Monique Gardner, LCSW

Monique Gardner is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, low self-esteem, and ADHD. Monique uses a down-to-earth style and meets people where they are. Sessions are practical and aim to build coping skills that fit everyday life.

Monique favors approaches that emphasize values, behavior change, and emotional connection. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people notice unhelpful patterns and make small changes. Attachment-Based Therapy informs how she explores relationships and long-standing patterns that affect mood and trust.

Her background includes work with people facing dual diagnosis, post-crisis care, grief, eating disorders, OCD, psychosis, and trauma. She also has experience with LGBTQIA+ concerns and a variety of behavioral and mood challenges. That range helps when needs shift or overlap.

Monique describes her style as solution-focused and strength-based. She uses motivational interviewing to help people set goals and stick with them. Mindfulness and simple meditation exercises are used when they fit the person's goals.

Monique practices in Virginia and holds a VA LCSW credential. She has five years of clinical experience and conducts sessions in English. If a reader prefers in-person work, she notes coordination with a local practice may be possible and she can provide more information about that process.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters most and take small actions that match those values. It often includes simple exercises to notice thoughts and move toward meaningful goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression. It uses practical skills and homework to change patterns between sessions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships influence current trust and closeness, and it helps people build healthier ways of relating to others.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together they will adjust methods over time, mixing approaches when that better fits the person’s needs.

If you are considering online work, confirm the specific session formats available before booking. Online options can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, reduce travel time, or allow shorter check-ins when you need them. These practical benefits can help maintain consistency and make it simpler to practice new skills between sessions.