- ACT and CBT methods
- Grief and trauma support
- Parenting and communication
About Lesley
Lesley Schmaltz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Indiana with 16 years of clinical experience. She has worked in hospice care, schools, and as a virtual psychotherapist, helping people with anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, relationship and family concerns, grief, and parenting stress.
She uses practical, evidence-informed methods to help people manage stress and find direction after major life changes. Sessions often focus on improving communication, managing mood and anxiety symptoms, addressing attachment concerns, and coping with grief or caregiver strain. Life purpose and meaning work are among the areas she supports when people feel stuck after a change in work, health, or relationships.
Her background includes grief counseling and trauma-informed care from years in hospice, plus school-based psychotherapy with elementary through high school students. Those roles contributed to hands-on experience with family dynamics, bereavement, and crisis-related stressors. She also lists experience providing virtual care for a range of concerns in adults.
Lesley combines Client-Centered therapy with approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Attachment-Based Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT). In practice she focuses on clear strategies people can use between sessions, like communication skills, behavioral experiments, and values-based goal setting.
People who are unsure what comes next after a life change often begin by clarifying small, concrete steps. Lesley asks about immediate priorities, current supports, and realistic next actions. That helps turn broad questions about purpose into concrete plans that fit day-to-day life.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Lesley uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people notice what matters to them and take small actions that align with those values. ACT focuses on building flexible behavior patterns rather than promising a single outcome, and it is often useful for anxiety, depression, and life-purpose questions.She also draws on Attachment-Based Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy. Attachment-based work looks at how past and current relationships shape reactions and trust. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and reflecting so people can voice their concerns and choose next steps. These approaches can help with relationship strain, communication problems, and caregiver stress.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will collaborate with each person to decide which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences. That discussion usually happens in early sessions and can be adjusted over time based on what helps.
Her biography notes experience providing virtual psychotherapy, but current session formats should be confirmed before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a workday, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. Talk with her about session length and scheduling so therapy can fit into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
16+ years
Listed in
Indiana, Kentucky
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and parenting concerns, ADHD, and coping with life changes including life purpose questions.
How would she approach feeling stuck or directionless?
She draws on Client-Centered methods, ACT, CBT, and attachment-informed ideas to clarify values and identify small, practical steps toward change.
What is her clinical background?
She has 16 years of experience, including hospice care, school-based psychotherapy, and virtual therapy addressing a wide range of concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is an LCSW licensed in Indiana, and the profile notes licensure in Kentucky as well.
Does she work in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats does she offer?
The original biography mentions virtual psychotherapy experience; confirm current session formats before booking to see which options are offered now.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.