Carleigh O'Brien , LCSW

Carleigh O'Brien is a licensed clinical social worker with nine years of experience supporting adults through mood and relational challenges. She completed her studies at Walla Walla University in Missoula, Montana in 2013 and has focused her work on evidence-based approaches to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. As an LCSW - a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - she combines clinical training with practical skills to guide clients toward clearer coping strategies and improved daily functioning.

Carleigh works with a broad range of concerns, including mood disorders, interpersonal effectiveness, attachment and relational difficulties, and trauma-related issues. Her clinical toolkit features cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-focused CBT alongside mindfulness practices and solution-focused strategies, enabling a flexible, tailored approach that meets each person where they are. She emphasizes collaborative goal-setting and practical techniques that can be applied between sessions.

Practitioners describe Carleigh as committed to cultivating a respectful, strength-based environment where clients can explore patterns, build new skills, and navigate life transitions. She accepts clients in Montana and provides sessions in multiple formats to accommodate varied schedules and needs.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Carleigh frequently integrates cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness therapy into online sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps clients identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, making it useful for anxiety, depression, and mood regulation. Mindfulness therapy encourages present-moment awareness and stress reduction through simple attention practices, which can support emotional regulation and coping with life changes.

She also draws on attachment-based therapy to explore relationship patterns and early relational influences that affect current connections. This approach is helpful for people working on intimacy, communication, parenting, and attachment issues, and it often complements cognitive and mindfulness work.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Carleigh works collaboratively with each person to determine the best fit based on their needs, goals, and preferences. In online sessions she and the client review what helps and adapt techniques over time.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can be scheduled as video calls, conducted by phone, or held via live chat and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care around work, family, and other commitments while accessing support from licensed professionals and therapists who can tailor treatment to each individual's circumstances.