Lesley Gustafson , LMHC

Lesley W. Gustafson, M.A., LMHC brings decades of clinical experience supporting people through complex mental health challenges. With a Master of Arts and licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, she has spent many years working in inpatient psychiatric settings and as a member of the Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Team, offering both individual and group therapy to people in crisis.

Over a 39-year career she has provided care for a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress, psychotic disorders, addictions, anger, grief, and difficulties coping with life changes. She also focuses on issues that affect specific populations - women, older adults, individuals with chronic illness, first responders, and people facing multicultural stressors such as prejudice and discrimination or experiences of paranoia.

Her practice emphasizes support, education, and guidance, helping clients understand their situations and find practical ways to move forward. Lesley is willing to work with anyone who is open to receiving help and draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques suited to each person’s needs. Her approach blends clinical experience with a steady, compassionate presence to assist clients through both acute crises and longer-term challenges.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Online Care

Lesley Gustafson applies evidence-based methods that match each person's presenting concerns and life context. One common focus is trauma-informed care, which centers on understanding how past traumatic or disaster-related experiences affect current symptoms and responses; this approach helps people with PTSD, disaster-related stress, and abuse-related difficulties to process experiences at a manageable pace. Another core method is supportive therapy combined with psychoeducation - offering practical guidance, emotional support, and information that helps clients understand mood disorders, grief, addiction, and coping strategies while building everyday skills.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with clients to identify goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, adjusting techniques over time to fit changing needs. This partnership helps ensure the treatment plan is both practical and person-centered.

Online therapy makes these approaches more accessible through flexible options such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These formats allow work to continue across schedules and geographies, making it easier to maintain consistency in care and to access licensed professionals when in-person visits are difficult.