Lesley Schmaltz, LCSW - Therapist in Indiana

About Lesley

Lesley Schmaltz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 16 years of experience. She practices in Indiana and offers a warm, accepting approach that focuses on building a trusting relationship. Lesley aims to partner with people to create a treatment plan that fits their life and goals.

Lesley earned a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville in 2005 and has worked in a variety of settings.

Background and approach

Her background includes hospice care with terminally ill patients and their families, school-based psychotherapy with elementary through high school students, and virtual psychotherapy for a range of concerns. These roles shaped her practical skills in grief counseling and trauma-informed care. She uses a mix of approaches to match each person’s needs.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps with changing unhelpful thinking patterns. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and building on the person’s strengths. Attachment-Based and Emotionally-Focused techniques support relationship and bonding concerns.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify values and take workable steps forward. Lesley has worked with people facing anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, parenting stress, grief, and relationship difficulties. She also addresses caregiver stress, body image, postpartum issues, and life transitions.

Her experience in both hospice and schools gives her a broad view of how stress and loss affect daily life. Her priority is practical partnership - talking through immediate concerns, setting clear goals, and adjusting the plan as needed. To begin, she asks people to share what matters most and then builds an approach around those priorities.

Approaches that translate to online work

Lesley uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify patterns of thought and behavior and to practice new skills that reduce distress. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, and mood concerns because it focuses on clear steps people can take between sessions.

She also draws on Attachment-Based Therapy and Emotionally-Focused Therapy to address relationship and bonding concerns. These methods help people notice interaction patterns, understand emotional needs, and practice new ways of relating to close others or to themselves.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Lesley will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. She adjusts the plan as progress is made so the approach stays useful and relevant.

Session formats are not listed in the provided biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life - for example, shorter check-ins on busier days, sessions that avoid travel time, or appointments timed around school and work. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework for use between sessions so progress can continue in daily life.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Less about arguing with difficult thoughts, more about loosening their grip and acting on what matters to you anyway. Values and committed action carry the work, which suits conversation at a distance.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, family and parenting concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, ADHD, and coping with life changes.

What is her therapeutic style?

Her style is warm, inviting, and accepting. She focuses on building a relationship and partnering with people to make a plan that fits their goals.

What kind of experience does she bring?

She has 16 years of experience including hospice care, school-based psychotherapy, and virtual therapy work for a wide range of concerns.

What credentials and region are listed?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW - licensed in Indiana and Kentucky and practices out of Indiana.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How are costs handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I start a session?

Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 16 years
Licensed: Indiana, Kentucky
Languages: English

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