandonment, attachment wounds, blended family stress, and relationship communication problems.

Monica draws on several therapy styles, including client-centered methods and cognitive-behavioral skill work. She uses elements of dialectical behavior strategies and relationship-focused techniques when they fit a person’s needs. The emphasis is on finding methods that match the person and the problem rather than following a single rigid plan.

Therapy with Monica typically starts by mapping current difficulties and setting short-term steps. She helps people implement those steps and adjusts the plan as life shifts. Her approach is steady, practical, and aimed at improving day-to-day functioning over time.

Approaches that guide online work and goal setting

Attachment-based work focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns. It helps people understand why they react a certain way in close relationships and teaches ways to build more secure, dependable connections.

Client-centered therapy centers on the person’s experience and priorities. The therapist listens deeply, reflects what she hears, and helps clients set their own goals. This approach is useful for people who need a supportive space to clarify values and next steps.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, teaches practical skills to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It is used for anxiety, depression, sleep and eating problems, and many day-to-day challenges where clear steps can improve functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Monica will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. That choice is reviewed over time so the plan stays relevant.

The therapist biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also makes it simpler to keep therapy steady across schedule changes while the focus stays on practical goals and skill practice.